If you’re into ceramics, don’t miss out on the inaugural Singapore Ceramics Now 2021 (SCN) exhibition at Gillman Barracks. Founded and led by feted Singaporean ceramicist and performance artist Jason Lim, it is meant to be a showcase of the diverse ideas, techniques and ideas found in contemporary ceramics.“Clay as a medium is going to stay with us for a long time and this show attempts to bring nature back to the people,” says Lim.

SCN will feature works by 19 Singapore-based artists, as well as performances separately by multi-disciplinary artist Aiwei Foo (pictured here in her performance Impression of a tearoom), and experimental rock band The Observatory, both of whom will use ceramic pieces as part of their improvised sound performances.

Other highlights to look out for include a Raku firing demonstration (an ancient Japanese firing technique), artist demonstrations as well as panel talks by the various participating artists. Head here for more details.

On now till Feb 13 at Block 7, Gillman Barracks, 9 Lock Road 

Billed as the first mall-wide art activation in Singapore, Creative Unions is a major month-long programme staged at Funan mall. Curated by art collective Neighbourhood, this outing takes the unique approach of meshing art and retail by partnering Singapore artists with the mall’s tenants across fashion, food, lifestyle, technology and experiential trades.

Artist Allison M Low, for example, has partnered with lifestyle stalwart Love, Bonito, enriching the space with her surreal and hyper-intricate illustrations, while fashion designer Samuel Xun teamed up with Swiss sewing machine manufacturer Bernina to create deliciously bedazzled pillows. Over at furniture retailer Grafunkt, you can find rising artist Shayne Phua Shi Ying‘s beautiful sculptures (pictured here) dotting the space – read more about her works in our January 2021 issue.

January 22 to February 21 at Funan 

Curated by rising curator and artist Berny Tan, Maybe we read too much into things is a multimedia exhibition that brings together six young Singaporean artists — Aki Hassan, Daniel Chong, Kevin Fee, Genevieve Leong, Leow Wei Li, and Ryan Benjamin Lee – whose practices explore the materialities of everyday objects.

What you can expect from this lovely exhibition is a focus on something that’s been greatly missed during these times: touch and tactility. Each artist has approached their chosen objects with care. Likewise, the site for the show is equally important: a former rice warehouse turned arts space filled with natural light and unique architectural features, creating an enhanced experience with items that seem ordinary (think biscuits, clothes pegs and even a banana in the case of Fee’s piece Always Better With Flowers pictured above) but are transformed by the hands and imaginations of the artists.

On now till Jan 30 at 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Road 

People have been turning to the natural world in droves as a result of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic and this new exhibition by art programming consultancy Mama Magnet promises an innovative new take. Titled Inner Like The
OutAR, this immersive audio-visual art experience niftily combines augmented reality, set installation and sound
design to imitate the magic of nature.

Inner Like The OutAR features digital psychotropic environments by artists Reza Hasni and Siah Tiong Hong (pictured), as well as set design by Tina Fung and sound design by electronic producer Intriguant. The “OutAR” room offers many interactions conducted using augmented reality tech while the “Inner” room conversely aims to transport the visitor into a surreal rainforest, complemented with a custom soundtrack by Intriguant.

“The various perspectives of nature offered by the diverse artists can present Singapore with a fresh lens of our fragile relationship with the natural world, and also with the role of art and exhibitions in general,” says Tulika Ahuja, founder and curator of Mama Magnet.

On now till January 31, 5pm – 11pm at #01-33, Gillman Barracks, 22 Lock Road

A new exhibition by rising curators Racy Lim and Zulkhairi Zulkiflee, The Orchid; The Wasp is a visual arts show that looks at the premise of “becoming”,  which is understood as the “possibility for diversity, multiplicity and change”. The curators have assigned six Singapore artists (Liyana Ali and Ivan Ng; Anthony Chin and Leroy Sofyan; Liana Yang and Thesupersystem) their designated pairing and the point of the exercise is to have each pair of artists to jointly create new works together – through mutual dialogue, which is something that’s needed more than ever. Unusual circumstances can birth interesting results, so we’re interested to see what comes out of this unique symbiosis.

January 22 to January 30, 12pm – 7pm at #01-22, Gillman Barracks, 47 Malan Road

Painter Aisha Rosli is a rising star to keep your eye on and this week, she debuts her first-ever solo exhibition, Black Eye, at Cuturi Gallery. Art fans will likely recognise the influence of Francis Bacon and Egon Schiele, which Aisha references here with her expressive paintings that explore themes of solitude, concealment, proximity and desire. Each work is akin to a miniature world that possesses a sense of unease and detachedness, hinting at an unsettling narrative.

More proof of Aisha’s ascendency? All the works from the show, such as Crippled Inside (pictured), have already been sold but you can still head down to check them out before they make their way into permanent homes.

January 23 to February 21 at Cuturi Gallery, 61 Aliwal Street