THE PUBLIC GALLERY
A VERSATILE YET UNCONVENTIONAL GALLERY SPACE THAT WELCOME COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN ARTISTS AND CURATORS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS
LEVEL R (ROOFTOP)
VINTAGE ENAMEL ADVERTISING SIGNS
Enamel signs emerged in the mid-1800s as a form of advertisement for food, household items, petrol and a variety of services in the United Kingdom. Signs were constructed out of vitreous enamel, involving a process where coloured glass was fused to iron plates. Enamel signs were often displayed outdoors, using catchy slogans and vivid colours to attract customers; this led them to be known as “street jewellery”. Stores in the 1800s were often highly specialised, and relied heavily on enamel signs to not just inform shoppers about specific products for purchase, but also to act as an effective branding tool to set their wares apart from similar products. Due to advancements in printing in the 20th century, enamel signs were gradually replaced by cheaper advertising hoardings, and virtually disappeared by the 1950s.
ABOUT THE COLLECTION
This collection traces how vintage enamel signs document the many facets of everyday life for middle-class consumers between the 1800s to the mid-1900s. Two collections – Tasks at Home and Infant Care – investigate the domestic lives of women, while the Delicacies of the Middle Class collection offers a rare look at historic 19th century chocolate manufacturers. Or, discover the leisure activities of working and middle-class folk through the Industrial Alehouses and Travel and Transportation collections – which explore industrial drinking culture and innovations to transportation respectively.
DISCOVER 1800S CONSUMER LIFE IN AR
Allow The Public Gallery’s wacky host, Mr Punch to introduce you some of the museum’s featured vintage enamel advertising signs reflecting mid-1800s consumer life in action!
BUILT THOUGHTFULLY AS A HYBRID BETWEEN AN URBAN VENUE AND EVENT SPACE AND AN EXHIBITION GALLERY, THE PUBLIC GALLERY AIMS TO BUILD A COMMUNITY OF CREATIVES WHO DARE TO DEFY CONVENTION IN THEIR ARTISTIC PRACTICE.
Featured Works
LEVEL ONE
Essence of Seasons
Artists: Touch Art (SAVH)
A captivating collection of canvas paintings inspired by the essence of seasons – Autumn, Summer, Winter and Spring, done by the visually impaired clients of the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped.
This exhibition of canvas paintings will be on display until 30 June 2024 only.