Everyday Sacred: An Exhibition on Vernacular Shrines in Singapore

Many Singaporeans express their everyday religious practices through vernacular shrines erected next to trees, hawker centres, bus interchanges, and other public spaces around the island. These shrines are small and informal but hold significant socio-cultural importance for different social and business groups.

Everyday Sacred is an exhibition showcasing the vernacular shrine landscape in urban Singapore. It will feature photographs of shrines and religious practices, items associated with shrine worship, and architectural sketches and shrine models.

Everyday Sacred highlights the multi-ethnic and multi-religious characteristics of these shrines, which are worshipped by Singaporeans of different ethnicities as well as new immigrants and migrant workers. The exhibition hopes to promote a greater appreciation of these shrines’ significance and a deeper understanding of the multi-cultural fabric of Singapore.

This exhibition stems from a research project entitled Gods on Earth: Vernacular Shrines, Religious Heritage and Community Formation in Singapore by Francis Lim (NTU) and Kuah Khun Eng (Jinan University), funded by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and supported by the School of Social Sciences, NTU. Everyday Sacred’s curatorial approach is facilitated by Noor Iskandar (NAFA).

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