Singapore on show through the arts in ongoing tour

Most people associate Singapore more with business than with art. But a touring exhibition - Singapore: Inside Out-is seeking to change that notion.

A Singapore Tourism Board initiative, the mobile show is part of a series of celebrations to mark 50 years of the city-state's independence from British control. It is also, in away, a marketing effort.

First staged in Beijing in April, the exhibition will travel to London later this month and New York in September, and will return to Singapore by the end of the year.

Some 20 creative groups and individuals are presenting their creative works, ranging from architecture to design, fashion, literature and the visual arts. Visitors are greeted by an installation created by architect Chang Yong Ter. Made of steel bars and a translucent fabric, the installation allows people to simultaneously walk "in and out".

During the show, poet Alvin Pang presents pieces of literature and events that reflect Singapore's literary scene, while visual artist Speak Cryptic re-creates his own bedroom in a white cube as an epitome of the city. Visitors are invited to add color to the cube with crayons and markers so as to leave their own mark.

Choreographer Lee Mun Wai leads a four-way collaboration with fashion designer Elyn Wong, architect Chang and audio-visual collective Syndicate on a dance performance that tries to decode the many layers of Singaporean society.

Janice Wong, a well-known chef from the island nation, creates a space covered in lollipops, gumdrop and chocolate, turning the show into a savory fair. Play-wright Joel Tan works with director Tan Kheng Hua on a live play that tells tales of Singaporean artists' lives.

"We want to show what Singapore art is through this presentation," says Randy Chan, creative director of the exhibition. He is also the principal architect at Singapore-based private firm Zarch Collaboratives.

"It's like everybody contributing to a dish. We form the presentation as a whole, marrying all the diverse sides of Singapore," he adds.

The traveling exhibition intends to show the different sides of Singapore other than business and finance, says Lionel Yeo, chief executive of Singapore Tourism Board.

"The creative side of Singapore is less well-known. We wanted to share that side of Singapore with the people in China since Chinese visitors are looking for (a) deeper experience," says Yeo.

This is also an effort to reach out to the creative community in China, aiming to foster more collaborations between artists, he adds.

Students from Beijing's Central Academy of Fine Arts worked with students studying at Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore, and their works, which have already been presented in China, will also be showcased in Singapore in November.

Yeo says that while many events in Singapore this year will look back at his country's past, the mobile show is a project that tends to focus on the future.

"In the next 50 years, people will know more about us as a hub for creative work in film, fashion and design," he says.