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Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Facts and myths intersect at the National Museum's new glass rotunda installation
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – In one popular myth passed down in Malay folklore, tidal changes are explained by a massive crab that resides among the roots of a magical tree named pauh janggi. The tree is above pusat tasek – or 'navel of the ocean', in Malay – and the crab's daily forays in and out of this gaping hole in the ocean floor are said to cause the rise and fall of the seas. This myth will be one of the stories told with the use of animation at the National Museum of Singapore's (NMS) Shaw Foundation Glass Rotunda, which re-opens on Aug 8 after closing in October 2024 for a revamp. The glass rotunda's new permanent exhibition, Singapore Odyssea, traces about 700 years of Singapore's history, culminating in a transition zone between the rotunda and the Singapore History Gallery. In addition to pauh janggi, three other myths are presented in this zone: Sang Nila Utama, the Palembang prince who supposedly named Singapore; the swordfish attack that gave Bukit Merah its name; and Raja Chulan, a Chola king who is said to have explored the waters near Singapore in a diving bell. Multidisciplinary artist Brian Gothong Tan, Singapore Odyssea's creative director, said the display incorporates myths as they are the lifeblood of civilisations. Brian – whose experimental film Waking The Fluorescent Lion was screened in the rotunda as part of the NMS' opening festival in December 2006 – said Singapore Odyssey goes beyond the traditional colonial understanding of the city by mixing ancient maritime history with myths. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business No clarity yet on baseline or pharmaceutical tariffs with US: DPM Gan Singapore Grace Fu apologises for Tanjong Katong sinkhole, says road may stay closed for a few more days Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore Liquidators score victory to recoup over $900 million from alleged scammer Ng Yu Zhi's associates Singapore Man on trial for raping woman who hired him to repair lights in her flat Sport IOC president Kirsty Coventry a 'huge supporter' of Singapore Singapore Child and firefighter among 7 taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Singapore S'pore can and must meaningfully apply tech like AI in a way that creates jobs for locals: PM Wong It's 'an expansion of our collective consciousness,' he said. Ms Priscilla Chua, principal curator at the NMS, added: 'Myths have long existed even before history was recorded.' 'Before the written word, this was what communities and people held onto, and what enabled them to understand what's going around them within the region, and help them to understand who they are, in the past and present,' she said. A designer from local animation studio CraveFX working on the designs for pauh janggi, a mythical tree. ST PHOTO: LUTHER LAU Ms Chua said that Singapore Odyssea is designed to be an immersive multimedia experience that creates a 'visually inspiring depiction of Singapore's history', with an emphasis on visuals. 'It's meant to be experiential, rather than artifacts,' said Ms Chua. 'We wanted visitors to have a 30-minute teaser of Singapore's history, before they enter the Singapore History Gallery to see the actual objects that depict the country's history.' The glass rotunda's coming re-opening marks the completion of the first phase of an ongoing overhaul of the NMS' permanent galleries . The Singapore History Gallery will admit its last visitors on Nov 16 before undergoing a year-long revamp, while the five level two galleries closed in September 2023 for a refresh. These galleries are slated to re-open in 2026. Ms Melissa Chan, Singapore Odyssea's art and design director, said the display begins by showcasing Singapore's maritime connections with the world through a new LED-covered sphere that represents the globe. An artist's impression of the new LED sphere in the National Museum of Singapore's glass rotunda. PHOTO: CRAVEFX, GSM PROJECT, KIN PRODUCTIONS AND NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE Referencing the glass rotunda's previous exhibit Story Of The Forest – designed by Japanese firm teamLab and displayed from 2016 to 2024 – Ms Chan said the only major physical change is Singapore Odyssea's new sphere, which helps to highlight the geometry and structure of the rotunda. After passing under the sphere, visitors will make their way down a sloping ramp, alongside projections that depict Singapore's history in reverse chronology. Mr Joshua Tan, the new exhibit's multimedia director, said this gives visitors a sense that they are digging deeper into the past, while their walk downwards on the ramp brings across the idea of excavation. In conceptualising the narrative for this section's projection, creative director Brian said the team looked at 'trauma points' in Singapore's history, such as separation from Malaysia and colonisation. He said that the design of projections here was inspired by temple reliefs in places such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The team that worked on Singapore Odyssea includes (from left to right) National Museum of Singapore principal curator Priscilla Chua, creative director Brian Gothong Tan, art and design director Melissa Chan and multimedia director Joshua Tan. ST PHOTO: LUTHER LAU At the end of the ramp, visitors enter a space within the rotunda where they can view vignettes of Singapore's history, before moving into the transition zone where the four myths are showcased. Multimedia director Joshua said that while the visuals displayed in the zone are