12 Feb – 7 Aug
Tue – Thu: Free and Easy Visit
Guided Tour: 10.15am, 11.45am, 2.45pm & 4.15pm
Hope from Chaos:
Pandemic Reflections
12 Feb – 7 Aug
School Programmes
Hope from Chaos:
Pandemic Reflections
Hope from Chaos: Pandemic Reflections exhibition is eligible for the National Arts Council’s Tote Board Arts Grant subsidy
Advisory (Some Mature Content)
Hope from Chaos marks the second anniversary of the arrival of the COVID-19 virus into Singapore. Discover the science of infectious diseases and reflect on life during a global pandemic.
Hope from Chaos: Pandemic Reflections begins with a free introduction titled Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World. This exhibition, by the renowned Smithsonian Institution, highlights the concept of “One Health” and recognises the connectedness of human, animal and environmental health.
Hope from Chaos continues with a deeply evocative, meditative and personal encounter with the stories and practices of artists who offer us insights into their lives and work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Find out about the pathology of viruses and the isolation and rituals of care that have become familiar to so many of us. Consider the challenges of falling ill with COVID-19, and the rites and practices that have helped artists to work through these challenges. These artworks might help us all tune into our feelings and emotions as we navigate the chaos of this pandemic.
Artists showcased in this exhibition include Heman Chong (Singapore); Cao Fei (China); Nonzuzo Gxekwa (South Africa); Luke Jerram (UK); Ivetta Sunyoung Kang (Canada/South Korea); Eun Vivian Lee (Singapore/New York/South Korea) and Pierre le Riche (South Africa). Their works are shown alongside prototypes by materials scientists from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore).
Educational Resources
Curriculum Links
Dates & Times
Ticket Prices
S$5 per student (Single Exhibition)
S$9 per student (Single Exhibition + Activity Booklet Bundle)
For every five paying students, one accompanying educator admits free.
Onsite Guided Tour
S$80 per session
Advance booking of at least 5 working days is required to enjoy special group rates.
Guided Tour: Up to 23 pax
Explore the Exhibition
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Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World
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Cao Fei
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Luke Jerram
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Heman Chong
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Nonzuzo Gxekwa and Pierre le Riche
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Eun Vivian Lee
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Ivetta Sunyoung Kang
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Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
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View Exhibition Introduction Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World
The Smithsonian Institution’s exhibition Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World is a customisable “Do-It-Yourself” version of a larger display first presented at the National Museum of Natural History, USA in 2018. In this free section, explore and find out more about emerging infectious diseases and the risks of pandemics through infographics, interactive media and 3D printed models. Discover how human, animal and environmental health—referred to as “One Health”—are inexorably connected, how pathogens can spread from wildlife to humans and why some outbreaks become epidemics.Exhibition Introduction
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Outbreak Do-It-Yourself Exhibition, an exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution, USA.
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Cao Fei
Like many of us, Chinese contemporary artist Cao Fei was confined to her family apartment in Singapore during the circuit breaker period April to June 2020. During that time, the artist developed the idea of using her everyday lived experience to create an artwork from items that had suddenly become incredibly important to her. Using videos, drawings, photographs and objects, Cao Fei created a multi-media installation that delves into the psychological repercussions of collective confinement and reflects on the realities of daily life under such extraordinary circumstances.Featured Artwork
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Cao Fei, Isle of Instability, 2020 – 2022.
Commissioned by Audemars Piguet Contemporary. Courtesy of the artist, Vitamin Creative Space and Sprüth Magers.
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Luke Jerram
British artist Luke Jerram created a Coronavirus—COVID-19 —glass sculpture in tribute to the huge global scientific and medical efforts made to combat the pandemic. The Coronavirus model is based on the latest scientific data and diagrams of the virus and was created using glassblowing techniques and materials often used for making medical and scientific glassware. In a video documentary Jerram shares his personal experiences of being tested positive for COVID-19 in November 2020, and how it led to the creation of his next artwork titled Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine.Featured Artworks
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Luke Jerram, Coronavirus – COVID-19, 2020, glass sculpture.
Courtesy of Luke Jerram.
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Luke Jerram, Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine, 2020, glass sculpture.
Courtesy of Luke Jerram.
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Heman Chong
The circuit breaker period in Singapore was sudden and unprecedented and resulted in a great deal of anxiety for many. At a time when people were turning to everyday tasks to cope with the anxiety caused by the pandemic, artist Heman Chong continued to paint. Working on one canvas a day, Chong painted the motif of hazard tape across the surface of some of his previous paintings. The series of 56 works is a re-examination of the artist’s practice over the last 12 years. All the paintings in this series are defined by a consistent formula and pattern—the use of the same size canvas, the same habit of painting every day and the same upcycling of his previous artworks.Featured Artworks
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Heman Chong, Circuit Breaker Paintings, 2020.
Exhibition view at Heman Chong: Peace Prosperity And Friendship With All Nations, 2021, at STPI Gallery.
Courtesy of the artist and STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, Singapore.
