Concentration sculpture

Public Art: Concentration sculpture

Sculptor: © Vichai Sithiratu

Description: The concentration sculpture was created from steel plates. Now a little faded, it was originally painted in a cobalt blue.

Date Unveiled: 1982

Location: The Concentration sculpture is located near Percival Road, Fort Canning Park, Singapore.

Inscription:

CONCENTRATION

By

Mr Vichai Sithiratn

Official presentation ceremony of ASEAN sculptures.
This sculpture executed during the ASEAN sculpture symposium
in Singapore from 27th March to 10 May 1981

Was unveiled by
HE Air Chief Marshal Siddhi Savetsila
Minister for Foreign Affairs
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 were asked to produce a five-meter tall sculpture to later be 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 this sculpture “Concentration” and Singaporean sculptor Ng Eng Teng, produced  “Balance”, and Osman bin Mohammad contributed “Together sculpture“.