By The Way – Eyeballing Valentino

If you’re a vintage clothes fan or fashionista-on-a-budget, pop down to Resorts World Sentosa from 22 Dec - 13 Jan 2011 and oogle at 100 Valentino haute couture pieces on display. They have been brought in for the curated exhibition, ‘Valentino, Retrospective: Past/Present/Future’ developed by Les Arts Décoratifs, a private, non-profit institution in Paris consisting of museums and a school of design and interior architecture.

Eyeball looks from founder Valentino Garavani’s early designs to current Creative Directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. Says Pamela Golbin, curator-in-chief for the Fashion and Textiles collection of Les Arts Décoratifs: “The exhibition showcases Valentino’s signature styles – volumes, lines and textures, prints and graphic forms. It also displays the richness of colours going from monochromes to very impressive associations displayed by abstract and figurative motifs.” A highlight will definitely be gowns that were once worn by celebrities such as Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and others!

 

22 December 2010 to 13 January 2011

Tix: $6 for kids; $12 for adults

from www.sistic.com.sg or www.rwsentosa.com

Tel: 6577 8888 or www.rwsentosa/valentino for details

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By The Way – Mr President, Handbag Set For You?

We all love prezzies, yes we do. We are all gracious people and appreciate it deeply when people buy us gifts – really we do. Whether breathtaking or ugly, thoughtful or ridiculous, in good taste or bad, we know it’s the thought that counts and we are so happy you went through the trouble. We know what to do with the ‘hits’ but honestly, gently, discreetly, what should we do with the ‘misses’? Eeek, and cringe.

After I poked about at the Singapore National Museum’s recently launched exhibition, Presidential Presents, I suspect the First Ladies, past and present, were often thrown in the same dilemma too.

From now until 9 January 2011, the exhibition displays 50 official gifts received by Singapore’s presidents from heads of states and dignitaries of various countries. They are particularly significant, the curator explains, as they are carefully chosen to symbolize the good relations between the countries and the heads of states, etc, etc…..

I hear – though admittedly unconfirmed – that the Istana was very keen to support this exhibition, and offered to loan the museum its entire collection of gifts. But I am told the museum politely decided to pick out only 50…..the nicest 50, of course.....(Sigh, First Ladies' dilemma you see.....)

All sparkly, and glittering and shiny, there were lots of gold things, bejeweled daggers and swords, silver tableware and boxes, punchbowls and tea sets (we can relate to that), beautiful Japanese porcelain and even what looked like a crystal kopitiam spittoon! What caught Madam’s eye? An amazingly intricate gold, diamond and emerald handbag set from Morocco’s King Mohammed VI to President Nathan, complete with lipstick and perfume holder, plus powder compact. (How strange!..) The 'most valuable artefact on display', this is a definite 'must-eyeball'! (Pictured at top but you can't see the diamonds in the pix - that's why you need to GO and see it.) I loved the chameleon-rich South African Ardmore kettle, the adorable pumpkin teapot from Vietnam (tiff image, so can't upload) and the giant seabass wooden salad bowl from Swaziland (below)!

If you’re in the vicinity, pop in. You'll probably take it all in within 15 minutes, but it's fun to see.....even if it’s just to see the blinged-out handbag set!

National Museum of Singapore

The Balcony, Level 2

Free admission

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By The Way - Funky Art Exhibition Just For Kids At SAM

Goodness! We haven’t done a museum post for some time. Well, here’s an exhibition with a difference. The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) has recently launched a Art Garden: Children’s Season (now until 18 July 2010) , an interactive contemporary art exhibition to engage kids and the rest of us who have not grown up. 8Q, the ‘annexe’ building next to the main museum is turned into a “magical art garden” with artworks inspired by nature and created by local and international artists, targeted at children aged four to 12.

Heave the kids to see Walter the rabbit, a giant floating sculpture in the courtyard (Dawn Ng); mechanical flowers ‘grow’ and ‘bloom’ (Geoffrey Drake-Brockman); a beautifully illustrated enchanted forest (Sandra Lee); then ‘grow’ trees and ‘divert’ streams with the help of interactive new media (Theodore Watson and Emily Gobeille) in a funky magical forest.

How about a bit of shopping? Adorable merchandise inspired by Walter, including inflatable toys, tote bags and t-shirts, specially created by Dawn Ng, will also be on sale during the exhibition.

Also just opened is The Learning Gallery, an “interactive learning playhouse” showcasing contemporary artworks for younger visitors, and Programme Space, a new workshop space at SAM at 8Q where kids experience the process of art-making and present their own works.

Singapore Art Museum at 8Q
8 Queen Street

10 am – 7 pm / 9pm Fridays

$10 per adult and $5 for students with ID

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