Kubota Beisen, a renowned Japanese artist from the Meiji period, only had a fleeting eight-and-a-half hours in Singapore. Despite the brevity of his visit — and as a testament to the artist’s abilities and keen observation — Kubota would produce 12 woodblock prints that deftly capture the unique scenes of the wildlife and people of Singapore. Compiled in a travel narrative, The Album of Beisen’s Travels (Beisen man’yū gajō) contains some of the earliest depictions of Singapore’s biodiversity in the late 19th century. A copy of the original book currently resides in NUS Libraries’ Special Collections.

8½ Hours in Singapore reproduces Kubota’s woodblock prints of Singapore, and provides translations to the relevant portions of his narrative to make his work more accessible to a wider audience. It also brings his work into conversation with other contemporary sources to present a refreshing glimpse of the island’s cultural, historical and environmental landscapes at the turn of the century, a time marked by significant changes and transitions.

Join us in celebrating the book launch as we unveil the story behind the book’s creation, and explore a selection of rare books and specimens on display. Guests will also enjoy a 20% discount off the book and merchandise at the launch event.