'Wonder' as a theme for Singapore Biennale 2008

Wonder is the theme for SB2008.

Its conceptual scope issues a challenge to the contemporary world, a world that no longer questions choices, nor allows for things and events to awe us. Through contemporary art, Wonder calls on us to question and be curious; to reach beyond the
surface, surpassing the apparent and to allow ourselves be surprised, awed, tantalised and challenged. All of which is an aperture to the World.

There are many issues that challenge our world today. The second Singapore Biennale
proposes other possible ways of seeing and arriving at truths and answers, resolutions and compromises, and even the creation of new questions, to the challenges presented to and by humanity. It seeks to revolt against our belief and trust in theories, logic, science and technology, politics and economy that consciously regulate the world we live in. Criticism, skepticism and doubt exist on the flipside of creative thinking, which brings about a different kind wonderment of
and to the world.

To wonder is a process of questioning, feeling or thinking about something. It is about looking at things with fresh eyes and from different perspectives. The site of a creative critical spirit, it operates either as a means to an end or as a sense generated when we encounter an object,subject, thing, event, site, or experience. Embedded in the production and thinking of much of contemporary art is this creative critical spirit. It challenges what we know and seeks to encourage us to think about our now, our pasts, and our futures. To wonder and question is thus a critical comment on the first edition’s theme, Belief, which at the same time contextualises it.

“With Wonder, we want audiences to question the world around us, to inspire them to have a healthy skepticism about what we know and believe, to be surprised and move them towards a new revelation or understanding of our world. We aim to provide a commentary on the identity of individuals in a multi-cultural world, recognise the dignity of individual human beings and their communities and make reference to the fact that different cultural viewpoints are varied and valid. We want audiences to be involved in the experience and creation of artworks through greater interaction during the next Biennale, resulting in greater development of understanding
and critical thought regarding the events of the world.” says Fumio Nanjo, artistic director of SB2008.

SB2008 aims to make people aware of this sense of wonderment and their capacity for it, as contemporary art brings about moments of surprise, enchantments, shifts in perspectives, new experiences and ultimately, enrichment.

A major part of the Biennale programming involves cultivating a deeper public engagement with contemporary arts. This will be conducted through the Encounters series of talks, workshops and events. These regular dialogue sessions provide a discursive platform for Singaporeans to voice issues and concerns pertinent to our society and contemporary art. In addition, a series of education projects focusing on primary and secondary school children will accompany the Biennale. This programme will also include a number of artist residencies and workshops.

SB2008 promises to be refreshing and surprising for audiences. Together with the two curators, Nanjo will be researching on artists and art practices from various parts of the world with a special focus on Asia and its region; further establishing Singapore as the hotbed for research, documentation and presentation of Asian contemporary artforms. They will provide for accessibility of programming to multiple levels of audiences – local, regional and international and pay special attention to outreach and education, allowing for a deeper engagement with contemporary art by the people of Singapore.

Singapore Biennale 2008
Curatorial Statement

Context
The Singapore Biennale 2008 (SB2008) succeeds the successful first version of the Singapore Biennale, entitled “Belief” in 2006 by developing, expanding and reflecting on the inaugural Singapore biennale of international contemporary art.
The artistic director, together with the curatorial team, has decided on the theme “Wonder” for SB2008. It performs as a critical commentary to the first edition, as well as introduces a critical stance with regard to events in the world.

Definition and General Focus
“Wonder” is a feeling of surprise and admiration caused by something beautiful, unexpected or unfamiliar” and as a verb, it is not only to” feel curious” or “desire to know”, but also to “feel doubt.” – Concise Oxford Dictionary, 11th Edition, pp 1658, 1859

The notions of wonder have developed historically. The Latin word mirari means to wonder or marvel at, while miraculum was used in the Latin translation of the Greek New Testament to indicate “anything wonderful, beyond human power, and deviating from the common action of nature, a supernatural event.” (“Miracle”, Encyclopedia Brittannica).

Due to the natural sciences,this mystical or faith-induced idea of wonder became more metaphysical, and another derivation came about: admirari (and then admiration). (Condensed from: A Philosophy of Wonder,Howard Parsons, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, V30, N1 (Sep 1969)).

Following the direction taken by the sciences, Aristotle declares the beginning of philosophy is wonder) and specula (speculation) being drawn from wonder. The creation of much of contemporary art takes its cue from these two bodies of thought. The bodies of thought: being that of faith and science, the opposites. Philosophy is considered a science.

Wonder issues a challenge to the contemporary world that neither questions choices
intelligently nor allows for things and events to awe us. Hence the scope for this exhibition: That Wonder, through contemporary art, would call us to question and be curious; to let ourselves be surprised, awed, tantalized, challenged. A moving on from Belief at SB2008.

Wonderment of the World and Role of Art
Much of modern life, the failure of modernism/modernity, all seem pre-designed to foreclose the possibility of wonder, of newness, of surprise, of the sublime, the unexpected, and useless beauty. The world of today is conflicted; with accidents and catastrophes, wars and natural disasters. Much has been caused by humanity: the imposition of worldviews (ideas or power),abuse of technology, uncontrollable natural phenomena.

We seek to create a self-reflexive check on our responsibility as human beings living among other human beings by respecting differing visions of the world and its events. For the development of this self-reflexive criticality we have to open and stimulate avenues for discussion and dialogue, regarding all issues relevant to humanity at large, opening eyes and minds.

Through this expansive gesture, we arrive at the many issues that challenge our world
presently; SB2008 proposes other ways of arriving at truths and answers, resolutions and compromises, even the creation of new questions to the challenges presented by the world. Helene Cixous writes that “going from illusion to illusion, one also comes to understand the world.” SB2008 seeks to revolt against theories, logic, science and technology, politics and economy that consciously regulate the contemporary world. Criticism, skepticism and doubt exist on the flipside of creative thinking, which brings about a different kind wonderment of and to the world. And if we go via Cixous, from illusion to illusion, we can seek to understand the world using wonder, as both process and result.

To wonder is a process of questioning, feeling or thinking about something. It is the site of creative critical spirit. It operates either as a means to an end or as a sense generated when we encounter an object, subject, thing, event, site, or experience. Embedded in the production and thinking of much of contemporary art is this creative critical spirit (which we view as wonder). It challenges what we know. It seeks to encourage us to think about our now, our pasts, and our futures by presenting other possible viewpoints. Belief, the theme of Singapore’s inaugural
biennale, is by definition, a fixed viewpoint. To wonder and question is thus a critical comment on Belief and by shifting one’s perspective on Belief, contextualizes it as well.

In spite of its problems the world still contains much beauty and possibilities. A sense of wonder therefore produces a positive awareness of our world with the constant questioning and reinterpretation of the reality that surrounds us.
SB2008 aims to make people aware of this sense of “wonder” and their capacity for it, as they engage with the artwork as apertures to the world, bringing about moments of surprise, enchantments, shifts in perspectives, new experiences and ultimately, enrichment.