The Singapore Currency: An Artistic Expression by LIYU

I was invited to attend the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts' (NAFA) BA Fine Art Degree exhibition because I spoke to one of the graduating student on Singapore's modern currency some moons ago. I thought he was doing some research to write a thesis. Never did I know he was creating ART. 

The following are two of his graduating artwork on display at NAFA's Lim Hak Thai Gallery.

 Happiness, Prosperity and Progress Series no. 1: "To Greater Heights"

The author uses digital collage from Singapore's four series of currency, including the $50 and $25 commemorative notes, to create his artwork. 

His artwork is intriguing and profound. It uses our currency as a strong expression of our economic progress and pursuit, that is becoming detrimental and weaker groups have fallen through the cracks especially when our social safety nets are weak.

The author "attempts to provoke a reflection on the value system of our society."

Birds seems to be the key focus here; catching its preys and flying them up into the air before letting them plunge to the ground. 

The higher you go, the harder you fall?

I think you'll probably know which banknote the skyline at the background comes from, but do you know where Victoria Concert Hall and the buildings with the brown roofs come from? I've no idea. Pls tell us on our Face Book page if you know the answer.

And I spotted a "strange image" at the centre of the artwork that is completely incoherent. Can you see it? Do you know what it means? Tell us on our Face Book page.

What's Chen Wenxi's monkey doing on the dome of the old Supreme Court Building? Banana tree? Where does that come from? :-)

Happiness, Prosperity and Progress Series no. 2: "In Celebration"

The focus here seems to be buildings and people. While most are celebrating some are drowning. So an artist is also a sociologist? Yes, very much one! Don't you agree?

Can you make out where all those buildings come from? And all those spectators cheering? It took me a while to find out but the red building on the right, I have no idea where it comes from. :-(

 MBS, the new Singapore skyline, the Science & Art Museum and the Singapore Flyer? I think I missed a lot here :-))) Can someone enlighten me?

All That is Solid

"Plant base jelly. Delightful in the first 8 hours, after that threshold, decay takes over, flies moves in to breed. Likewise, how solid is our economy?" (Excerpt taken from Liyu's web-page http://cargocollective.com/liyu/All-that-is-solid)

Philosophical. :-)

According to Erica Lai (BAFA Course Leader), "Liyu attempts to decipher the codes within the Singapore currency system through his experiments in ephemerality and magnifications  Like a tireless conspiracy theorist, Liyu has created a varied body of evidence that is utterly captivating."

I'm not an art critic so I'll leave it to you to decipher LIYU's message. And I hope LIYU can tell us more!

I hope you like his work. 

Please join me to congratulate LIYU and The New NINE, and wishing them best of endeavours! 

Singapore Portrait Series First Issue $100 Money-Bag

The first portrait series banknotes bearing the portrait of Encik Yusof bin Ishak, the first President of Singapore, was issued on 9 September 1999. 

Did you realize this series of banknotes has been in circulation for 14 years (up to 2013)? I suspect it will be replaced in 2015 when Singapore celebrates 50 years of independence (don't quote me, I'm just guessing).

People don't usually talk about a current series because it is still in circulation- you get to touch and feel it everyday, so there is nothing special about it. 

But in fact, the Yusof Ishak series has gone through substantial changes in the last 14 years. It has gone through four signature changes, starting from (1) Hu Tsu Tau, (2) Goh Chok Tong, (2) Lee Hsien Loong to (4) Tharman Shanmugaratnam. 

The banknotes bearing the signature of Hu Tsu Tau (HTT) were issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore (BCCS). When BCCS was merged into MAS and MAS became the banknote issuing authority, the banknotes started to bear the signature of Goh Chok Tong, as Chairman of MAS.

The most important physical changes within these 14 years and probably even in the history of Singapore's currency has to be moving from paper to PLASTIC. 

Do you know which are the banknotes that are in plastic; when did they become plastic? 

For my younger audience, this is specially for you: the first issue of the portrait series (all paper), in a $100 money bag. 

Sealed in a polymer bag is a $100 worth of banknotes:

five $2, two $5, three $10 and one $50. 

OAA is the prefix of the serial number for the first print. Notes of the same value found in the bag are in running numbers (see first photo above).

The reverse of the money bag clearly indicates this money bag comes from POSB and it has a BCCS sticker marked $100.

All notes in paper, bearing the signature of HTT as Chairman of BCCS. Enhanced security features include: kinegram, asymmetrical serial numbers, and latent image. 

Q: What do you see in the kinegram? 

Back of the notes featuring a stardust security thread.

So how many money bags were exchanged to the public in 1999? Are these $100 money bags rare? Because I've never seen any of them around. Do you own one of this money bag and are they currently being sold as collectibles? 

If you know the answers to any of my questions, tell us on our Facebook page.

In my next post, I will be sharing with you some of the special features of the first issue I noted under high magnification. Surprise, surprise! Stay tuned.

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