No WonderA Humorous Take on the Biennale Theme by LASALLE College of the Arts |
| By Syed Muhd Hafiz | |||||
 Zainudin Samsuri's Rowing Boat, Project Space Gallery exhibits So it is with this youthful spirit that Lasalle College of the Arts had decided to give their take on this year’s Biennale theme Wonder. Curated by the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Milenko Prvacki, Lasalle had galvanised its staff and students to come up with ‘No Wonder’, which opened from the 9th to the 26th of September. While chatting with Prvacki, he mentioned that, “With Biennales, the participating artists face a lot of pressure and public scrutiny with their artworks, so 'No Wonder' is deliberately interpreted in a light-hearted manner. Also, with this exhibition, it is hoped that both the local and international audience will get to see what Lasalle has to offer.” Ranging from a reverberating tectonic sound work to a whimsical rattan satellite dish hanging from the sky bridge, ‘No Wonder’ invites the viewers to ponder over the real sense of wonderment. The opening night featured two performances: Image and Sound and How Much Sugar. The former is a site-specific sound project responding to the campus architecture. It features the reverberation of amplifiers/ speakers within the corners of the Lasalle building interiors, mixed with myriads of sounds evoking projected images from a pinhole to enlarged imageries. Co-curated by Jeremi Sharma and Ian Woo, it is yet another investigative work highlighting the architecture of the Lasalle campus. Sima Salehi’s How Much Sugar performance continued her efforts at raising awareness of the female crisis, sentiments, and how issues of stereotypes, social and cultural conventions limit the distinctiveness of individual identities and freedom of women, using the context of contemporary Islamic culture in Iran. There were three exhibitions spread around the galleries, as well, located within the Lasalle campus. Praxis Space Gallery showcased ‘Don’t Worry Mum’, curated by Milenko Prvacki and featuring works of current and past undergraduates from the Fine Art faculty. The titular exhibition paid heed to worried mothers who are distressed about the possible failures of their offspring. It speaks to those children who, in order to take risks, have had to defend their own decisions against their parents’ wishes, before apologising and showing repentance. Project Space Gallery showcased ‘Oh No Wonder’, curated by Rofan Teo. The exhibition also featured current and past undergraduates creating works around themes of the often over-romanticised identity of artists in the contemporary world. The works were a tongue-in-cheek critique of the artistic means of the production of art. Zainudin Samsuri’s ‘Rowing Boats’, spread across various venues within the campus, showcased his visually striking sculptures. His works are meant to be visual idioms that represent his dialogue between his work, his audience and his thoughts. And, to cap off the plethora of artworks on display, Patrick Storey’s collaboration with current fine art undergraduates gave form to No Wonder Structure. Integrating his love for technology and nature, Patrick Storey built a satellite dish out of materials that are specific and exclusive to Asia, such as rattan, cane and bamboo. The Singapore Biennale may have generated much debate and had its fair share of critics. However, through this flurry of opinions, for better or for worse, the Biennale has prompted various events happening during the same period. Be it satellite events or ‘guerrilla’ exhibitions, all this can only contribute to the burgeoning local contemporary arts scene. However, one concern is the fact that this flurry of activities seems to be in momentum only during this period. This is not surprising; the international stakeholders will only be in town for a specific season. But, one cannot help but observe that Biennales are increasingly becoming brief affairs, after which the buzz dies down, leaving a discomforting lull as we all wait for the next Singapore Biennale.
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