China Crafted showcases Chinese material culture in Singapore

Step into Singapore's Chinatown Library this month, a television screen near the borrowing stations offers an unexpected journey through centuries of Chinese history and material culture.

Films and animations move between ritual bronzes and jade, lacquer and silk, gold and silverware, and the restrained beauty of Song porcelain.

Nearby, standing panels carry QR codes that visitors can scan to delve deeper into the stories, objects and themes featured in a full digital exhibition.

The monthlong showcase brings China Crafted, the latest season of the CGTN Art Series, into a public library setting from August 1 to 31.

For the Singapore presentation, CGTN's digital exhibition is paired with a selection of books curated by Singapore's National Library Board (NLB).

The result gives visitors several ways into the subject: they can stop to watch a film, scan a QR code to explore online, or turn to the shelves for further reading on the materials, objects and traditions shown on screen.

The showcase is the latest Singapore stop for China Crafted, following its launch at ART SG in January and a program at the Asian Civilizations Museum in June.

Bringing a digital exhibition into the library At Chinatown Library, China Crafted has been adapted to work with the rhythms of an everyday public space.

The project's films and animations play continuously on a large television screen.

Some visitors stop only briefly, while others stay through several videos.

The nearby China Crafted panel links directly to the online exhibition via a QR code, allowing the experience to continue beyond the screen.

The physical setting adds another layer.

Instead of encountering China Crafted only through a website or at an art fair, visitors get to experience it while borrowing books, reading, or moving through the library.

That setting is particularly relevant at Chinatown Library, which focuses on Chinese arts and culture.