Boon Hau Tan - Campaign City: Life in Posters

Art and creative direction for Campaign City: Life In Posters, 2012.
Completed the art and creative direction for National Library Board Singapore's (NLB) flagship blockbuster exhibition in 2012, 'Campaign City: Life in Posters'.

Following the guidelines established by the brand identity as described in the project suite 'Campaign City: Life in Posters Brand Identity', the aesthetic and was rolled out in an environmental takeover of the National Library Board (NLB) building, promoting the exhibition that culminated in the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library on level 7.

Some of the more interactive and interventionalist visual installations were the skybridge towards the Lee Kong Chian reference library, where vinyl cut outs of the words allowed light to bleed through and messages to be oppressively, inescapably illuminated onto every visitor that walked through; interactive photo booths on the ground floor, allowing visitors to "star" in their own campaign, and original campaign posters repurposed and placed onto toilet mirrors, thus making one an unwilling participant, unavoidable as one uses the restroom (as seen below).

The exhibition culminated in an educational "stage", with various vitrines showcasing differing aspects of campaigns, and its hidden mechanics to ensure success, as well as artifacts and stories, both private and national. There were functional drawers build below the vitrines housing the corresponding extra items one could peruse alongside a librarian. Along with the design of the stage, a interactive/information wall was also mooted. One side held exhibition information, and the other was a map of Singapore with quotes on it and accompanying stickers for visitors to react and respond to the campaigns.

With the main exhibition space, there was also the massive showcase of the artists new and specially commissioned artworks across the wall panels across levels 7 and 8. One could view them from anywhere in the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, and could also get more information on them on one of the shelves that held "mock books" that corresponded to each artwork. There one could learn of the artist's statement, the campaign and more about the artist as well.

Lee Kong Chian Reference Library skybridge, with actual slogans from yesteryear campaigns.

Instagram images of the skybridge at bight and in the evening, respectively.

View of the artworks across levels 7 and 8, in the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library.

Interior views and the informational wall on the right.

"Mock Book" volumes of the respective artists and their artwork.

Main exhibition area for the Campaign City historical retrospective

Views of the vitrines

Interactive wall for viewers to react to.

Campaign City dystopian elevator takeovers. Friendly (albeit old and weathered) on the outside...

...New and weary on the inside. On the left is a weathered and cynical and beaten Teamy the Bee, and on the right is a reveal: Singa actually an alien in "Singa" costume.

Visitors' Instagram images. Left is a large wayfinder in the foyer of the NLB building; right, opening night VIP Minister Yaacob Ibrahim gracing the event and receiving an artist print token from the NLB.

Internal flatplans denoting the different campaign and brand stickers, as spread out in the building.

Campaign posters were repurposed to force restroom users to partake in the exhibition, much like the campaigns itself, were also unavoidable and unmissable. Visitors would be inside a heart-shape looking at themselves thinking "I Like to Speak Mandarin", or getting stabbed by a sryinge, while being told "Drugs Can Kill".

The exhibition contractor's rendering of the photo booth.