Voices of art: Cultural translation in the exhibition of “Between declarations and dreams: Art of Southeast Asia since the 19th-century” in National Gallery Singapore

The exhibition of “Southeast Asian Arts since the 19th-century” housed at National Gallery Singapore demonstrates Singapore’s cultural history and presents an appealing object of research. The mix of culture exemplified by this exhibition is translated distinctly through visual forms and omnipresent captions depicted and interpreted for the narratives chosen. This study investigates how Singapore, as a multicultural metropolis, has staged and accommodated Southeast Asian arts through examining how these artworks from different nations are presented and what effects are subsequently evinced. It calls into question the adequacy of the form of exhibition that visitors are used to, and brings to light its manipulative nature. Cultural translation is the central notion applied to, and being enriched by, this study. Copyright © 2017 The Hong Kong Translation Society.