Fans of iconic photographer Robert Mapplethorpe should make their way down to multi-use restaurant space Appetite – the latter is putting on Staging: Mapplethorpe, the artist’s first solo show in Singapore, in collaboration with Xavier Hufkens Gallery. Best known for his lush, sensual portraits of beauty (flowers and the human body were common motifs), Mapplethorpe effortlessly straddled the intersection of visual art, and celebrity and fashion photography.

10 of his works are presented in this show and they were created between 1979 to 1987 – often considered his most prolific period, set against tumultuous times (the rise of political conservatism in the United States and the height of the AIDS pandemic, a disease that would, ultimately and unfortunately, take the artist’s life). Seen with this in context, Mapplethorpe’s work can be viewed as an attempt to immortalise beauty at the peak of its blooming.

On now till April 9 – to book a private viewing, please contact clara@appetitesg.com

Appetite, 72A Amoy Street

A lot of things are going on at Aliwal Arts Centre this weekend as part of its new AliWALL Festival. Taking place as part of Singapore Art Week, the festival seeks to redefine walls, both physical and metaphorical, as canvases to unite artists and audiences to imagine what urban living is, now and for the future.

Curated by Tulika Ahuja of Mama Magnet, there’ll be participatory mural painting at the arts centre’s external walls, immersive, multi-sensory experiences in the music studio by artists such as Howie Kim and stage designer Akbar Syadiq, set against a soundtrack by acclaimed Japanese musician Takashi Kokubo. Kim will also be showcasing an inflatable sculpture in the courtyard, so look out for that.

There’s also a walking tour of the Kampong Gelam area, as well as an art market taking place on Saturday between 11am – 9pm by North East Social Club, a counterculture network of creatives, where  visitors will be able to pick up various prints, zines, stickers and even get a tattoo inked.

Jan 21 – 23

Aliwal Arts Centre, 28 Aliwal Street

Can you touch light? An intriguing new show titled (W)ave 2.0 by artist Alina Ling is predicated on that – not just seeing but literally feeling art – using haptic technology (haptics is the science of transmitting and understanding information through touch).

A multi-sensory installation, you’ll get to don haptic gloves and vests to navigate a constructed light and sound installation through the sense of touch primarily. Much as how many brands are adding elements beyond the visual (think olfactory) to their stores and pop-ups to create a more multi-textured experience, (W)ave 2.0 encourages visitors to re-orient and re-think their sensory perception. Also – haptic equipment looks likely to be a part of the future – a key equipment for the Metaverse, whenever that actually happens. More details here.

On now till Jan 22

Centre 42, 42 Waterloo Street