animated, artists drew inspiration for them from real-life examples. For instance, he said, the team went on intertidal walks to conceptualise the animations for the transition zone, where the team presented pauh janggi as a mangrove tree, and also incorporated locally-found species into their designs, such as hawksbill turtles, ribbon jellyfishes and gold-spotted mudskippers. This, he said, makes the display a mix of myths and reality, while Brian said that the depiction of wildlife nudges visitors to consider humans' relationship with the natural world, especially as Singapore has lost much of its natural landscape during the colonial era. An original soundtrack that incorporates sound recordings from around Singapore was composed for Singapore Odyssea. Mr Zahin Anwari, the display's lead sound designer, said the soundtrack also includes singers from as far away as Bulgaria and Egypt, who were sought for the tonality and exoticism of their voices. Ms Chua hopes the 'travel back in time' experience that the rotunda offers will pique visitors' curiosity about Singapore's history. 'The concept of time travel has always had the allure of mystery, excitement and adventure and that's precisely the kind of experience we want to create for visitors,' she said.
New Straits Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
8 upgraded lifts at 5 monorail stations now fully operational
KUALA LUMPUR: Eight lifts at five monorail stations are now fully operational after undergoing upgrades and passing safety inspections by the relevant government agencies. Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd (Rapid Rail), in a statement today, said the stations involved were Imbi, Maharajalela and Medan Tuanku, each with two lifts, while Hang Tuah and Raja Chulan had one lift each. It said that the upgrade was carried out to provide greater comfort and accessibility for all users, especially the elderly, persons with disabilities and families with young children or using baby strollers. "The remaining eight lifts and one escalator at six other stations are currently undergoing final commissioning tests and the process of obtaining lifting machine permits, and are expected to be fully completed by the end of May 2025," the statement said. Rapid Rail said the upgrade was part of a RM12.6 million allocation covering various improvement initiatives at 11 monorail stations, including the installation of automatic platform door systems and platform lifts for wheelchairs, which have been in operation since December 2024, as well as repair works on lifts and escalators. According to the statement, the monorail service saw an average of 57,000 passengers per day in 2024, marking an eight percent increase from 52,000 daily passengers the previous year. "This increase marks a continued recovery and positive growth in the use of public transport in the capital. "It also reflects growing user confidence, with the monorail once again becoming the preferred mode of transport for city residents' daily commute," it said. Therefore, Rapid Rail said user-friendly lift facilities were essential to ensure smooth passenger movement at the stations and to provide a safer and more comfortable travel experience for all. In the same statement, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad Group chief operating officer Amir Hamdan expressed hope that the lift facilities would be well utilised with priority given to those in need.
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
8 upgraded lifts at five monorail stations now fully operational
KUALA LUMPUR: Eight lifts at five monorail stations are now fully operational after undergoing upgrades and passing safety inspections by the relevant government agencies. Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd (Rapid Rail), in a statement today, said the stations involved were Imbi, Maharajalela and Medan Tuanku, each with two lifts, while Hang Tuah and Raja Chulan had one lift each. It said that the upgrade was carried out to provide greater comfort and accessibility for all users, especially the elderly, persons with disabilities and families with young children or using baby strollers. 'The remaining eight lifts and one escalator at six other stations are currently undergoing final commissioning tests and the process of obtaining lifting machine permits, and are expected to be fully completed by the end of May 2025,' the statement said. Rapid Rail said the upgrade was part of a RM12.6 million allocation covering various improvement initiatives at 11 monorail stations, including the installation of automatic platform door systems and platform lifts for wheelchairs, which have been in operation since December 2024, as well as repair works on lifts and escalators. According to the statement, the monorail service saw an average of 57,000 passengers per day in 2024, marking an eight percent increase from 52,000 daily passengers the previous year. 'This increase marks a continued recovery and positive growth in the use of public transport in the capital. 'It also reflects growing user confidence, with the monorail once again becoming the preferred mode of transport for city residents' daily commute,' it said. Therefore, Rapid Rail said user-friendly lift facilities were essential to ensure smooth passenger movement at the stations and to provide a safer and more comfortable travel experience for all. In the same statement, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad Group chief operating officer Amir Hamdan expressed hope that the lift facilities would be well utilised with priority given to those in need. 'Rapid Rail will continue to be committed to providing an efficient, accessible, and inclusive public transport system for all,' he said.
