Singapore Government Press Release Media Division, Ministry of Information & the Arts, #36-00, PSA Building, 460 Alexandra Road, 119963, Tel: 3757795

SPEECH BY MR MOHAMAD MAIDIN PACKER MOHD, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND THE ARTS AND MP FOR ALJUNIED GRC (KG UBI) AT THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING OF RAPPORT: EIGHT ARTISTS FROM SINGAPORE AND AUSTRALIA ON MON, 10 JUN 96 AT 6.45 PM AT THE

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to extend a very warm welcome to you all this evening at the opening of the exhibition Rapport: Eight Artists from Singapore and Australia. This is a collaborative cultural project between the Singapore Art Museum of the National Heritage Board, the National Arts Council, Monash University Gallery, and Asialink of Australia. Jointly curated by Singapore Art Museum and the Monash University Gallery, Rapport precipitates a process of collaboration based on exchanges of ideas and influences. By placing art work from Singapore and Australia side by side, Rapport seeks to set up a critical look at the cultural and emotional output of two different environments. These two cultural contexts have inspired a range of visual practices. Rapport will feature works of four artists from each country. It includes installation and object based work with the respective artists drawing on materials from their surrounding environments. The artists are Baet Yoke Kuan, Amanda Heng, Salleh Japar and Matthew Ngui from Singapore and Hany Armanious, Carolyn Eskdale, Christopher Langton and Nicola Loder from Australia. This exhibition marks a new partnership between the international institutions. It is my hope that this exhibition will be enjoyed and appreciated by all who visit the Singapore Art Museum in the next few weeks. This exhibition will give us the opportunity to appreciate and understand the art works by younger artists who are working across media from photography to found objects, inflatables to . It is now my pleasure to declare this exhibition, Rapport: Eight Artists from Singapore and Australia as officially opened.