Art captures Singapore

Payatas, by Oscar Villamiel.

The installation recreates an open-door, old-fashioned provisions shop. Such small shops were once easily found on street corners in Southeast Asia, but in many cities they are being replaced by mini - mart chains or franchises.

"The name 'Toko Keperluan' means 'a shop for your needs', which is ironic since many items in the shop are anything but necessities," explains Priambodo. "As shopping becomes a way to enjoy life or to re-live nostalgia, the items we purchase become a means by which we define and project our 'selves'."

In front of the National Museum of Singapore, three cylindrical bamboo structures built by Indonesian artist Eko Prawoto remind the audience of ancient tribe sheds, which are quite alien compared with modern buildings. The slow passage of time, represented by clouds as seen through the open skylights, as well as the smell and texture of bamboo recall a time when humans lived more intimately with these sensations and raw materials.

Along with the ongoing exhibition, this year's biennale also features workshops and lectures.

"There isn't one voice: It is a polyphonic chorus that can, and sometimes does, verge on cacophony," says SAM's Lingham. The hope, she says, is to deepen our understanding of the socio-cultural, economic, aesthetic and ideological complexities of Southeast Asia.

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