On April 29, the exhibition on “Calligraphy Works of Late Qing Imperial Scholars” opened at the SSA Headquarters. The Guest of Honour for this event was Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Malay Heritage Foundation. Other distinguished guests included Mr Ng Cheng Huat, Chairman for Tampines West Community Club Management Committee; Dr Aw Leng Hwee, Chairman for Tampines West Citizen Consultative Committee; Mr Mohammad Bin Mohammad, local Islamic calligrapher, and Mr Patrick Han, Director of the Community Development Division of the People’s Association.
Minister Rasheed shared in his opening address, “There is a very close link between the Chinese and the Muslim worlds and we have seen a rich cross fertilization of the two cultures. In the context of a multicultural and multi-religious Singapore, it is an important message we want to put across that you need to understand each other better. Calligraphy is one way for us to understand each other better. I am very happy that the SSA has organized this event and its effort is very commendable.”
The 93 pieces of calligraphy on display are from the personal collection of Dr Gwee Yee Hean, Former President of the Singapore South Seas Society. The Malay Heritage Foundation also supported the exhibition by showcasing pieces of Islamic calligraphy.
Dr Gwee shared in his speech that Calligraphy is an art that is not exclusive to the Chinese. “Calligraphic beauty knows no barriers, and it is with this intention that SSA invited all Singaporeans and others as well, to this exhibition, and in particular, the Malay community, with the cooperation of the Malay Heritage Foundation, to support it. The choice of SSA as the venue for this exhibition is the desire to place art in the midst of our heartlands so that art appreciation does not belong exclusively to the rich and the famous, nor confirmed to the city centre or resplendent museums. It should go to all our fellow citizens who have the right to share the fruits of education and culture — the twin pillars of Dr Daisaku Ikeda’s philosophy that formed the foundation of SSA’s cultural and educational endeavours.”
At the occasion, a token of appreciation was presented to Minister Rasheed by SSA Chairman Ong Bon Chai.
(SSA Times issue 237)
