Pagodas Robot by Collective Paper Aesthetics

17/12/2016. [Singapore] Singapore
metalocus, CLAUDIA CENDOYA

The Singapore National Art Gallery, which celebrates its first year promoting Southeast Asian art, has marked the occasion of its anniversary with ten artistic installations who reinterpret ten of the most representative artworks of the museum. One of them, the Pagodas Robot, consists of a translation into contemporary language of the painting of the Malay Latiff Mohidin, Pagodas II.

Pagodas Robot by Collective Paper Aesthetics. Photograph © Amirul Asyraf.

Pagodas Robot by Collective Paper Aesthetics. Photograph © Amirul Asyraf.

National Gallery Singapore. Pagodas Robot by Collective Paper Aesthetics. Photograph © Amirul Asyraf.

Pagodas Robot by Collective Paper Aesthetics. Photograph © Amirul Asyraf.

Detail. Pagodas Robot by Collective Paper Aesthetics. Photograph © Amirul Asyraf.

Sketch. Pagodas Robot by Collective Paper Aesthetics. Photograph © Amirul Asyraf.

Pagodas Robot by Collective Paper Aesthetics. Photograph © Amirul Asyraf.

The installation, which can be visited at the National Gallery Singapore until January 2, is designed by Collective Paper Aesthetics. It consists on a robot of five meters of height realized with recycled cardboard who can be appreciated from many spots within the gallery. To enhance its festive character, the device is decorated with red paper lamps, typical of Asian celebrations.

Decription of the project by Collective Paper Aesthetics

For the National Gallery Singapore first anniversary celebration, Collective Paper Aesthetics design a 5m-tall installation made of recycled cardboard. The work is reinterpretation of Malaysian artist Latiff Mohidin's oil painting, Pagodas II. Elements from the original painting fused into design made by Noa Haim earlier this year for NSTM, Kaohsiung.

The 5m-tall structure composed from 84 cardboard robots. The Robot’s eyes and decorated finial are echoing the key artwork from the intimate UOB Southeast Asia Gallery in the sixth floor to the gigantic public entrance space. The robot positioned to be visible from both street level entrances, top bridges and the lower foyer.

To enhance the celebration atmosphere, red paper lanterns attached to the cardboard structure. In Asian culture, the paper lanterns are often associated with festivals, while the red colour is a symbol for good fortune and joy. A total number of 132 lanterns are populating the cardboard structure.

The Pagodas robot is one of 10 art installations located all around the museum to celebrate its first anniversary. Each artwork is reinterpretation of one of the 10 key artworks in the museum collection. PAGODAS II (1964) by Latiff Mohidin is part of the Pago-Pago series, which is an abstract representation of the artist’s childhood landscape.

The pagodas robot will greet the visitors in the National Gallery Singapore until January 2nd.