Female Nudes and Dead Horses at Deepavali Open House (Answer to Red Dot Quiz 5)

Quiz 5 was conceived at the National Museum and foreground shows the roof of the museum new annex. Thanks to all who participated. Once again, Victor never ceased to amaze us with his googling (and triangulation) skills.

That day was Deepavali Open House and I was there .... what else but to take advantage of the free admission. From what I understand, access to the National Museum is free and you can pay $10 for the permanent exhibitions (Singapore History and Living Galleries). Special exhibitions like the recently concluded A Story of the Image: Old & New Masters From Antwerp will set you back by another $8. But don't quote me on this, because I visit the museum only when there is free admission.

(If you are stingy still in economic recession, try The Image of Our Landscape. Free admission and you can immerse yourself in images of 19th century Singapore.)

The Image of Our Landscape exhibition.

A Story of the Image is a most extraordinary exhibition. Not an exhibition on history of print or photos, but rather a collection of artworks on loan from three important museums (all art museums) in Antwerp. And we wonder why it is in the National Museum and not SAM.

For $8, you get to walk around in a maze like a Wumpus. The Activity Guide states that "explore the rooms in your own way for there is no beginning nor end in this exhibition".

The rooms are like a maze.

Floorplan of exhibition from the Activity Guide.

(For $8, you get a fully colored Visitors Guide and Activity Guide printed on good quality paper.)

The exhibition is rated PG due to the presence of nudes - nude images. Provocative images of female nudes seducing you through their suggestive poses and gestures, states the Activity Guide.

Viewer discretion is advised. Can you spot the female nudes?

If you do not know how to appreciate female nudes, you can let your childlike imagination wander in a field of dead horses.

Wander among the dead horses in Flanders Field.

States the Activity Guide,

"There are many images that are derived from the mind, those which are born from our imagination, those which are stirred from our memories and those that exist in our subconscious."

How that describes Flanders Field is not clear until you read the Activity Guide:

Activity Guide on Berlinde de Bruyckere's Flanders Field.

(If you ask me, I think that is a more apt description of the female nudes by Marlene Dumas.)