Singapore Casino

You’d think that the prime photo-taking spots in Resorts World Sentosa are at the spinning Universal Studios Globe, the Lake of Dreams or even the statuesque twin guitars of Hard Rock Hotel Singapore. But if you take a walk around and keep a lookout, you’ll notice more than these signature landmarks – art pieces like quirky sculptures, exquisite glass installations, bright pop-art pieces and a brooding thinker.

So grab your camera and go on a different sort of art trail, starting from:

1.      Britto’s explosive pop art

Romero Britto (1963-) considers the role of an artist to be an agent of positive change, and looking at his work it’s no wonder why. Bright, bold, and almost child-like, his loud art pieces – both sculptures and paintings – will make you think of happy childhood days past. While you can find many of them at Festive Hotel’s lobby, where they complement the family-friendly accommodation, you can also spot his sculptures lining the Waterfront and scattered around the Bullring.

2.       Dali’s spindly elephant

Halfway through The Galleria, you’ll spot an oddity in the form of an elephant with long, gangly legs and an obelisk on its back. But if you’re familiar with the work of the artist, surrealist Salvador Dali (1904-1989), you’ll find that this elephant is nothing out of the ordinary. Based on a 1946 painting by Dali, this sculpture depicts the temptations of St. Anthony on his travels. The obelisk on the elephant’s back is a symbol of power while the skinny legs represent desire. You wouldn’t miss it if you were coming from the Casino or walking towards Hotel Michael from Festive Hotel.

3.       Chihuly’s twisted glass

If you happen to pass by Crockfords Tower or are a staying guest, don’t forget to look to the ceiling at the Hotel lobby. You’ll find chandeliers of intricately twisted glass, created by world-renown glass sculptor Dale Chihuly (1941-). Characterized by baubles and long, ribbon-like pieces clustered in a tight center, you could spend a few minutes staring just to see how the separate pieces come together.  If a photo isn’t enough, head over to the Chihuly Gallery right before the entrance of Hotel Michael to bring a piece home.

4.       Botero’s rotund couple

Further down from the Space Elephant before Hotel Michael’s lobby, two very solid looking figures greet you, and you best be in awe; after all, they’re inspired by the first two humans in creation, Adam and Eve. Given a rotund appearance by Columbian figurative artist Fernando Botero (1932-), they stand at 3.7metres and tower over you with their sheer size. The voluminous proportions is the artist’s signature; he has a penchant for painting and sculpting large figures, (some might call them “fat”), influenced as he is by the lush figures of the Baroque art period.

5.       Think hard with Rodin

We’re pretty sure you’ve seen this chap before, sitting alone contemplating hard about… something. Well you’ll find him thinking pretty deep at World Square, directly outside Palio just beyond Adam and Eve. Made of bronze and marble, the statue was originally supposed to depict Italian poet Dante from the Middle Ages, pondering in front of the Gates of Hell. Unclothed, French sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) wanted to portray the heroic figure in the tradition of Michelangelo, to represent intellect and poetry.

6. Be In The Mood with Man Fung Yi & Mok Yat San

The pair of talented Hong Kong artists were commissioned to create a piece with the theme flora and fauna; at first glance, you probably wouldn’t notice the art piece – titled In the Mood of Intimacy – because it blends seamlessly into Equarius Hotel’s back-to-nature setting. Upon closer inspection though, you’ll get to see the intricacies behind the castings. Using brass and stainless steel, the art piece inspired by spring and the colour of love is situated at the hotel’s reception area.