Singapore Biennale 2006 Explores Belief Across City's Sacred and Secular Spaces

The inaugural Singapore Biennale, held from September 4 to November 12, 2006, took an unexpected turn in a city devoted to commerce by centering on the theme of belief. Organized by Fumio Nanjo with a team of young curators including Roger McDonald, Sharmini Pereira, and Eugene Tan, the biennale installed works in seven nearby places of worship. The most spectacular piece was Yayoi Kusama's 'Ladder to Heaven,' a neon tube installation in a Buddhist pagoda tower with mirrors creating an infinite illusion. Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi painted a subtle leaf pattern on a mosque roof. Other venues included a former courthouse, where works addressed belief in justice, law, and capitalism—Jane Alexander placed human-animal hybrids on jury benches, and Donna Ong transformed courtrooms into sci-fi spaces. An old military camp, a library, a school, and the newly opened National Museum also hosted works. The most profound piece was Bigert & Bergstrom's one-hour film 'The Last Supper,' examining last meals of death row inmates through interviews and statistics. Critic Eleanor Heartney noted the film cut through the biennale's carnival atmosphere to remind visitors of important moral questions.