New museum to play tricks on the eye

SINGAPORE - South Korea's popular Trick Eye Museum is opening its first overseas branch in Singapore on June 8 at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS).

Derived from the French compound word "tromp l'oeil" meaning "trick of the eye", Trick Eye's concept involves using two-dimensional art to create the optical illusion of a 3D object or scene.

Guests to the museum can expect an atypical experience as compared to most art galleries. Active participation is required as visitors become subjects within the artwork at times. Furthermore, the collection of 2D and 3D art pieces is specially designed for photo opportunities.

The first Trick Eye museum opened in Seoul in December 2010 and has proven to be very popular amongst tourists, welcoming over a million visitors since then. Two more museums have since been established in Busan and Jeju Island. The upcoming branch in Singapore is the museum's first foray out of South Korea.

To be located at RWS's Waterfront, Singapore's Trick Eye Museum will occupy an area of 800 sq m and feature six theme zones: Love, Circus, Masterpiece, Safari, Fairytale and Adventure. Fifty of the museum's 80 3-D paintings were specially designed for Singapore whereas the others are replicas of the more popular exhibits from South Korea. The exhibit is said to be a mixture of eastern and western cultures, in a reflection of Singapore's cosmopolitan identity.

In addition, the museum will be part of RWS's Little Korea enclave. The 100m stretch will house approximately six shops featuring South Korean fashion, as well as food and beverage.

Tickets to the museum are priced at $25 for adults and $20 for children, aged 4 to 12 years, as well as senior citizens aged 60 and above.

jthe@sph.com.sg