Sunday 29 January 2012

Day 302-Moving The Village House



I have been planning this for sometime now but it was only today that I found the time to make the big move. 


Some Chinese believe it is not auspicious moving home during the Chinese New Year period  and we are onto our 6th day of celebrations today with 9 more days to go. The Rollas however scoffed and said these rules don't apply to us Banjarans from India.


So we waved goodbye to where they were residing the past year and a half i.e. the dining room and moved, rather gingerly I might add, to what we all (Rollas, Fafa and I) thought was a perfect spot for a permanent site.


Here the house sits in the corner of our living room on an antique sewing machine base as if it has been custom made for it.


Truth is I bought this base and 3 others for a song more then 20 years ago at an antiques market in Jakarta, Indonesia. The market however had a reputation for selling reproductions instead. Back then,  I didn't really care whether they were authentic or not especially considering the price, and this one in particular did not even have any markings. 


I even thought the wooden pitman rod was a repair job to replace a missing cast iron part! It was only now that I found out that there were many models of antique sewing machines which used wooden pitman rods instead of metal ones. Even if it was not old then, it is now, after 20 years with me. 


More importantly, at this new location and for the 1st time in one and a half years, the house finally enjoys natural lighting. The Rollas are thrilled and so am I.


It may be a miniature house but the effort is no less mammoth for me especially as I am not the sort who likes moving things around just for a change of scenery. 


Meet Ms Piggy, I am lazy that way.The one in the picture? I bought her from my sister's shop, probably made in India. Can you tell she'll be sitting on that cushion for a long long time to come?


Just like the Rollas House in that spot. 

Friday 27 January 2012

Day 301- Thinking.....


I have spent today thinking how to bash




 this 

into 

haveli in Crafts Museum, Delhi

this

or

traditional Himachali house, Crafts Museum, Delhi

this 

haveli at Bikaner, picture taken by Sayid Budi

even this (!)

Monday 9 January 2012

Day 295 & 300- The Elephant Parade

Singapore Botanic Gardens where all 162 elephants congregate for 3 days from 8-11/1/2012.

Have you heard of The Elephant Parade?

An outdoor exhibition of huge elephant statues, each one uniquely designed by a local or international artist, this event is touted as the largest of its kind. The Elephant Parade seeks to raise awareness of the plight of Asian elephants and is dedicated to the conservation of this dwindling specie. At the end of each exhibition, the artwork are auctioned off with parts of the proceeds donated to The Asian Elephants Foundation. I was really excited when I found out that the Parade was coming to Singapore, a 1st time in Asia! 


Ming Kwan Nakorn Ping  by Jharatpong  at National Museum Singapore.

Between 11 November 2011 to 11 January 2012, 162 art elephants were scattered around Singapore, adding welcomed colours and interest to my country. It culminated in the big herding of all the statues at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. I saw a few over the months and on Sunday, we ran to the Botanic Gardens (our regular weekly runs)  just to meet all of them. 

                              Ming Kwan Nakorn Ping  by Jharatpong  at National Museum Singapore

There were many elephants with an Indian/ Hindu / Buddhist theme. This one was one of the more elaborately decorated piece by a Thai artist called Jharatpong. Using many Asian Hindu and Buddhist elements like deities, temple architecture and landscape, Jharatpong created a sparkling and colorful elephant with acrylic oil and gold leaf.

                                                              Miss India by Nut Thamrongpittayanan

This artist designed 3 elephants, Miss China, Miss Malaysia and Miss India. Miss India wears a sheer veil over her face.

Haathi Mere Saathi by by Farhad Hussain

This piece was named after  an Indian movie that was a huge hit in the '70s. The title means Elephant, My Partner and is also the name of its theme song. I know because it was my housemate, Fai's favourite Hindi song. Underlining this piece of work is the theme of the movie and how the smiles and apparent joviality of  the characters belie the tragic life of the elephant. The movie was about an orphan, Raju who was saved by 4 elephants, in particular Ramu, the one he became closest with,  from a leopard. They became street performers and lived a hard life. In time, Raju became wealthy and could afford his own zoo where he kept other animals together with his 4 elephants. When he got married and a child was born, his wife made him choose between the animals or the family as she feared the child being hurt by them. When Raju chose his life long friends over his family, Ramu decided to bring the estranged couple together but eventually sacrificed his life in doing so. 



Precious by Ahmad Zakii Anwar at National Museum Singapore

The artist associates the endangered status of the elephants with something as precious and fragile as Chinese porcelain.


I was the most amused by this one

                                                 Dada, the Surrealist Elephant by Rosihan Dahim

Bula by Arturo Sanchez Jr. at National Museum, Singapore


but the most fascinated with this one with the lights.

Delightful Durians by Nat Posila & Ed Robinson

The crowd's favourite 

Not Forgotten by Michael Han & Kiat

My favourite. It's a rusty elephant and  this is the artists' statement:

This elephant rests uneasily in a decaying state  as concrete jungles overtake its natural environment – in the process, overtaking its form as its expression depicts the tension between our world and theirs.

                                                                  Damaged Dumbo by  Renato L. Barja Jr

while this one was the favourite of my 3 year old nephew, Xander. He called it "the sad elephant."

                                                                   The Naughty and the Elephant - Carrie Chau

There he was standing next to a piece aptly titled The Naughty and the Elephant. His dad told me he loved the parade so much that he didn't want to go home. His mum thought maybe he wanted to live with the elephants instead. 

Like my nephew, I love the elephants and the Parade but I love the spirit behind it even more. From how the parade started (a father and son team going from door to door with paper mache sample elephants only to be rejected again and again) to the saving of this endangered specie, I am inspired and reminded that no dreams are too big, no efforts too small, to always believe and when we do, to never give up. 

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