First placed in Singapore: 2013
China Place (near China Square, South Bridge Rd)
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Patron: not credited
More "tourist realism", in this case integrated with the uncredited painted murals. Interesting that the label points out that the sculpture portrays "realism" and well as its realist subject, a nice point!
After a hard day’s work Bronze (2013)
During the British colonial period in the 19th century, Singapore's manual labourers, also known as ‘coolies’, were mostly immigrants from China. They often led hard and frugal lives and lived in narrow and tiny quarters along Nanjing Street and Hokkien Street. This sculpture portrays a sense of realism, depicting the coolies gathering after a day of hard work, enjoying a simple fare and chatting about their lives. Their hardship also led to some coolies seeking relief in opium.
Last updated: Feb-6-2021