Day 2 of the Arts & Culture tour was diverse. Folkore, contemporary art and a party all played a role. The first stop was Haw Par Villa, detached from Singapore’s centre by a short bus ride. Haw Par Villa is a themepark that was build in the 1930s and contains over 1,000 statues and 150 giant dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology, folklore, legends, history, and illustrations of various aspects of Confucianism. The best known attraction in Haw Par Villa is the Ten Courts of Hell, which features gruesome depictions of Hell in Chinese mythology and Buddhism.

After the return to Singapore, Lasalle was in focus. The group enjoyed a guided tour through the Insitute Of Contemporary Art and saw the exhibition “This is not my solo exhibition” by Zaki Razak. The artist was present and provided information about the works and how the show came about. In this exhibition, Zaki Razak, artist and Lecturer in Visual Studies at LASALLE, reflects on possibilities for integrating art within teaching and family life. What is an ideal household? What would a family-centric art practice and exhibition look like?

Afterwards, the group was able to visit a few of the artist studios at Lasalle’s main campus, learn about the artistic practice and exchange ideas. The day finished with a Satay and Hot Dog BBQ at Lasalle’s Winstedt Campus which was heavely rained upon, but did not drown the high spirits of the group. There was enough food, beer, wine, music and conversations to make everybody happy and the day ended on a high note.