Explore the world through the eyes of a 10-year-old at Worlds Around You, Singapore Art Museum’s Think! Contemporary Primary School Exhibition.
Venue: Level 1, The Engine Room, SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark
Date: 2 Nov 2024 to 1 Jan 2025
Fee: Free Admission
Worlds Around You: A Think! Contemporary Primary School Exhibition by SAM
Step into the creative world of 10-year-olds at Worlds Around You, the 12th Think! Contemporary Primary School Exhibition by Singapore Art Museum (SAM), featuring 19 imaginative artworks by students from CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace, Geylang Methodist School (Primary), Haig Girls’ School, Mayflower Primary School, St. Anthony’s Primary School, and Xinghua Primary School. Using mediums like clay, fabric, and prints, students reflect on community and contemporary issues, inspired by SAM’s collections and artists such as Vicente Delgado and Dawn Ng.
The following are some of the artwork highlights that are featured in the exhibition:
Artwork Highlights
Small Dreams in Tight Spaces (2024; Ceramics) by CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace, Primary 4 Students
Inspired by Olafur Eliasson’s The cubic structural evolution project, our artwork captures Singapore's cityscape's lively and ever-changing essence. In this bustling metropolis where space is precious, homes are compact and efficient, stacked like our playful cube houses.
These building blocks embody our shared dream of harmonious living. No matter how small, each community is intricately linked to its neighbours, and on the outside, we look united, yet on the inside, we all have enough space to be ourselves. Small Dreams in Tight Spaces is a joyful vision of a world where togetherness feels effortless, even in the cosiest spaces!
Home – Heartfelt Palette (2024; Acrylic paint on canvas) & Home – Washes of Memory (2024; Watercolour and markers on watercolour paper) by Geylang Methodist School (Primary), Primary 4 Students
Home – Heartfelt Palette and Home – Washes of Memory illustrate our journey of discovering the meaning of home and family, which started when we encountered contemporary artworks at SAM.
This series conveys what the word “home” means to us. Home can be a place, a person, an object or even a memory. Home also reminds us of a wide range of emotions and experiences, such as the warmth of familial bonds and a sense of belonging. When we think of home, we also reflect on our personal identities, which are incredibly complex.
Though you may spot many familiar objects or scenes in our artworks, what they mean to you may be different from what they mean to us as they are tied to specific memories and to different times in our lives.
How would you choose to represent your idea of home?
Doorways of Dreams (2024; Paper and Cardboard) by Haig Girls’ School (Primary), Primary 4 Students
Doorways of Dreams is a captivating, multidimensional piece comprised of 34 individually designed doors. Each door, crafted in intricate detail and made in vivid colours, stands as a metaphor for the choices we encounter, inviting viewers to explore the limitless paths ahead.
This artwork is deeply symbolic to us as it reflects the vast potential of our futures, encouraging us to embrace the possibilities with courage, curiosity and hope. As each door swings open, it reveals not only a new adventure but also the endless opportunities that life offers — some exciting, some daunting, but all contributing to the person that we aspire to become.
What doors have you opened, and how did they guide you to where you are today?
Local Favours Lifestyle Store (2024; Plastic, metal, fabric and wood) by Mayflower Primary School, Primary 4 Students
Inspired by artist Dawn Ng's Mamashop, which reminds us of the disappearing Mama shops in Singapore, our artwork Local Favours Lifestyle Store celebrates Singapore’s rich Hawker Culture as a vital part of our heritage. Each element in this installation including tote bags, mugs, or t-shirts, features iconic hawker dishes such as kaya toast, laksa, teh tarik, and chicken rice.
As these dishes come together, they create a tapestry of flavours that echoes the buzzing energy of hawker centres, where communities thrive as they feed on shared, affordable meals. Through this tribute to local delicacies, we hope to inspire future generations to cherish and uphold Singapore's Hawker Culture, ensuring its legacy for years to come.
Light the Way (2024; Ceramics) by St. Anthony’s Primary School, Primary 4 Students
Artist Jing Quek’s series, Singapore Idols, honours local unsung heroes. Our students are doing the same with Light the Way, which was created to mark the celebration of our school’s 145th anniversary.
This artwork reflects the idea that a strong identity shapes our future, and is inspired by the Lasallian values of Faith, Service and Community. We wanted to recognise those who embody these values such as our parents, teachers, security guards and domestic helpers by creating ceramic sculptures to show our appreciation for all that they have done.
Light the Way represents our ability to brighten the paths of others and to bring joy to their lives.
“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own ways.” — Mary Anne Radmacher
Walls that Talk (2024; Cardboard, clay and found materials) by Xinghua Primary School, Primary 4 Students
Photo Credits: Singapore Art Museum
Inspired by artist Dawn Ng’s HDB Corridor, our artwork dives into the theme of identity through the lens of shared spaces and stories. Each student has crafted their unique "dream room" within a box, embodying their identity, aspirations, and life experiences. When these dream rooms are stacked together, they create a collective structure, one that mirrors HDB flats — where individuals come together to form a community.
Walls that Talk brings attention to the significance of physical spaces and how they play an important role in fostering a sense of belonging and connection among their inhabitants.
Visit SAM’s website for more information.
