by Sharon Chin

In the spirit of stretching out April Fools as long as it can and will go, I thought I’d put together a quiz called ‘But… Is It Art?’

For people who haven’t sat through a course of post-modernism 101, alot of contemporary art can be a big question mark. I wish we could show people walking through a gallery , with thought bubbles above their heads showing what they’re thinking. Think of it as Art (instead of Night) Vision goggles. Patents pending.

Installation practice can be particularly puzzling. Especially exhibitions of ready-made objects arranged artfully in white spaces, or featuring materials sourced from everyday – also known to the layman as ‘trash’. The whole looking experience can become a game of ‘Where’s Wally?’, i.e. ‘spot-the-art’. I remember thinking this during Not That Balai’s ‘Bangun/Abandon’ project in an abandoned bungalow last year. As I wandered the derelict compound, I had a great time trying to figure out if that pile of scrap in a corner was on purpose or not.