Children's art show goes interactive in Singapore
An interactive exhibition in Singapore is capturing the imagination of children and parents alike
My nine-year-old son is perched on a stationary bicycle in the middle of an art gallery, pumping his legs furiously as he leans forward to go up an imaginary hill. His effort pays off: kinetic energy is converted into electricity, and, suddenly, wall panels light up with the text: "The energy you generate came from the sun."
The room erupts in oohs and aahs from onlookers.
Titled Greenroom II: Interstellar Overdrive, the installation is made up of bicycles hooked to generators, which power LED lights and even a record player.
Created by Vincent Twardzik Ching, it is part of Imaginarium: A Voyage of Big Ideas, a contemporary art exhibition for children staged at the Singapore Art Museum until July 19.
The Canadian-born artist was inspired by the exhibition poster featuring a whimsical image of two children rowing a crescent moon across the night sky. Mulling on the source of light energy, he created the installation where "investment of your own energy becomes something you can see".
The bikes are configured so parent-and-child can cycle side by side and make things happen, such as causing "starlight" to twinkle overhead.