Dali-cious!

Yesterday, I had enough free time(as you all know I'm out of work for this two weeks and am exceptionally free) to decide to hit the town and search for all of Salvador Dali's works on display. Its not as though I'm a really big fan of his but I do specifically remember his trademark melting clocks, introduced to most of us by his most famous work, The Persistence Of Memory. You may not think you've seen it, but I'm pretty sure many of you have but never knew the name to the painting thats all(just like me up until now). Its the one which has got melting clocks all of the place with like a desert and a couple of barren trees as background. Yes? No?

I must admit I'm not really like super good with art(never been known to be arty-farty though sometimes I may surprise), but this trip was more of a treasure-hunt-and-document kinda thing for me. So my views of the art pieces may be abit more practical and dull than even the more casual of artlovers.

Anyways, I just thought since I've got nothing better to do, why not go on a solo hunt for these sculptures. Afterall, I've walked past two of the pieces at Capital Tower several times on my way to work during my last few days with my previous employer.

I took the 196 bus to Shenton Way and started my journey with the pieces at Capital Tower(obviously since they were the most obscurely located - notice that the pieces are also the cheapest of the lot)

Dance Of Time II

So this is the first of two pieces really easy to find, right at the entrance of Capital Tower. Its worth US$480,000. I like the whole melting-clock thing and it is very definitive of Dali's work, but I don't think I'd pay so much for this piece.


Dance Of Time II 

Looks like a mushroom if you'd asked me.

St George And The Dragon

This piece was just in front of the previous piece so you really can't miss it, its got more details, so in my perspective, its more worthwhile of its similar price tag of US$480,000(same price as above piece).


St George And The Dragon 

Notice the woman hiding behind the knight. I still think its way overpriced.

Surrealist Piano

The previous two pieces were more like the introductory performers of some megastar concert, so I guess they weren't that impressive. I walked all the way down Robinson Road to Raffles Place and then to UOB Plaza to catch the first of four pieces on display there. Somehow, this piece below didn't really look that awesome and I was kind of aware that people were starring at me take pictures of this art piece.


Surrealist Piano 

Not that special lah although a piano with human legs did look abit quirky. US$550,000. Must be the legs.

Horse Saddled With Time

This was the piece that featured in the front page of Life! last Thursday. I think this piece was what attracted me to embark on this Dali hunt. I can't really describe how I feel about this piece but I think its a very good piece. Maybe being always in need of more time myself, I find this piece more intriguing than the rest. US$550,000.


Horse Saddled With Time 

This piece would do very nicely in my room. Then again I'll have no place to sleep. This piece is just by the river, so its also not hard to spot.

Unicorn

This piece was right beside the Horse Saddled With Time piece, they were so close together there was no kick at finding this piece. US$480,000.


Unicorn 

The newspaper says this sculpture depicts a unicorn tamed by a virgin. I don't really see it that way. It looks more like the unicorn just stabbed the woman's heart and left her heartbroken. Beastiality fans will like this piece. 'Nuff said.

Woman Aflame

This piece was perhaps the toughest to find, and the only piece I couldn't get close to. Why would they put it where people can't see it clearly? Anyway it took awhile to find this piece, its on the left side of the building towards the direction of Boat Quay. Somehow the place was cordoned and this was the closest picture I could get of it. US$1.27mil.


Woman Aflame 

I gotta say she looks kinda weird with drawers sticking outta her and sticks sticking out of her back. Too abstract for me. But this was a very big sculpture, maybe thats why the humongous price tag.

Space Elephant

This was another enormous sculpture. This was on the other extreme right of UOB Plaza, beside 6 Battery Road where Stanchart was. It was so tall I think the tip of the pyramid almost touched the roof of the overhead shelter. US$1.7mil. Lagi more expensive, maybe only because of its sheer size.


Space Elephant 

My only thoughts on this piece revolved around 5 letters: W-E-I-R-D.

Homage To Newton

I have to emphasize that this piece is not part of the exhibition of Salvador Dali's sculptures, but it has been standing at UOB Plaza for such a long time that I just had to document it as well since it was a Dali piece as well.

I think its more impressive than almost all of his pieces on exhibition and it has a higher chance of making people go,"Ooooh!". So its gotta be good.


Homage To Newton 

Somehow didn't have much of a chance to take a very good picture, what with the heavy security(IMF season) and the weird stares I'm getting from people around me. Coupled with the high chance that I was about to bump into an ex-colleague somehow, I was outta the main plaza square in a jiffy.

Profile Of Time

Finally, it felt like coming down the home stretch. Camera was running out of battery. I walked from Raffles Place all the way to Orchard(thankfully I was wearing a singlet, was sweating like a pig) and was glad to have made it to Taka without my berms showing any wet prints of my underwear(luckily didn't wear boxers).

This was another piece I liked, largely because of the melting clock. It was actually similar to the Dance Of Time II piece but alot bigger. US$1.3mil. Price justified. Big is sometimes really more beautiful.


Profile Of Time 

I liked the fact that the tree branch holding the melting clock up was more defined and stretch beyond the clock thereby giving it a more 'draped' look. This was nicer compared to the other melting clock piece which looked like a mushroom.

Space Venus

This was another impressive piece. US$1.7mil. Another super expensive piece. This was nice lah. Just nice. Oh yah, both pieces are right in front of the fountain at Taka, so its not hard to find.


Space Venus 

Note the ants on the body, and the melting clock at the neck. Totally weird.

Alice In Wonderland

The final piece to the puzzle. This piece is really easy to find, right at the Wheelock entrance. Looked pretty ordinary. US$1.48mil.


Alice In Wonderland 

Nothing much to comment on except Alice's face, if you look close enough, is actually a round shrub. Haha, interesting.
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So that was my journey. I've got more photos if anyone wants to see more. Better yet, just go down and see for yourselves, quite interesting. I think they're on display until 14th Oct. Enjoy!

'Have no fear of perfection. You'll never reach it'
Dali