“Our lawn installations are generally very popular and the visitor numbers are usually very good,” Alvin noted.
Of course, aesthetics are only part of the equation.
“We always adopt a more modern, youth-oriented and pop culture take while retaining the traditional and cultural elements,” Alvin said.
“That’s how we distinguish ourselves from other installations that you might find at Chinese Garden or Gardens by the Bay, while relating and linking back to the cultural and festive elements.”
Challenges
Alvin points out that there was initial scepticism from his colleagues about toy-inspired installations. But they came around after he brought some of his collection to meetings and shared photographs to help them visualise how the installations would materialise.
There is also the challenge of making sure a toy design or an artist’s work can be translated appropriately for the theme of a project.
For example, Alvin had wanted to work with Malaysian artist Kamwei Fong to use his cat illustrations for the Malay Heritage Centre’s lawn installation next year. But it was not meant to be because of technical difficulties.
“When his illustrations (created using tiny individual strokes) are enlarged, they will become pixelated and this would compromise the quality of the installation,” Alvin said.
There is also the issue of ensuring a designer is willing or available to collaborate with the NHB. For this reason, Alvin is always on the lookout for young and emerging talent to work with, and he is already on the hunt for possible designers and artists to work with for next year’s series of outdoor installations.