Minister for Digital Development and Information, Mrs Josephine Teo
Distinguished guests and partners
Ladies and gentlemen
1. Welcome to the National Library Gallery, and the official opening of Untold Stories: Four Singapore Artists’ Quest for Inspiration in Bali 1952.
2. This new exhibition looks at a defining moment in Singapore’s art history, one for which not a lot has been written about, but which has left a lasting impact in our cultural heritage. Our pioneering artists – Liu Kang, Chen Chong Swee, Chen Wen Hsi and Cheong Soo Pieng – travelled together through Bali and Java over a period of seven weeks and found inspiration from the exoticism of Bali and Java to create a body of work using a synthesis of Western and Chinese painting techniques. In turn, these works have helped to define the Nanyang art that we are familiar with today. We are therefore honoured to be able to work on this exhibition with the strong support of the Liu Kang Family through Gretchen, daughter-in-law of Liu Kang. The exhibition enables us to bring everyone along to that moment in time to see Bali, as well as Java, through the eyes of the artists.
3. Our attempt to paint the journey is being presented in three sections, like a triptych. The three sections, “Imagining Bali”, “Experiencing Bali”, and “The Bali Legacy”, will present a range of materials. These include brochures of Bali and Java, to hundreds of photographs taken during the trip, and the eventual artworks inspired by the trip. Amid the materials, you will find gems of stories behind the works. For instance, the story behind the famous “Artist and Model” painting by Liu Kang, the one here, which depicts artist Chen Wen Hsi sketching a woman, presumably in Bali. But was it really in Bali? I would not be able to do justice to the works presented with just this brief overview. My colleagues, who have been working tirelessly over the past months on this exhibition, will be your consummate tour guides for your trip to Bali later.
4. We are grateful to Gretchen, who co-curated the exhibition, for generously sharing the wealth of materials and her insights, which found their way into the exhibition. I am also delighted to share that NLB is launching her book, “Bali 1952: Through the Lens of Liu Kang”, today. Her book will help to deepen our understanding of the artistic legacy her father-in-law and his fellow pioneering artists have left. You can pick up a copy from Books Kinokuniya, or at our libraries very soon.
5. This exhibition would also not have been possible without the support of curatorial consultant Low Sze Wee. I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks too to the National Gallery Singapore, National Heritage Board, Mr Chen Chi Sing, son of Chen Chong Swee, Bali 1928 Archive, the National University of Singapore, Dunman High School and many others for their materials, that have enabled us to bring these untold stories to life.
6. I would like to also take this opportunity to recognise another great Singapore artist, Mr Lim Tze Peng, who passed away less than two weeks ago. As a second-generation Nanyang artist, who found guidance and inspiration from revered mentors like Lee Man Fong, Cheong Soo Pieng, and Liu Kang, his command over Chinese ink and calligraphy has made him a key figure in Singapore's cultural landscape for many years. A catalogue of the Ten Men Art Group's exhibition, of which Mr Lim was a part of, is today at The Bali Legacy section. We are grateful that Mr Lim and his family has contributed more than 400 photographs of his portraits, outdoor painting sessions, interactions with other artists, and exhibitions, for digitisation as part of NLB’s Singapore Online Arts Repository collaboration project with the National Arts Council. Through such contributions, our national collection of Singapore arts content can be enriched, and more Singapore Stories can be shared over time.
7. The opening of this exhibition is timely as we celebrate SG60 this year. It gives us a good cause for a pause to reflect on our past, and shine a light on our shared heritage as a nation. On that note, I want to thank everyone for joining us today, and I wish you an enriching and inspiring trip to Bali. Thank you.