Instead of spending for things that don’t add value in my life, I decided to go the National Gallery and see art on my day off instead.

And oh boy oh boy! 🤦🏻‍♀️ I should have brought my press ID from a long time ago because journalists are free! They give complimentary tickets to journalists, like in Europe. I could have saved SGD 20.

But it was all worth it in the end. I saw some Luna, Hidalgo, Amorsolo, Botong Francisco, Ang Kiukok, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, and HR Ocampo. There were very beautiful art from Indonesia, Myanmar, and Cambodia as well. The Southeast Asia exhibition art runs until March and it spans 14 galleries.

Then I saw a couple of Amorsolos.

I loved the paintings from Myanmar.

I also liked the ones from Cambodia and a few from Vietnam.

I liked Georgette Chen’s style that I bought one print of hers from the souvenir shop. I will have it framed along with the earlier prints I acquired last year.

Meanwhile, more Filipino artists were exhibited across several galleries. The one below is a mural by three artists. A rare collaboration.

There aren’t much from Malaysia—they only apeared in the latter galleries when the time period was modern/contemporary. Same with Thailand. It’s probably because there aren’t many in the hands of private collectors that were lent to the National Gallery of Singapore or they don’t allow art to be shipped out of the country.

I wish I had more time to browse and go to other galleries but I had to go back to Chinatown to eat. I was famished.

This is the reason why I booked a hotel in Chinatown even though the rooms are tiny. I want to have foot massages but not have to take the train anymore to return to my hotel. I find the old Chinese uncles to be the most effective in easing away my aches.