Singapore’s Gillman Barracks: where history meets art

All thriving urban areas require vibrant arts clusters to keep intellectuality creative. Typically, these neighborhoods arise naturally as artists flock towards them. Sometimes, however, a little nudge is required to get the ball rolling. That is the case in Singapore where three government agencies have partnered with the private sector to push for the success of Gillman Barracks (GB) as a contemporary arts cluster.

The entrance to the Gillman Barracks arts cluster. 

The lush green area was the site of a former military camp opened by the colonial authorities in 1936 in preparation for the Pacific War. The fourteen buildings comprising the garrison were taken over by the Singapore Armed Forces in 1971. For some years, Gillman Camp (as it was formerly called) housed the Headquarters, Singapore Combat Engineers (HQ, SCE). In 2010 the site was launched as the Gillman Barracks arts cluster in 2010.

Along with Singapore's iconic Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, which opened in 2002, Gillman Barracks adds a new dimension to the country's arts scene. Given the predominance of performing arts at the Esplanade's theater and concert halls, Gillman Barracks filled a void by providing scope for the growth of Singapore's visual arts scene.

A view of the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay along with the Marina Bay area.

Today, the conserved military barracks buildings house seventeen local and international art galleries, restaurants and the Nanyang Technological University's Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA).

The CCA brings not only an 'academic flair' to the area but, from time to time, also brings internationally acclaimed exhibitions. Most recently, the Guggenheim's 'No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia' (an exhibition for which I was trained by Guggenheim to act as a docent) visited Singapore courtesy of the CCA.

GB's galleries display a diverse range of art styles and pieces in exhibitions which are continuously refreshed. Along with Singapore centric galleries such as Fost and Yeo Workshop there are regional (e.g. Shanghai Art and Equator Art Projects) and international galleries (e.g. Partners & Mucciaccia and Arndt).

To experience a Singapore far from the shopping at Orchard Road or the bars at Clarke Quay, Gillman Barracks is the perfect venue. Art appreciation, history and greenery all blended into one serving!

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Imran is a licensed Singapore Tour Guide with a special interest in arts and history. If you wish to arrange customized tours in Singapore, including walking tours of Singapore's arts trails along the Singapore River, Orchard Road, Marina Barrage, etc. please contact Imran at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.

Progress, harmony and eco-tourism in Singapore

Singapore is well known as a modern metropolis – Southeast Asia's global city. Yet, few are aware Singapore also contains a genuine patch of rainforest within an otherwise highly developed concrete jungle. The 6.2 hectares of rainforest is located in the center of the city and is part of the original site of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG), founded in 1859, is Singapore's candidate for the country's first UNESCO listed World Heritage Site.

View of the Marina Bay area at night from Gardens by the Bay (East)

However, Singapore's underappreciated penchant for blending the old with the new is fully displayed at the newer Gardens by the Bay (GBTB). Opened in 2012, the GBTB are 101 hectares of intense pleasure, especially for nature lovers. The gardens contain two specialized greenhouses: the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. (For those who simply wish to get out of the blazing Singapore sun or incessant rain, both domes are nice and cool – verging on cold!)

The Flower Dome, which contains nine different gardens such as the Succulent Garden and South American Garden, replicates cool and dry climate of the Mediterranean. Flowers from five different continents, i.e. Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania are on display inside the Flower Dome. The 1,000 year old Olive Tree is a standout! The Flower Dome even gets a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records 2015 as the largest columnless glass greenhouse in the world.  

The second greenhouse, the Cloud Forest, contains orchids, pitcher plants and ferns from the cool-moist mountains and other higher elevation tropical highlands (up to 2,000-metres above sea level). At a height of 35 meters, the Cloud Forest also contains the world's tallest indoor waterfall. The 'planted walls' on the 'mountain' inside the greenhouse provide a unique touch to the greenhouse.

A view of the Supertree Grove at night

The new, modern Singapore is clearly visible in the garden's Supertree Grove. Supertrees? These are 'trees' with a height of 25-50 meters (up to sixteen storeys) and create the forest 'canopy' structure for the gardens. At night, the Supertrees are tastefully lit up as part of a light and sound show.

GBTB are not just about flowers and plants. For many, the sight of a gigantic naked baby located in the park's Meadow is the highlight of any visit. Titled 'Planet,' the work was created by internationally acclaimed sculptor Marc Quinn and depicts Quinn's infant son. The statue – if one can call it that – appears to float above the grass. 'Planet' is one of over 40 works of art nestled within the Gardens by the Bay.

Marc Quinn's sculpture of a naked baby 'Planet' canbe found in the Meadow, Gardens by the Bay

For many, Singapore represents nothing but sleek, modern glass skyscrapers within a bustling urban environment. But the Little Red Dot is much more than a modern metropolis. For those who care to look, Singapore offers diverse experiences, including the city's 'contemporary' botanic gardens called Gardens by the Bay.

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Imran is a licensed Singapore Tour Guide. If you wish to arrange customized tours in Singapore, including tours of the Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay, please contact Imran at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.

Nutmeg and mace: the art of history in Singapore

Not only is the history of Singapore adorned with images of nutmeg but so is modern Singapore.

Historically, nutmeg trees were the source of two important elements of the region's spice trade. More recently, Singaporean artists, perhaps in search of a national identity, have found a willing subject in nutmeg. Nutmeg sculptures can be found along Singapore's famous shopping belt, Orchard Road, most notably outside Ion Orchard shopping mall.

An inside view of a nutmeg fruit with mace visible

After all, the unassuming nutmeg fruit altered Singapore's history! It was one of the spices which led European colonialists to sail East, ultimately leading to Raffles landing in Singapore in 1819. Nutmeg fell into the second category of a colonizer's 'Three G' schedule of motivations, i.e. gold. (Nope, 'Three G' is not the latest wireless network for smart phones but actually represents the reason most colonial adventurers risked their lives sailing towards far off lands, in search of God, Gold and Glory!)

Nutmeg was a particularly important plant because of the multiple uses derived from the fruit, nut and seeds. In medieval Europe, the spice was used as a preserving and flavoring agent for food. In the sixteenth century, some even believed the spice could ward off the Black Death (bubonic plague). Medicinally, nutmeg oil is used for treating joint pain as it has a sedative effect. Additionally, the oil is used to treat stomach disorders.

Today nutmeg oil is frequently used as an ingredient in toothpastes (as an antiseptic which also helps remove bad breath), perfumes and the food industry (including possibly as an ingredient in the top-secret Coca Cola formula!).

However, for contemporary Singaporeans, the nutmeg is more of an artistic curiosity than a historical subject. The nutmeg features prominently in the work of local sculptor Kumari Nahappan. Her two ton installation 'Nutmeg and Mace' on Orchard Road serves as a reminder of the area's history replete with nutmeg plantations. Further along, at Orchard Central one finds the 'Nutmeg Grove' sculpture by Italian born Michele Righetti.

The golden age of spices may have ended centuries ago but Singaporeans cannot escape the humble nutmeg, especially around Orchard Road. Nutmeg art provides a window into an important part of the city's history.

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Imran is a licensed Singapore Tour Guide. Please contact Imran if you wish to arrange personalized tours of Singapore, including walking tours such as the Orchard Arts Trail or Singapore's Civic District Heritage Trail, at imran@deodaradvisors.com or +65 9786 7210.