City Developments : Artist for SG50 Commemorative Sculpture Revealed

SINGAPORE, 30 JULY 2015 - The National Museum of Singapore and developer City Developments Limited (CDL) will commission award-winning sculptor Yeo Chee Kiong, to design and produce a special SG50 sculpture to commemorate the nation's 50th anniversary of independence.
An open call was launched in November 2014 for the submission of concepts for this commemorative public sculpture. The proposed sculpture is centred on the theme of The Red Dot, Today and Tomorrow, representing the inspirations and ambitions of a forward- thinking Singapore.
Yeo's proposal was selected from the 48 submissions received from Singaporean or Permanent Resident artists as it best captured the essence of the theme. Yeo wanted to create a sculpture that expressed the significant values that contribute to our nation's aspirations, and at the same time, share the heritage of the museum and surrounding Fort Canning site with visitors.
The sculpture will be located at the Fort Canning entrance of the National Museum and will be on display from September. It draws inspiration from the cultural legacy of the museum and reflects the National Museum as a cultural and architectural landmark in the heart of the city. Made of stainless steel, the sculpture resembles a blossoming flower, which symbolises our country's flourishing success and achievements over the past 50 years of independence.
Angelita Teo, Director of the National Museum of Singapore, said, "I'm looking forward to seeing the final artwork by Yeo Chee Kiong. There is no better way to begin a journey exploring Singapore's history and culture in the museum by thinking about how far we have come and the endless possibilities for our future. I am glad the artwork makes use of our stunning location surrounded by Fort Canning and across the bustling city to create this platform for reflection. We are pleased to have like-minded partners such as CDL, whose generous gift has allowed us to share Chee Kiong's sculpture with Singapore. I am sure this
will be a great addition to the museum and will be enjoyed by all."

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Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer of City Developments Limited, said, "As a homegrown corporation, we are proud to celebrate Singapore's golden jubilee with this iconic sculpture. For over a decade, CDL has enabled our local artists to realise their creative aspirations as public artworks through the CDL Singapore Sculpture Award initiative. Chee Kiong is a past winner of this Award, and it is especially meaningful to realise another work by him. We hope the community will enjoy this exciting new commemorative artwork, which will enrich our nation's cultural legacy."
Please refer to appendix for more information on the artwork.

In the Eye of the Red Dot will be on display from mid-September on the lawn at the Fort Canning entrance of the National Museum, close to the museum's PLAY@NMS area on Level 3.

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With a history dating back to its inception in 1887, the National Museum of Singapore is the nation's oldest museum with a progressive mind. Its galleries adopt cutting-edge and multi-perspective ways of presenting history and culture to redefine conventional museum experience. A cultural and architectural landmark in Singapore, the Museum hosts innovative festivals and events all year round-the dynamic Night Festival, visually arresting art installations, as well as amazing performances and film screenings-in addition to presenting thought-provoking exhibitions involving critically important collections of artefacts. The programming is supported by a wide range of facilities and services including F&B, retail and a Resource Centre. The National Museum of Singapore celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2012 and its newly revamped permanent galleries will re-open in

2015. For more details, please visit www.nationalmuseum.sg

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As Singapore's property pioneer since 1963, City Developments Limited (CDL) is a listed international property and hotel conglomerate with over 36,000 luxurious and quality homes to its name. Beyond developing environmentally-sustainable architectural icons, CDL believes in creating vibrant environments for the community. Since the 1990s, CDL has been contributing towards shaping Singapore's visual arts scene, through its support of sculpture and photography programmes. The biennial CDL Singapore Sculpture Award held since 2003, is designed to showcase the talents of both established and aspiring local sculptors, foster greater appreciation for this art form, as well as to enrich Singapore's cultural landscape through the commissioning of the winning work for public display. To date, CDL has commissioned and installed a total of six public sculptures, including two commemorative artworks for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games along Marina Bay Waterfront

Promenade. For more information on CDL's arts initiatives, please visit www.cdl.com.sg/csr

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In the Eye of the Red Dot, 2015

Polished Stainless Steel 316

4m x 3.6m x 4.027m

A National Museum of Singapore and City Developments Limited

Commission

*Note: This image is of a prototype of the SG50 Sculpture, In the Eye of the Red Dot by Yeo Chee Kiong.

In the Eye of the Red Dot marks Singapore's momentous milestone in 2015, the 50th anniversary of the nation's independence. Together with the nationwide celebration of this historic event, the interactive sculpture by artist Yeo Chee Kiong expresses the eminent values that contribute to the nation's aspirations and inspirations.
Yeo's hi-polished stainless steel sculpture resembles a blossoming flower, symbolising the country's flourishing success and her achievements over the past 50 years. Positioned at the Fort Canning entrance of the National Museum of Singapore, the sculpture initiates a conversation with its immediate surroundings, mirroring on its surface the hustle and bustle of the city, the tranquil greenery of the Fort Canning Park and the cultural legacy of the National Museum of Singapore. The centre section reveals a viewing area to a large kaleidoscope display, showing ever-changing images reflected and refracted from its surroundings. To Yeo, the action of looking into the artwork symbolises the act of looking forward into the future and to aspire, while the ever-changing scenes in the kaleidoscope symbolise boundless prosperity in the years to come.
Yeo Chee Kiong (b.1970) is an award-winning professional sculptor known for his uniquely playful and unexpected juxtapositions. An alumnus of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and the Glasgow School of Art, U.K., Chee Kiong has garnered critical attention for his practice - winning awards such as First Prize, LTA DTL Art Competition 2012, Expo Station, the regional Grand Prize for Asia-Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize (2008), the National Art Council's Young Artist Award 2006 and the Grand Prize of the 2nd CDL Singapore Sculpture Award in 2005. In 2010, his work 'The Wind & Wings' was awarded the Legacy Sculpture for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic
Games (Youth Olympic Village).

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