2015
Seeing Singapore’s past through art
The Singapore Story is exactly that: about Singapore’s past through art depicting the lives of its people and conditions from the time of the island’s founding by Stamford Raffles in 1819 to its present state as a global city. Visitors will be brought back in time through these paintings and video presentations of lost images, the various stages of life in Singapore – the slumps, the simple life, hawkers peddling food on the streets, going to the markets in Chinatown, bump boats lining the Singapore River and the filth and unpaved roads all over the island. Sanitation was lacklustre and as such, diseases such as malaria, measles and other infectious diseases were very prevalent. Health care was very basic. Infant mortality rates were high and life expectancy rates were capped in the 60s.
These visual memories and videos of decades long ago will open a window for the younger generation to reflect on where we’ve come from and inspiration for what lies ahead in the future.
With over 200 artworks displayed, the environmental graphics was focused on conveying a coherent narrative throughout the exhibition. We adopted a bold venture to use two contrasting typefaces for the exhibition title in the words ‘The Story‘ and ‘Singapore‘. This was inspired by how every single artwork was a recollection, a scene, a remembrance, or an image depicting a particular period of Singapore’s history. The typeface and colour choices was extended throughout the various section titles and descriptive texts to ensure a comfortable consistency and balance in the message.
