Balance sculpture
Public Art: Balance sculpture
Sculptor: © Ng Eng Teng (12th July 1934 – 4th November 2001)
Description: A rising balance of circular and cylindrical shapes
Date unveiled: 1982
Location: The Balance sculpture is located near Percival Road, Fort Canning Park, Singapore.
Inscription:
BALANCE
by Mr Ng Eng Teng
Official presentation ceremony of the ASEAN sculptures
This sculpture executed during the ASEAN Sculpture Symposium in Singapore from 27 March – 10 May 1981
Was unveiled by
HE Mr S Dhanabalan
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Culture
Republic of Singapore
on 15 June 1982
Background to the ASEAN Sculpture Symposium: ASEAN Sculpture Symposium was established in 1981 with the aim of “promoting a sense of community among sculptors of member countries whose works of art will be visible symbols of regional cooperation.” The ASEAN Sculpture Symposium lasted six summits, the final being in Manila in 1989.
The Singapore Committee On Culture & Information (COCI) held the first symposium in Singapore between March 27th and May 10th, 1981. Five sculptors from each member country produced a five-meter tall sculpture which was later displayed at Singapore’s Fort Canning Park. The Indonesian sculptor But Muchtar contributed a sculpture called “Unity”; The Malaysian sculptor Arifin Mohamad Ismail contributed a fibreglass work called “Taning Sari” (which disintegrated in the harsh weather and was later replaced with the “Augury” sculpture by Anthony Lau ; The Filipino sculptor, Napoleon Veloso Abueva, contributed “Fredesvinda”; Thai sculptor Vichai Sithiratu, contributed “Concentration” and Singaporean sculptor Ng Eng Teng, produced this sculpture “Balance”, and Osman bin Mohammad contributed “Together” sculpture.
Things you may not know about the Balance sculpture: Ng Eng Teng is known as the “Godfather of Singapore Sculpture.”
Ng Eng Teng Quote: “Life itself is the main inspiration of my work. The experience of humanity: love, hope, the joy of living as well as dejection, alienation, despair, fear and sorrow are sources of my artistic creation.”
References: www.aseansec.org/10680.htm