Skullpanda toys at Pop Mart's booth at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, China, on Nov 5. - Reuters
SINGAPORE: Move over, Labubu. Chinese toymaker Pop Mart’s collectible character Skullpanda is taking over the National Museum of Singapore (NMS) from Dec 12 to Feb 22.
Created by Chinese artist Xiong Miao, Skullpanda is a cutesy character with kewpie doll-like features sporting fat pigtails and an astronaut helmet.
The Skullpanda Cage-Uncage Showcase, which debuted in Shanghai, China, in July, will present a series of mobile installations and immersive tableaus. If social media captures are any indication, expect oversized sculptures, digital screen installations and kinetic works.
The showcase will explore six themes drawn from everyday life – Emotion, Fortune, Rules, Exploration, Life and Direction. There will also be an exclusive Singapore installation inspired by the hobby of bird singing.
This first Skullpanda showcase in Singapore is presented by Pop Mart, in partnership with NMS and the Singapore Tourism Board.
Pop Mart’s senior vice-president and chief operating officer Justin Moon said in a statement that the showcase represents the company’s “commitment to supporting artists like Xiong Miao in exploring deeper themes through collectible design”.
Pop Mart's collectible character Skullpanda will be the star of a showcase at the National Museum of Singapore from Dec 12 to Feb 22.
This is not the first time NMS has gone pop. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the museum staged an Instagram-friendly installation of popular Japanese robot cat Doraemon.
NMS’ pivot to being a people’s museum continued with 2022’s Doraemon exhibition and 2024’s Play:Date – Unlocking Cabinets Of Play, which focused on popular culture.
NMS’ director Chung May Khuen said in a statement: “Our commitment to examining contemporary Singapore means engaging with cultural movements such as collectible culture, allowing us to harness the phenomenon’s widespread appeal to connect with diverse audiences through Skullpanda’s artistry and provide new pathways to deeper museum experiences.”
Early All Access tickets on sale now will allow ticket holders priority access to the showcase as well as access to showcase-exclusive merchandise. Ticket holders can purchase merchandise after completing their visit and exclusive items are limited to one piece for each ticket holder.
Early All Access tickets are priced at S$22 for Singaporeans and permanent residents and $40 for tourists. Standard tickets at $14 and $36 go on sale from Dec 1.
The first 4,500 visitors will receive a Singapore-exclusive gift. For more information, go to str.sg/FMR8 - The Straits Times/ANN
