The National Museum of Singapore’s Film and Wayang Gallery explores the ways in which Singapore’s popular entertainment — specifically, homegrown films, Chinese opera, and wayang (traditional theatre) — expanded beyond the sphere of the imagination to reflect urban realities and the nation’s aspirations in the 1950s and 1960s. Using early iconic films, movie music, intricate stage costumes, and an array of objects ranging from rare magazines to a Fujian puppet stage, the Gallery traces the evolution of Singapore’s popular entertainment scene from its roots in street performance to its booming film industry in the 1950s.
Bringing gsmprjct°’s expertise in intercultural understanding into play, the Film and Wayang Gallery is one of 4 award-winning Living Galleries designed by the company to present the social history of Singapore and define its people through lifestyle themes that remain close to their hearts. The Living Galleries are lighter museum fare, featuring the high energy, impact, easy browsing, and interactivity that appeal to the younger generation, who are not traditionally museum-goers. Four specific themes were chosen to represent the history and social evolution of Singapore — food, fashion, photography and film. Each gallery is divided into two sections —a statement installation and behind-the-scenes workshops — enriched by artefacts and objects that embody the evolution of a society over the last century.