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Heman Chong, Circuit Breaker in Singapore (Day 23) 29.04.2020
(Old Airport Road Food Centre) Walk 10 of 23 (Ambient Walking), 2020.Courtesy of the artist and STPI — Creative Workshop & Gallery, Singapore.
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Heman Chong, Circuit Breaker in Singapore (Day 45) 21.05.2020
(Blk 19 Upper Boon Keng Road) Walk 19 of 23 (Ambient Walking), 2020.Courtesy of the artist and STPI — Creative Workshop & Gallery, Singapore.
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Nonzuzo Gxekwa and Pierre Le Riche
The Mask Project is a collaboration between South African artists Nonzuzo Gxekwa and Pierre le Riche, established during the COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa in 2020. During one of the strictest lockdowns in the world, the artists worked together remotely to create a body of work incorporating the now ubiquitous medical mask, with decorative elements from African culture. By integrating bright textiles and fabrics along with photographic portraits of African men and women, the artists demonstrated the resilience and creativity of the arts in Africa during this tumultuous period.Featured Artworks
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Nonzuzo Gxekwa, Untitled 02, 2020, part of The Mask Project.
Courtesy of the artist and THK Gallery, South Africa.
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Nonzuzo Gxekwa, Untitled 06, 2020, part of The Mask Project.
Courtesy of the artist and THK Gallery, South Africa.
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Nonzuzo Gxekwa, Untitled 04, 2020, part of The Mask Project.
Courtesy of the artist and THK Gallery, South Africa.
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Pierre Le Riche, Untitled II (pride mask in fuchsia), 2020, part of The Mask Project.
Courtesy of the artist and THK Gallery, South Africa.
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Pierre Le Riche, Untitled VI (mask in yellow, blue and green), 2020, part of The Mask Project.
Courtesy of the artist and THK Gallery, South Africa.
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Pierre Le Riche, Untitled IV (mask in blues), 2020, part of The Mask Project.
Courtesy of the artist and THK Gallery, South Africa.
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Eun Vivian Lee
From January 2020, Singapore/New York-based contemporary artist Eun Vivian Lee worked on a 10-metre paper installation, Diary of 2020, using pigment paint made from seashells. Initially an idea conceived just like any of her other artistic endeavours, this work later evolved into a project that reflected her everyday response to the uncertainty and fear that she felt during the pandemic. A short documentary video provides further insights into the artist and her working process.
Diary of 2020 was first presented as part of the HEARTH art programme developed by Art Outreach Singapore, a non-profit organisation supported by Marina Bay Sands’ community engagement programme, Sands Cares.
Featured Artwork
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Eun Vivian Lee, The Diary of 2020, 2020.
Exhibition view at Hearth Art Space, Art Outreach SG October 2021. Courtesy of the artist and Art Outreach SG.
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Ivetta Sunyoung Kang
Throughout the pandemic, South Korean/Canadian interdisciplinary artist Ivetta Sunyoung Kang has been reflecting on the amount of time many of us have spent alone, isolated from the world around us. Kang found herself exploring new ways to ease the anxiety she felt during this period of uncertainty and confusion. Tenderhands is a series of instructions handwritten on Post-it® notes that Kang has been producing on a daily basis since the beginning of the global lockdowns. Tenderhands has since manifested in different presentation formats such as an installation, Instagram live, video work and as a subscription-based email project. In Hope from Chaos, this artwork is presented as a video performance where Kang goes through some of the processes she has devised to focus and calm the mind, simply through the use of her hands.Featured Artwork
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Ivetta Sunyoung Kang, screen capture from Tenderhands Video Performance Instruction #39, 2020 – current.
Courtesy of Ivetta Sunyoung Kang.
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Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Wearing a mask has become a necessity and plays an important role in preventing the spread of viruses during the rapid development of the Covid-19 pandemic. In June 2021, material scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore developed a reusable ‘nanotech mask’ that is able to filter 99.9 per cent of bacteria, viruses and particulate matter. Its filtration efficiency surpasses that of a standard N95 mask and this novel technology allows the mask to be washed and resused over 10 times. The team also designed and developed a patented antimicrobial nanoparticle solution, which when spray-coated onto the mask resulted in a sustained killing efficiency over an extended period of time. This provides enhanced protection to the public. This coating can also be applied easily to both soft and hard surfaces, porous and non-porous elements.Nanotech Microbial Mask Invention
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N95 certified mask made with dielectric nanofibre fabric with the bottles of copper nanoparticles
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Related Activities
- Guided Tours
- ArtScience at Home activity booklet
- ArtScience at School
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ArtScience at Home activity booklet
Grab an ArtScience at Home activity booklet to complete your experience after visiting the Hope from Chaos: Pandemic Reflections exhibition.
This activity booklet serves as a guide to help us pause and reflect as we look at a collection of rites and practices that may help you to get through the day amidst the chaos of this pandemic.
Scan the QR codes to watch the various programmes and complete the fun activities in the booklet with the person next to you.
ArtScience at Home is ArtScience Museum’s online programme that features virtual tours, workshops, talks, screenings and performances which visitors can enjoy at the comforts of their homes.
Recommended for 7 years old and up.
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