Vue de l'exposition "Baba Bling"
05 Oct 2010 30 Jan 2011

Baba Bling

Interior signs of wealth in Singapore

The exhibition tells the fascinating story of how the Chinese immigrant community of Singapore influenced the customs and beliefs of their adoptive country.

About the exhibition

In Singapore, “Baba” means “Chinese man”, and by extension, also refers to the descendents of Chinese communities who settled in Southeast Asia as early as the 14th Century and who, over the centuries, integrated several aspects of Malay culture into their culture of origin. “Baba” also means the head of the family who has integrated elements of European culture through parents and grandparents during colonial times.

The intercultural integration triggered by this process is a lesson in open-mindedness and tolerance and remains extremely relevant today. The exhibition features approximately 480 artefacts of the luxurious and refined culture of the Peranakan Chinese established in Singapore.

The artefacts - furniture, beaded and embroidered textiles, porcelain, etc. – are inspired by the shapes, motifs and colours found in Chinese and Malay cultures and illustrate the Peranakan identity. Most date back to the end of the 19th or the beginning of the 20th century, a time of significant economic growth that brought great wealth to many Singapore Chinese families. It was then that the Peranakan communities reached their peak, which translated in part as an art de vivre revolving around the home, its most important display.

  • Chief curator

    • Kenson Kwok, founding director of the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) in Singapore

    Associate curator

    • Huism Tan, Deputy Director, Curation and Collections of the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) in Singapore
  • Place:   Galerie Jardin
  • TimeSlots:  
    From Tuesday 05 October 2010 at Sunday 30 January 2011
  • Closed on monday
    Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday:  10:30 am-07:00 pm
    Thursday:  10:30 am-10:00 pm
  • Public:   All publics
  • Categorie : Exhibitions