Minimalism Arts Exhibition at ArtScience Museum

I love visiting arts and design museums. This Monday, I went to ArtScience Museum to see the Minimalism arts exhibition.  Two tickets are priced at $16.00 due to 1 for 1 promotion.

This exhibition gives a more zen vibe compared to National Gallery of Singapore Minimalism exhibition.  Minimalism arts concept is inspired from Zen Buddhism concept of Emptiness and Nothingness. It reminds me of the verse Emptiness is not nothingness and Nothingness is not emptiness. 

Emptiness could be presence of vast space where you have infinite possibilities. 

From Master Sheng Yen,

"Buddhism talks about emptiness in nature while existence produced by causes and conditions, which involves change, non-stopping, unfixed, non-staying without ever remaining in the same state.  This is what impermanence means. 

Since it is ever-changing, constantly changing in appearance, then what about its nature? Its nature changes too. The nature of clouds and that of water are somewhat different. So they exist out of emptiness. In their existence, you see emptiness. 

So the Heart sutra, " Neither increase nor decrease." It is neither arising nor ceasing in the first place. This actually means its neither empty nor existing. 

Emptiness in Buddhism refers to the kind that is neither empty nor existing. That is true emptiness. Rather than a distinct separation between existence and emptiness. That would be a kind of void, hollowness, a lonely kind of nothingness. Buddhist emptiness is not lonely at all. Instead, its lively and bustling. It is ever evolving and constantly changing. This is existence of importance. "

Minimalism at ArtScience Museum 

To view another Minimalism Arts exhibition at National Gallery, click here.

Hwa Chong Institution (Former Chinese High School) Celebrating 100th Anniversary

Although I'm not Hwa Chong Institution/ Former Chinese High School alumnus, but I really like their motto 

自强不息(Unrelenting Self-Empowerment), always improving oneself and never give up. They are celebrating 100th anniversary today. They are lucky to have notable alumnus, Dr Liang Wern Fook, one of Xinyao founders to compose and write a song to commemorate this special occasion. Another popular alumnus illustrator Ah Guo also drew to commemorate  his school centennial celebration. I really like their drawing and song. How about you? 

In Singapore, due to declining birth rate, many schools are merging and now there are lesser schools in Singapore. I hope Hwa Chong Institution, former Chinese High School continues to stay strong, to help preserve and promote Chinese culture in multi-racial and cosmopolitan Singapore and not just let it be another archaic former colonial society where the people don't understand their own cultures and languages. 

Image from Ah Guo Illustration.

《钟声依旧》

About Chinese High School from Wikipedia

The Chinese High School (simplified Chinese: 南洋华侨中学; traditional Chinese: 南洋華僑中學; pinyin: Nányáng Huáqiáo Zhōngxué) was a former independent school in Singapore offering secondary education. The school merged with Hwa Chong Junior College on 1 January 2005 to form the integrated Hwa Chong Institution.

Founded on 21 March 1919, The Chinese High School was the first high school in Southeast Asia to cater to different dialect groups among overseas Chinese in the region.

As early as May 1913, Tan Kah Kee, a prominent businessman, proposed setting up a secondary school for Chinese boys in Singapore. Tan's proposal was supported by the Tung Teh Reading Club and a dance troupe, claiming to have raised S$20,000 as funds for building the school. On 21 March 1919, the Singapore Nanyang Overseas Chinese Middle School was formally opened at Niven Road with an enrolment of 78 students. Six years later, with an additional funding of S$600,000, the school moved to its new campus at Bukit Timah Road, covering an area of 79 acres (320,000 m²), and officially renamed The Chinese High School.

My Travel Blog

Just checked the number of views in my Travel blog. Not a soul visited my travel blog for a week so thought I promote my blog here.

