GLISTEN by Lisa Reihana Dazzles at National Gallery Singapore’s Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden

Experience the enchanting interplay of art and nature with GLISTEN, an extraordinary installation by contemporary artist Lisa Reihana, now on display at the National Gallery Singapore’s Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden. This marks Reihana’s first solo presentation in Southeast Asia, part of the seventh edition of the Gallery’s annual Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden Commission Series.

GLISTEN is a kinetic, large-scale outdoor installation that mesmerizes with its shimmers and soundscape. Drawing inspiration from the rich weaving traditions of Southeast Asian Songket and Māori Tāniko, Reihana’s vibrant tapestry pays homage to the intricate craft of Indigenous women weavers. The three-sided sculpture dynamically responds to its natural surroundings, featuring over 114,000 shimmer discs that reflect light beautifully, accompanied by the soothing sounds of a wind chime.

Lisa Reihana, a multi-disciplinary artist of Māori and Welsh-English descent, has significantly influenced contemporary and Māori art in Aotearoa New Zealand. Her work spans film, sculpture, costume, body adornment, text, and photography. GLISTEN showcases her deep research into Māori ancestral knowledge and Songket weaving, highlighting the pre-colonial connections between Aotearoa New Zealand and Southeast Asia.

The installation honours the traditions, labor, and pivotal roles of women weavers as communicators and knowledge bearers in pre-colonial societies. GLISTEN celebrates the plurality of feminisms that existed in these cultures, emphasizing the sustenance women provided for their communities.

The artwork’s precise patterns, plotted digitally and meticulously hand-placed with shimmer discs, evoke LED technology and digital pixels, linking to Reihana’s New Media practice. The accompanying wind chime, crafted from repurposed materials by Reihana and collaborator Gary Hunt, enhances the multi-sensory experience.

The Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden Commission series invites a leading artist each year to create site-specific works for the Gallery. Previous artists include Cao Fei, Sir Antony Gormley, Shilpa Gupta, Rirkrit Tiravanija, and Danh Võ. The series is supported by a generous gift from Far East Organization.

GLISTEN by Lisa Reihana is on display at the Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden Gallery, Level 5, City Hall Wing at National Gallery Singapore, from June 14, 2024, to March 30, 2025. Admission is free, inviting visitors of all ages to immerse themselves in this mesmerizing celebration of culture and nature.