Inaugural Gallery Children’s Biennale brings Dreams and Stories to Life

Gallery Children’s Biennale will feature ten interactive art showcases produced in collaboration with artists from Singapore and beyond

16 May 2017 – Young visitors to the National Gallery Singapore will have their creative imagination ignited with the launch of the first-ever Gallery Children’s Biennale. Starting from 20 May and spanning across more than four months, Gallery Children’s Biennale presents a suite of art installations and activities specially curated for young visitors and parents to embark on a creative journey of exploration and discovery together.

Themed Dreams & Stories, Gallery Children’s Biennale will feature ten interactive installations and new commissioned works by artists from Singapore and beyond: Chng Seok Tin, Mark Justiniani, Yayoi Kusama, Vincent Leow, Lynn Lu, teamLab, Tran Trong Vu, Ian Woo and Robert Zhao. The artworks are located at various public spaces within the Gallery across both the City Hall and Former Supreme Court buildings.

“The Gallery believes that art education plays an important role in developing innovative and expansive thinking in our young. For the Gallery Children’s Biennale, we engaged artists to create works accessible for young visitors to showcase how art can be fun, inspirational and educational. This will be a good platform for families to come together and explore fresh perspectives while engaging with art,” said Ms Chong Siak Ching, CEO, National Gallery Singapore.

“The Gallery Children’s Biennale serves as an excellent opportunity for parents to initiate their young ones into learning about art. Art ignites imaginations, evokes emotions, captures cultural values and expresses aspirations. Gallery Children’s Biennale is premised on the belief that every child is creative – everyone dreams and has stories to tell – and we want to activate their senses, and enable them to express their thinking, ideas and emotions through the universal theme of Dreams & Stories. We are very excited to present the inaugural Gallery Children’s Biennale, and we hope that both the young – and the young at heart – will be inspired by the installations and programmes,” added Ms Suenne Megan Tan, Director, Audience Development & Engagement, National Gallery Singapore.

For a fuller experience, visitors can pick up a Gallery Children’s Biennale Art Pack – which is available at S$5/pack at the Gallery. Produced as a learning resource, the art pack contains activities and ideas for discussion, which are designed to enhance the appreciation and understanding of the art on display, and provide children the opportunity to reflect and express their own thoughts and creativity.

Adds Ms Tan, “A key aim of the Gallery Children’s Biennale is to incubate, pilot and research new approaches of art engagement, within a museum context, where artists and visitors function as partners and contributors toward a shared learning experience. While this advances the development of art education and the learning of art by an individual, it also transforms museums into active learning environments in which people can feel, think, look and respond, moving comfortably from what they know to new areas of knowledge.”

The Keppel Centre for Art Education is also undergoing a refresh as part of our continuous efforts to inspire new ways of learning. One of the refreshed spaces, Project Gallery, will feature an immersive ocean-themed installation, The Blue Who Swims All This Way by artist Betty Susiarjo. The installation, inspired by the National Collection, invites visitors to explore a myriad of textures, sounds and colours. Visitors will exercise their senses as they hug soft sculptures, climb into giant rocks, listen to the sound of waves and observe a shimmering display of colours.

In conjunction with Gallery Children’s Biennale, a series of public programmes, film screenings, special tours for families, and artist-led workshops for children have been lined up. Visitors can also look forward to an outdoor festival in August.

Gallery Children’s Biennale is proudly supported by development partner Tote Board. “The Gallery Children’s Biennale is an excellent platform to inspire the imagination of young minds through artistic experiences. The event also encourages intergenerational bonding and strengthen families. Tote Board supports the Gallery Children’s Biennale as a community event for all Singaporeans to enjoy,” said Mr Fong Yong Kian, CEO, Tote Board.

Gallery Children’s Biennale opens to public 20 May to 8 October 2017. The Gallery Children’s Biennale is a ticket exhibition. General admission rules apply. Free entry for Singaporeans & PRs. For more details, visit www.childrensbiennale.com.