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Eight upgraded lifts at five monorail stations now fully operational
KUALA LUMPUR: Eight lifts at five monorail stations are now fully operational after undergoing upgrades and passing safety inspections by the relevant government agencies. Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd (Rapid Rail), in a statement today, said the stations involved were Imbi, Maharajalela and Medan Tuanku, each with two lifts, while Hang Tuah and Raja Chulan had one lift each. It said that the upgrade was carried out to provide greater comfort and accessibility for all users, especially the elderly, persons with disabilities and families with young children or using baby strollers. 'The remaining eight lifts and one escalator at six other stations are currently undergoing final commissioning tests and the process of obtaining lifting machine permits, and are expected to be fully completed by the end of May 2025,' the statement said. Rapid Rail said the upgrade was part of a RM12.6 million allocation covering various improvement initiatives at 11 monorail stations, including the installation of automatic platform door systems and platform lifts for wheelchairs, which have been in operation since December 2024, as well as repair works on lifts and escalators. According to the statement, the monorail service saw an average of 57,000 passengers per day in 2024, marking an eight percent increase from 52,000 daily passengers the previous year. 'This increase marks a continued recovery and positive growth in the use of public transport in the capital. 'It also reflects growing user confidence, with the monorail once again becoming the preferred mode of transport for city residents' daily commute,' it said. Therefore, Rapid Rail said user-friendly lift facilities were essential to ensure smooth passenger movement at the stations and to provide a safer and more comfortable travel experience for all. In the same statement, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad Group chief operating officer Amir Hamdan expressed hope that the lift facilities would be well utilised with priority given to those in need. 'Rapid Rail will continue to be committed to providing an efficient, accessible, and inclusive public transport system for all,' he said.
Barnama
18-05-2025
- Barnama
Eight Upgraded Lifts At Five Monorail Stations Now Fully Operational
KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 (Bernama) -- Eight lifts at five monorail stations are now fully operational after undergoing upgrades and passing safety inspections by the relevant government agencies. Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd (Rapid Rail), in a statement today, said the stations involved were Imbi, Maharajalela and Medan Tuanku, each with two lifts, while Hang Tuah and Raja Chulan had one lift each. It said that the upgrade was carried out to provide greater comfort and accessibility for all users, especially the elderly, persons with disabilities and families with young children or using baby strollers. 'The remaining eight lifts and one escalator at six other stations are currently undergoing final commissioning tests and the process of obtaining lifting machine permits, and are expected to be fully completed by the end of May 2025,' the statement said. Rapid Rail said the upgrade was part of a RM12.6 million allocation covering various improvement initiatives at 11 monorail stations, including the installation of automatic platform door systems and platform lifts for wheelchairs, which have been in operation since December 2024, as well as repair works on lifts and escalators. According to the statement, the monorail service saw an average of 57,000 passengers per day in 2024, marking an eight percent increase from 52,000 daily passengers the previous year. 'This increase marks a continued recovery and positive growth in the use of public transport in the capital. 'It also reflects growing user confidence, with the monorail once again becoming the preferred mode of transport for city residents' daily commute,' it said. Therefore, Rapid Rail said user-friendly lift facilities were essential to ensure smooth passenger movement at the stations and to provide a safer and more comfortable travel experience for all.
