Revisit National Gallery Singapore.

Five years ago, in mid-2016, I used to work at the National Gallery Singapore, and the journey of my humble working experience is still in my memory. Usually, when visiting the gallery there are two things we need to find out. First, where are the masterpieces? And second, where is the cafe located? Writing this column is to fully provide some tips to rewarding visitors. Here are 3 tips we should take note of.

1. When walking in the gallery, my big thing is: don’t rush. I will consciously slow down as I enter a gallery. Looking at art, however, involves a lot of stopping and standing wondering what the art pieces are trying to illustrate. From experience, I suggest that when you visit the gallery, to take the guide book of the gallery and form a plan of where you should walk first. Though, keep walking until you see the piece of art you like. I try to figure out why it looks odd, fascinating, or seductive. It raises questions, and I try to answer them.

2. The gallery is also a place where you can meet friends even though it is a silent place to visit. Sometimes, I will go with my friends, but I prefer looking at art by myself. I’m delighted to go with other people, but I’ll go around the exhibition on my own, and after we’ll regroup and discuss. Other times, I also will pass by the gallery cafe to meet the art lovers in the gallery. There’s something very special about sharing and viewing a piece of artwork with a completely different perspective as well as grasp.

3. The gallery is powerful for learning about and enjoying art, as it possesses the greatest masterpieces on earth. The masterpieces capture most visitors' attention, and yet visitors can find many ways of perceiving them. It is the soul of the gallery. Looking at the masterpieces is like chewing gum sticking on the inside of your brain. So, take out your camera to capture the nature, strangeness, colours, people, culture, and spirit of the art.