
Commissioned for the launch of construction on Marina Barrage, Beneficence 3 was unveiled by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew in 2005. The artist, Iskandar Jalil, made the three vessels from local clay. They signify the three pillars of Singapore’s well-being - commerce, culture and the environment. They also represent the three benefits derived from the barrage - water supply, flood control and lifestyle attraction.
Iskandar Jalil is one of the most prominent ceramists in Southeast Asia. He grew up near the Kallang River and still loves to stroll along the banks of the now clean river. When asked to work on this project, he was immediately inspired to create a vessel with gently trickling water. The pots were fired at a temperature of 1000˚C before being given the artist’s signature blue-green barium glaze and re-fired at 1300˚C. The shape and colour of the pots convey tranquility while the flowing water represents activity.