Expo
I went to the Expo on 22nd and 30th of Oct. Wasnt very keen the past couple of months, but well it was ending soon, so thought I should just go have a look.
I think it's not so much of using Expo as a platform to get to know the world, but a case of seeing how different countries conceptualize and present their stuff. I think it's great for people in creative industries, architecture, events, design etc. Interesting to see what different countries choose to highlight about themselves, the different ways they interpret the theme. Just look at the designs of the country pavilions - and the different creative ideas of presentation. Here's my take:
1) Germany - the best pavilion, according to me! Rich in content, clear themes, awesome presentation - showcasing german technologies, culture and lifestyles. I like the part about kids in the Ruhr area having to pick up one instrument each
2) Denmark - the mermaid and the white curvy pavilion came out very well in the pictures. Content was simple, a bit too simple maybe, but it articulated the main differences between China and Denmark. Thought they did not fully exploit the Fairytale theme, which has a lot of potential
3) Mexico - I like the Mexican pavilion. The concepts and technologies they use is brilliant - the book thingy which is like a sort of Aviva futurator, and another version which showcased different people, how they are interconnected and how they reflect mexican society. And the good thing was - it wasnt crowded! However, the artwork in there was probably too abstract
4) Australia - the 'clay' figures are another interesting way of presentation, but I thought the content was rather lacking. There's probably so much more of the (very inhospitable) Australian landscape and history that can be shared (but not the Tasmanian genocide I think). Pavilion looks ugly too.
5) Oman - Another pavilion that I like. You may say they are rich and can afford it, but it's really quite well done, with very rich content and information
6) Sri Lanka - Very simple but likeable, with people demonstrating some traditional skills, and introduction to their heritage cities
7) Bosnia - A scam. More like a secondary school exhibition. And with kiddish drawings to boot.
8) Estonia - Another scam. Looks good on the outside, but nothing but pigs inside. Scores an absolute zero for content
9) Italy - Great showcase of their stuff - fashion, Ferrari, violin making, pasta, wine. Well done, but pales in comparison to Germany (I think). A lot of show, but not much telling
10) Canada - A+ for visuals - it was quick breathtaking, but not much for content. Hardly learnt anything about the country
11) Cambodia - They tried (and failed) to replicate part of the angkor wat. And nothing else. Perhaps a case of low budget!
12) New Zealand - They stuck to the theme very well. I thought it was very Kiwi-ish as well - I can imagine Stephen Robertson my Kiwi ex-colleague coming up with the concept. Showcasing nice little moments about everyday life
13) Indonesia - Another pavilion I like. Better than I anticipated. It highlighted the cultural and environmental biodiversity very well. Indeed, their tropical rainforests is something worth shouting about, though of course they have been cutting it down. I thought the girls were rather pretty! :p
14) European Pavilion - Hungary, Montenegro and something else that I cant remember. All I can say is it's forgettable
15) Czech - Decent. The ball thingy was quite spectacular. I didnt know they are good at animation!
16) Hamburg - Showcased the passive house which remains at 25 degrees celsius without air conditioning in all seasons. Interesting technology but I nearly fell asleep. They showed a nice short film about Chinese migrants to Hamburg
17) Rhone-Alps & Alsace - boring!
18) Brunei - Ahem...all I can say it at least they tried. A decent, sincere effort.
18) Malaysia - Quite poor actually. And I dont think I am biased
19) Philippines - Quite a joke. Hardly any content, but at least the people were friendly and they were trying to turn it into a disco!
20) Singapore - HUGE disappointment (and again I dont think I am being biaised). Content was sole lacking. What's the point of having pictures of David Marshall, Yusof Ishak, Tan Tock Seng etc? What resonance would it create? There's so much we can talk about in terms of urban planning, ERP, public housing etc, but we didnt. Instead, we talked about Singapore media fusion and the design industries. The ironic thing is that the presentation of the content was so unimaginative. Maybe budget not enough, but even the content was deplorable. And the pavilion looks awful. The only redeeming factor? There were a couple of pretty girls, who I am sure were not Singaporeans! A sad time to be a Singaporean!
21) Nepal - See Cambodia, but looks nicer.
