SINGAPORE: Rare statue of Hindu Lord Hanuman is the highlight of ongoing revamp of Singapore’s 22 years old Asian Civilizations Museum (ACM).
Almost a yearlong revamp, whose first phase is nearly complete, includes a new wing and gallery, distinguished new entrance towards Singapore River and expanded gallery spaces. It is reopening in November and will display permanently the Tang Shipwreck collection, recovered from the ninth century wreck.
Somaskanda (Shiva, Parvati, and their son Skanda) is one of the “Top 20 Highlights” of the Museum, which is “devoted to preserving the cultural heritage of Asia” and “connects audiences with many cultures”.
Commending ACM for display of Hindu artifacts, Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that art had a long and rich tradition in Hinduism and ancient Sanskrit literature talked about religious paintings of deities on wood or cloth.
He urged major art museums of the world, including Musee du Louvre and Musee d’Orsay of Paris, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Los Angeles Getty Center, Uffizi Gallery of Florence (Italy), Tate Modern of London, Prado Museum of Madrid, National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, etc., to frequently organize Hindu art focused exhibitions, thus sharing the rich Hindu art heritage with the rest of the world.
Alan Chong is the Director of ACM located by historic Singapore River and which claims to have one of the most comprehensive collections in the region. This revamp, which is part of the $65 million enhancement package, includes “expanding its building to increase display space, enhance access, and more fully connect with the public”.
India Post News Service