A solo exhibition by Taiwanese artist Lee Kuang-yu (李光裕) at Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay has generated considerable attention since its opening last year, including from Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍).
Since the COVID-19 pandemic closed borders early last year, domestic tourism in Singapore has soared at destinations such as the popular Gardens by the Bay, a nature park in the city-state’s Central Region.
Since the venue’s reopening in August last year, “A Sculptor’s Secret Garden,” a solo exhibition of Lee Kuang-yu’s work curated by Tan Hwee Koon (陳慧君), has been been especially popular.
Photo: CNA
Originally scheduled to close today, the show has been extended to Aug. 31 to meet demand.
“A Sculptor’s Secret Garden” features 16 sculptures inspired by Lee Kuang-yu’s own secret garden in the mountains of New Taipei City’s Sijhih District (汐止).
The sculptures are placed about the cooled Cloud Forest conservatory designed around a 30m-tall waterfall at the entrance.
Photo courtesy of Lee Kuang-yu via CNA
Displayed prominently in front of the waterfall is the bronze Thinker, an homage to Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker whose many gaps and flowing structure frame the falling water behind it.
Lines of people waiting to take photographs regularly form in front of the lyrical sculpture, serving as a testament to its popularity.
It even caught the eye of Lee Hsien Loong, who on June 19 posted a photograph of Thinker on Facebook alongside other photos he took on a visit to the gardens.
“This work is named ‘Thinker’ in homage to Rodin’s famous work. But instead of a ponderous mass, the artist used calligraphic lines to create a man (or woman?) immersed in contemplation,” he wrote.
Chad Davis, manager of Cloud Forest, said that “A Sculptor’s Secret Garden” marks the conservatory’s first full-scale curated exhibition.
“We’re happy to say that visitorship in the Cloud Forest for local visitors has never been higher,” as the government during the pandemic has encouraged residents to “rediscover the attractions here in Singapore,” Davis said.
As for whether the gardens would exhibit any other work by Taiwanese artists, Davis said they are always looking for new ways to appeal to visitors, whether through art exhibitions or performances.
Chini Gallery, which sponsored the show, said that the exhibition has released Lee Kuang-yu’s art from the confines of a gallery, allowing the pieces to work in tandem with their lush surroundings as they do at his Sijhih studio.
“In a world paralyzed by numbness, what can inspire one to move again? It is the power of art and the power of the secret garden,” the gallery quoted Lee Kuang-yu as saying in 2019. “Once the artwork is positioned on site, it creates an energy that makes the world move again.”
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today released images of the military tracking China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) movements during the latest round of Chinese drills around Taiwan. The PLA began "Justice Mission 2025" drills today, carrying out live-fire drills, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and exercises to blockade the nation's main ports. The exercises are to continue tomorrow, with the PLA announcing sea and air space restrictions for five zones around Taiwan for 10 hours starting from 8:30am. The ministry today released images showing a Chinese J-16 fighter jet tracked by a F-16V Block 20 jet and the
Snow fell on Yushan (Jade Mountain, 玉山) yesterday morning as a continental cold air mass sent temperatures below freezing on Taiwan’s tallest peak, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Snowflakes were seen on Yushan’s north peak from 6:28am to 6:38am, but they did not fully cover the ground and no accumulation was recorded, the CWA said. As of 7:42am, the lowest temperature recorded across Taiwan was minus-5.5°C at Yushan’s Fengkou observatory and minus-4.7°C at the Yushan observatory, CWA data showed. On Hehuanshan (合歡山) in Nantou County, a low of 1.3°C was recorded at 6:39pm, when ice pellets fell at Songsyue Lodge (松雪樓), a
NO SHAME IN RETREAT: Hikers should consider turning back if the weather turns bad or if they do not have sufficient equipment, the Taroko park headquarters said Two people died of hypothermia over the weekend while hiking on Hsuehshan (雪山), prompting park authorities to remind hikers to bring proper equipment and consider their physical condition before setting out in the cold weather. Temperatures dropped over the weekend, bringing snow to high altitudes in Shei-pa National Park. One hiker, surnamed Lin (林), who on Friday was traveling with a group of six along the Hsuehshan west ridge trail, lost consciousness due to hypothermia and died, the Shei-pa National Park Headquarters said. On Saturday, another hiker, surnamed Tien (田), in a group of five on the southeast of the west