Uncover the history and future of plastic in the revolutionary exhibition, as the National Museum of Singapore hosts the Asian premiere of “Plastic: Remaking Our World.”
The National Museum of Singapore (NMS) welcomed the Asian premiere of the travelling exhibition “Plastic: Remaking Our World” on January 27, 2024. Organized by the Vitra Design Museum, V&A Dundee, and maat, Lisbon, the exhibition explores the global and local impact of plastic, delving into its history, environmental implications, and innovative solutions for a sustainable future.
Chung May Khuen, Director of the National Museum of Singapore, expressed enthusiasm about presenting such a contemporary issue. The exhibition features over 300 objects, films, posters, and photographs, including rare artifacts from the dawn of the plastic age, pop era items, and contemporary designs. It provides a unique narrative of Singapore’s history with plastics through a blend of physical and digital displays from the National Collection.
The exhibition, divided into three sections, covers the themes of plastic’s prevalence in society over the years. “Kalpa,” an immersive film installation by Asif Khan Studio, contrasts the long-term formation of oil with the rapid generation of plastic waste. “Synthetica, Petromodernity, and Plasticene” narrate the material’s evolution from the mid-19th century to its omnipresence today. The final section, “Re-,” explores achieving a circular plastic economy.
Visitors can expect to see familiar artifacts such as iconic Barbie dolls and Plack picnic ware, along with unique uses of plastics in homes, including historic materials like Bakelite. The exhibition also introduces an interactive space that educates visitors about different types of plastics, a sorting zone, and an injection machine that repurposes waste plastic into functional household items.
To engage visitors of all ages, the exhibition offers complementary educational elements and programs. An interactive space outside the exhibition, modeled after a home, allows exploration of the pervasiveness of plastics in daily life. The Green Detective’s Challenge, an on-site gamified experience, tests knowledge on recycling and puzzle-solving skills.
In March, the interactive space will be enhanced with a new dining room and a participatory installation called the Shore Debris Table. Created by artist Ernest Goh, the 6-meter-long table covered with debris collected from Punggol beach aims to bring attention to massive plastic pollution.
Throughout the exhibition period, visitors can enjoy hands-on workshops, experiential tours, and live demonstrations of the exhibition’s injection machine, showcasing how to create useful household items from recycled plastic.
