Showing posts with label MBFC. Show all posts

Short "Excursion" at Marina Bay Financial Center Tower 3

Gao Xiaowu fat and skinny male standard times sculptureThe Art of Gao Xiaowu, two Standard Times series, Fibreglass, colour coated, Edition 18/20 acquired in 2007.

After my dinner at Kaiko Japanese restaurant, my girl friend and I decided to explore the 3rd level of MBFC Tower 3, which was the DBS Office. She wanted to show me the unique sculptures that are displayed along the hallways. There stood two shiny white figures sculptures, both in different body postures, bowing down with a smiling faces pointed towards us. After some research, these are sculptures done by one of the famous China's artist, Mr. Gao Xiaowu.

About Mr. Gao Xiaowu


Gao Xiaowu (高孝午) was born in Sanming, Fujian province in 1976 and currently lives and works in Beijing, China. He enrolled in the sculpture department of Xiamen Art Academy, Fujian province before continuing his studies at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, graduating in 2004.

Gao's works are not only baed on the lives or ordinary people living in the city, they also serve as an exploration of his own identity. Although born in the 1970's, his artistic creation resembles those who were born a decade later. He does not try to express his ambitious aspirations that concern the country nor complains about the current situation, but instead more concerned about the the happiness and grief in his everyday life. Gao's aesthetics fall into the generation of comics and cartoons. He is one of the representative sculptors in these new trends and his creation avoids political symbols and totem. Like other 1908s artists, Gao spontaneously returned to the nature of artistic creation, pursuing their own aesthetic display of expressing the interest achieved by content and medium.

Gao Xiaowu female standand times sculptureAnother female Standard Times sculpture standing right in front of DBS Treasures.

Gao's Standard Times Series.


The Standard Times sculptures is the first thing that strikes the viewer about Gao's sculpture. Gao's works is an expression of reverence that he sees as innately Asian, and in an act similar to a genuflect, the personification of respect transcends to the motion of bending forward. Often the erect form is the norm and yet in this works, the intention of the artist manifests through the choice of overarching form of the figures. In a similar way, the smile to serves the purpose of demonstrating congenial attitudes. The viewer though is left to ponder if this is where the interpretation stops or if the works reflect a satire on the current social-political position of the Chinese.

If you are looking for more arts of such kind, you can visit the Ode To Art located at Raffles City, Singapore or at The Pavilion, Kuala Lumper.

POSB Loves SG Signboard


A huge POSB Loves SG signboard at MBFC.A huge POSB Loves SG signboard at MBFC.

We explored the rest of the level, and there was this huge signboard hidden at one corner. I have posted this onto my Facebook Page to let everyone make a guess. Scroll down further to reveal the answer !



Guessed correctly or you still cannot figure out what it is ? Scroll down further to see the final clue..



It's a board full of plastic bags ! However, there is no accreditation which organization or who has done this signboard, I believe it is one of the green environment movement to encourage reducing the use of plastics bags and provide a more eco-friendly environment.