New Vegetarian Dishes at Elemen Restaurant

I'm really happy with the new 8-course set at Elemen. Now I have more choices like charcoal springy noodle with butter cream sauce and chocolate mousse dome which has crunchy hazelnut chocolate base. At $32.80++ per person for 8-course set, I find it affordable. They also have membership rewards whereby one can earn rebates. It is now my preferred choice for vegetarian restaurant.

Menu

Elemen at Millenia Walk

Nearest MRT: Esplanade MRT 

The elemen appetiser. With guava, purple sweet potato

 Grilled halloumi with tomato and watermelon. Its my first time eating halloumi, a semi-hard cheese.

 Creamy carrot soup with pumpkin.

 Charcoal noodle with butter cream sauce. I like the smooth springy noodle. 

 Fresh orange carrot juice.

Chocolate mousse dome. This is my favourite dessert with rich chocolate and crunchy hazelnut chocolate base.

Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Keng

I'm delighted to know that Ajahn Keng will be giving Dhamma talk this month! But then I realised that my youngest brother has wedding dinner on late March. I could only attend 1 dharma talk. The talk is near Labrador Park and I really appreciate that Ajahn Keng is giving Dhamma talk. 

Even thought I'm more inclined towards Mahayana Buddhism, but I enjoy listening to Ajahn Keng, a Singaporean monk who is is also known as the forest monk which is the Theravada Buddhism whereby monks go for alms and meditate in the forest. For me I don't think there is not much different as both are Buddha's teaching.

Singapore Design Week March 2019

I went to National Design Centre near Bugis Junction as there is design exhibition there from 4th to 17th March. If you are design enthusiast like me, you can click this link to see the full list of events.

National Design Centre

Nearest MRT: Bugis MRT. Just opposite National Library of Singapore

 You can buy Singapore souvenir at the Farm Shop in National Design Centre

 This cardboard reminds me of Taiwan cardboard shop at Cingjing.

HDB 2-room Flat- My Nice Home Gallery

Last week, I went to HDB at Toa Payoh with the plan to book a flat. Alas all the 2-room type 2 flat (45sqm) are fully taken. They only left 36 sqm 2-room BTO flat. I went to My Nice Home gallery to have a feel of what 36 sqm room is like and I didn't like it. My current bedroom is larger than the 2-room living room and bed room combined. My bedroom can keep 5 Billy bookshelves of 80 cm width each, a bed, a desk  and a wardrobe. 

Sometimes I feel unhappy that singles in Singapore are not as well taken care of as compared to married couples. Married couples get to purchase flats in matured estate and 2-room flats and above. Married couples with kids also enjoy child care leave whereas Singles have to help when they take child care leave. Singaporean singles can only purchase BTO flats in non-matured estates and 2-room flat. If Singles want to buy bigger flats in matured estate, they can only buy resale-flat aka second hand which I don't really like. I prefer a brand new flat.

Why can't they let Singaporeans Singles purchase 3-room BTO flat and in matured estate too? If I can't buy a flat to my liking, maybe I should retire in other place for a cheaper and nicer accommodation. 2-room flat here costs about $125000.00 depending on the level. 

Its not as if we want to be single. I don't want to spend so much money on condominium as monthly service conservancy charge is high and I need to plan for retirement alone. Most probably, in old age, I might stay in old folk home as my brothers will all get married. This month, my youngest brother will be hosting Chinese wedding dinner, even though early last year he already registered his marriage with his wife at the Registry of Marriage.

My Nice Home Gallery

I really want to buy this type 2, 45 sqm 2-room BTO flat. Its just right for 1 person. I don't have to spend too much time cleaning up. My new home will have lots of wood material, maybe pine and spruce wood. I like this resort bliss concept.

I have billy bookshelves instead of those shelves.

I also like this kitchen concept. Wood gives warm vibe which I love! I don't really cook as I'm too busy with work.

Hmm, maybe I place some succulents here. I love plants too.

This is a smaller 2-room flat of about 36 sqm. It is too small for me.

My current bedroom is so much bigger than the living room and bed room combine.

This is laminated wood, which doesn't emit warm feeling.