Join Jorius Chuwa in the Battlebox as he explores Portals, an art exhibition that combines art, technology and history 

Have you ever had an interest in history? Well, there is a new way for you to experience it through Portals, an art exhibition which integrates modern technology with elements of art and history.

Portals is located in the Battlebox, a World War II bunker located beneath Fort Canning Hill. According to the Battlebox, the bunker was completed in 1939 and served as the headquarters for the Allied forces against the invading Japanese army during the Malayan campaign from 8 December 1941 to 15 February 1942.

The Portals exhibition seeks to build upon that legacy as it provides a view back to the past, a portal, if you will, that allows us to see history through a different lens. By combining history with modern technology, the art exhibition is a blend of both the past and the present.

The Technological Aspect

These art installations reshape the way that visitors can engage with history through the use of technology.

Suraya, the producer of the Portals exhibit at the Battlebox, shared that these art installations use modern technology to make history come alive.

“The kind of takeaway that we hope visitors get is to explore how the use of technology is used as … [an agent] of change, and also for them to relook into how technology is being used today” 
The use of modern technology throughout the Portals exhibition is evident, such as the exhibit Drifting Signals, which makes use of modern projectors and webcams to track visitors’ movements inside the room while their movements are visible from waves on the outside. According to the artist Dongyan Chen, the work is designed to mimic the feeling of being constantly watched and monitored, as those on the inside of the room have no idea that visitors on the outside are able to see any movements made.

Drifting Signals communicates the feeling of war-time surveillance which parallels the feeling of today as we live in a world where our movements online are consistently tracked and documented.

Another exhibit which blends technology with the elements of history is Electromagnetic Sound: The Hidden Echoes, which uses electronic sensors, circuits, and radio transmitters to produce a sound akin to coded messages. 

According to the artist Zul Mahmod, this sound installation seeks to allow visitors to uncover lingering echoes of history and appreciate the unique sounds that come from unseen signals.

The exhibit itself gives off an eerie feeling as you walk around it due to sounds like distorted voices coming from the electromagnetic frequencies.

The Educational Aspect

A key aim of blending modern technology with elements of wartime history is to attract members of the public to visit the Battlebox and engage with Singapore’s wartime history through the art installations in Portals.

However, public education regarding Singapore’s history seems to be lacking. According to The Straits Times, a survey of 500 adults aged 18-45 found that 1 in 10 did not know when World War II took place. A separate study also asked visitors at the National Gallery Singapore if they knew when the Japanese Occupation took place. This study found that 8 in 10 people did not know when it took place despite its historical significance.

These statistics are not surprising to Mr Ashley Tan, a history teacher, who already finds it difficult to engage his students about the subject. 

“The challenges for teaching history today will be to be able to find tools to engage the students, to get them interested in history other than just … [the] usual teacher talk.” stated Mr Tan.

Therefore, the “Portals” art exhibition seeks to bridge this gap in knowledge and educate Singaporeans about their ‘lost’ history by integrating elements of interest in the exhibits themselves. This is how the ‘Portals’ exhibit attracts visitors, according to Suraya.

“I think that the youth, and also just the general public, everyone has their own different interests. So, some people might be really interested in history, some people are more interested in the arts … creative technology for example. So, with this, we kind of bring people together.”

Coming to your own conclusions

Another key aspect of the Portals art exhibition is that it encourages visitors to get their minds rolling and infer the meaning of the art installations.

“Having these kinds of installations allows you to interact … allows you to, you know, find your own perspectives, find how you interact with these installations and find your own stance with history.” Suraya said.

From an academic perspective, Mr Tan also believes these art installations will prove beneficial for students who study history. 

“These art installations can help them think critically about Singapore’s history and properly understand it …  [and] can help students with their inference skills as these art pieces allow the youths to come up with their own opinions of what the art represents.” He said.

Appreciating our country’s history

Ultimately, people cannot be forced to like history. However, an important aspect of our history is the forefathers who came before us and dedicated their lives to providing us with the peace and security we live with. 

Therefore, it is important for Singaporeans today to learn, reflect, and appreciate our country’s history.  Thankfully, the results of these efforts have been evident so far. 

“We actually have a lot of youths who are interested in technology and art to come down and learn about history … [and] we do see a lot more youths coming down to Battlebox and we hope that this is a start of their interest.” says Suraya.
Portals offers a rare opportunity for us to take a glimpse back into the past through a portal — one that helps us reflect on how the past shapes the present.

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