A picture is worth a thousand words. And when it's beefed up with literature, it could be worth much more. To give you a better understanding of this, the National Museum of Singapore has set up a new exhibition to dwell in the Goh Seng Choo Gallery. Discover intimate connections with Singapore’s history and cultural heritage with A Voyage of Love and Longing, where 19th-century drawings of flora and fauna – commissioned by William Farquahar, no less – are beautifully paired with literature from the Malay Archipelago.
Something you won't find in history books, the exhibition marries illustrations from the William Farquhar Collection of Natural History with Malay lyrics from love ballads, classical texts and pantuns ('rhyme quatrains' in Malay) – all to give you a poetic perspective of natural history. These literary excerpts are drawn from prominent writers and musicians from the 19th and 20th centuries, including Amir Hamzah and Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir.
Inspired by the practice of belayar ('voyage' in Malay) in the Malay Archipelago during the 19th century, the engaging showcase is designed in a way where you can immerse yourself in it and experience the complex emotions seafarers felt at different points of a sea voyage, from departure to return. You might even feel an emotional connection to the natural history drawings.
Expect innovative use of digital activities and on-site displays to interact with the drawings from the storied collection. Ever wonder what it's like to prepare for a voyage? Sample it with a choose-your-own-adventure online game which can be accessed via the museum's Dome Bot chatbox at the exhibition.