Singlish, rojak, NDP and more at Dick Lee's SingaPop! exhibition
A celebration of Singapore's unique identity shaped over the last six decades, the colourful and interactive trip through the eras aims to showcase how the country has evolved - from a multicultural society into a vibrant nation with its own culture shaped by language, food, music, film, television and fashion.
Offering a blend of educational and nostalgic experiences through five chapters, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the essence of Singaporean identity and consider how it continues to evolve over time.
Lee, 68, tells The Straits Times: "Culture usually takes generations to evolve, but we've done it in just 60 years. What does it take for culture to grow so quickly and organically? It has to be some sense of unity in the people to make it so.
"I've lived through it, I've seen it evolve, I'm still active and I'm still contributing. It's authentic, it's real."
SingaPop!, presented by the ArtScience Museum and media company mm2 Entertainment and supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority, seeks to engage locals and tourists, young and old, the singer-songwriter adds.
Here are five highlights from the show.
1. An eclectic collection of artefacts
SingaStyle, a sartorial showcase at SingaPop! 60 Years of Singapore Pop Culture, held at the ArtScience Museum. This section traces six decades of Singapore's evolving identity through beauty pageants, everyday wear and shifting fashion trends. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
The exhibition's wide-ranging selection of artefacts includes a dress worn by singer Kit Chan and glasses belonging to veteran performer Rahimah Rahim, both found in SingaSong, a section dedicated to the home-grown music landscape.
Another section showcasing local fashion, SingaStyle, has pageant wear designed by fashion designers Frederick Lee and Moe Kasim.
A room named NDPop, modelled after an HDB flat, is dedicated to the annual National Day Parade (NDP). It has several old-school television sets playing footage of various parades over the years, as well as costumes and goodie bag items from past NDPs.
2. Interactive games and exhibits
Visitors can enjoy an interactive experience simulating the work of a satay stallholder at the SingaPop! 60 Years of Singapore Pop Culture exhibition, held at the ArtScience Museum. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Visitors are each given a wrist tag that allows them to engage in interactive activities such as voting for their favourite local food, playing games that test their knowledge of Singlish phrases or pretending to grill satay.
3. A celebration of local music, television and film
An overview of the jukebox at SingaSong, a specially curated selection of songs by Dick Lee, featured within the SingaPop! 60 Years of Singapore Pop Culture exhibition at the ArtScience Museum. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
A giant jukebox lets visitors listen to songs by musicians ranging from 1960s and 1970s acts such as Matthew And The Mandarins and Kartina Dahari, to more contemporary artistes like Mandopop star JJ Lin and rapper Yung Raja.
Lee's much-loved NDP anthem Home takes centre stage in SingaVoices, which features a giant projection of the Covid-19 era music video of the song sung by more than 900 Singaporeans, who recorded themselves at home during the circuit-breaker period.
In the Screening Room, visitors can lounge on bean bags and watch clips from memorable television series such as Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd (1997 to 2007) and films like Money No Enough (1998).
4. Evolution of hawker culture
Local food culture is featured in the SingaPop! 60 Years of Singapore Pop Culture exhibition at the ArtScience Museum. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
In SingaMakan, visitors get to experience how hawker culture has evolved over the decades. This section includes replicas of stalls selling classic fare ranging from chicken rice to kacang puteh. It even has vintage tables and chairs from actual coffee shops, as well as reproductions of modern stalls.
5. A rich, immersive journey through Singapore's history
A glimpse into the Screening Room at the SingaPop! 60 Years of Singapore Pop Culture exhibition, where excerpts from local television productions, films and other nostalgic buildings from Singapore's past are showcased. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
The first section that visitors encounter as they enter, SingaWho? is a vibrant and immersive retelling of Singapore's history. It celebrates the various races and how they came to call Singapore home.
RojakLane, named after the dish that reflects the nation's cultural diversity, features artwork and items representing Malay, Chinese, Indian, Eurasian, Peranakan and other communities.
One of the final exhibits that visitors encounter before they leave is an immersive 360-degree room, SingaStories, which plays a video capturing the evolution and dynamism of local pop culture through the decades. Its visuals range from iconic landmarks like the National Theatre to contemporary AI-generated art.
Book it/SingaPop! 60 Years of Singapore Pop Culture
Where: ArtScience Museum, 6 Bayfront Avenue When: Aug 2 to Dec 28, 10am to 7pm (Sundays to Thursdays), 10am to 9pm (Fridays and Saturdays) Admission: From $20, go to str.sg/BAc4
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