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Alternative ideas sought for S’pore Pavilion at Venice Biennale

SINGAPORE — The oldest independent arts space in Singapore, The Substation, has put out an open call for alternative visions for a Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Biennale of Architecture.

The Singapore Pavilion at last year’s Venice Architecture Biennale showcased glass lanterns containing illuminated photographs of the interiors of Housing Board homes.  Photo: DesignSingapore Council

The Singapore Pavilion at last year’s Venice Architecture Biennale showcased glass lanterns containing illuminated photographs of the interiors of Housing Board homes. Photo: DesignSingapore Council

SINGAPORE — The oldest independent arts space in Singapore, The Substation, has put out an open call for alternative visions for a Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Biennale of Architecture.

The (Not The) Singapore Venice Pavilion Case Competition is open to everyone from now until Aug 21 and will culminate in an exhibition as part of the Discipline in the City showcase at The Substation from Aug 23 to Sept 24.

The top prize for (Not The) Singapore Venice Pavilion Case Competition is S$10,000, and there will be “zero official influence over the design of Singapore’s 2018 pavilion”.

The brains behind The Substation’s Case Competition, Joshua Comaroff, said witnessing the last few Architecture Biennales was a major impetus for this idea.

The assistant professor at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), who specialises in architecture, said: “The Venice (Biennale of Architecture) is supposed to be a space of reflection and thought-leadership, (but) it has often merely served as another glossy showcase of national competence.”

“Given Singapore’s reputation within the architectural field for radical re-invention, it seemed that our unique position among nations might be a spur to push new propositions and forms. We felt that an open call, with no restrictions, would be a way to make this search more surprising,” he added.

Organisers believe the typical physical pavilion could be replaced with a set of data, a micro-climate, a series of smells or sounds, a ritual, or a social activity.

“We think that there are any number of ways in which Singapore’s cultural and economic richness could be communicated to an audience … And we think that a broader public has creative input that is worth adding to this conversation,” said Comaroff.

The official Singapore Pavilion for the International Architecture Exhibition (Biennale Architettura) of the La Biennale di Venezia, in Venice, Italy, is commissioned by the DesignSingapore Council under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).

The 16th edition of the official Venice Biennale will be held from May to November 2018.

Speaking with TODAY, Alan Oei, The Substation’s artistic director, said: “We’re not trolling the official pavilion. Rather, we hope to create a platform where radical ideas can make DesignSingapore rethink our national representation.

“We will definitely invite the (official) selection committee to visit us. Even if the framework (for the official Pavilion) cannot be shifted dramatically, at least it seeds the ideas for future possibilities,” he added.

Shortlisted teams will work alongside one another in an open studio to build their exhibits at the Substation. Judges will discuss the work in an open forum, and voting will be public. The panel judges from various disciplines will be announced “shortly”.

The Substation organisers do not expect the ideas put forth for this alternative Singapore Pavilion to make it to the official Venice event, of course.

“Real pavilions become quickly bogged down (with) questions of logistics and focus: Cost and sponsorship, shipping, authorship and being responsible for representing the nation and its practitioners. Competitions are conceptual — and for this reason, are very useful channels to solicit new ideas, opinions, and concerns,” said Comaroff. “Our hope is that these will influence the thinking of designers, in some sense, as they think toward the future.”

Responding to TODAY’s queries, a DsG spokesperson said: “We understand that The Substation is using the Biennale Architettura of the La Biennale di Venezia platform to encourage artistic expression ... and this is not meant to be turned into an actual showcase. Regardless, it’s great to see that design platforms can be a source of inspiration for local arts community.” REENA DEVI

When asked about open call dates for the official Singapore Pavilion, DsG said it is still reviewing the approach for Venice Biennale of Architecture 2018. REENA DEVI

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