If you’re not a fan of F1, there are still plenty of things to check out around Singapore. Get to know a new side to old-school institutions like Peace Centre through Singapore International Photography Festival’s activation, or check out various music-meets-art performances at Haw Par Villa and Pasir Panjang Power Station. Details below.
Photography fiends should head out to explore the ongoing Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF), which takes place every two years. This is the eighth edition of the festival, the theme of which is “Future Known as Unpredicted”, and it features works by 64 artists from both around the world and Singapore – familiar local names include Aik Beng Chia.
Much in line with how contemporary art in recent years have increasingly gone beyond traditional white cube galleries towards enlivening everyday spaces, this year’s SIPF seeks to bring the arts to people from all walks of life. As such, the key locations include Peace Centre, 37 Emerald Hill (the old Singapore Chinese Girls’ School campus), the Esplanade Tunnel, as well as four MRT stations along the Downtown Line (Bugis, Bencoolen, Rochor and Little India).
If you’re surprised by the inclusion of Peace Centre – a commercial-use building better known for its many KTV lounges – get ready to see a new side to this building, which the festival organisers say has been around for 50 years in the central arts district but has traditionally been overlooked. A new festival initiative this year will feature the collection of local stories and memories of Peace Centre, and present these materials as a representation of Singapore’s national development in the ’60s and ’70s.
For more details, head here.
On now till Oct 30, various locations
Whether you’re a crypto bro or just curious about getting into the NFT arena, Crypto Art Week Asia (CAWA) is the space to be this week. Billing itself as Asia’s biggest NFT and electronic music festival, CAWA takes over Haw Par Villa for a three-day long programme of curated exhibitions and events, with the intention of giving artists in Asia global visibility and strengthening and growing the arts community in Asia.
Artworks from more than 150 of Asia’s biggest names in crypto art will be on display – including Singapore-based stalwarts like Mojoko, whose work will be on auction. Alongside all the artworks, each night will see the venue transformed into a dance space, with performances by some of Singapore’s rising DJs and musicians such as kkCruise Chen, Geylang Krunk bosses O$P$, Mantravine, and DJs Vandal (DAO Records), Sivanesh (Sivilian Affairs), James Selva (Algorythm) and Jamie Hall & Taaka (YESYOU).
Get your tickets here.
On now till Sep 30 at Haw Par Villa
Pasir Panjang Power Station has been the site of choice for increasingly experimental shows lately. Its next event is blue., a multi-disciplinary music-meets-movement art show by electric guitarist Rudi Osman and movement artist Sonia Kwek.
Fans of local music will probably be familiar with Rudi; he was the guitarist at iconic 2000s post-hardcore band A Vacant Affair. The show represents Rudi’s solo debut and draws influence from modern classical, post-rock, ambient genres, documenting one man’s “solitary descent into a dull, existential rut”.
Alongside Rudi’s performance, movement artist Kwek will be interacting with a giant ice sculpture, reinforcing the impression of an arctic landscape. Get your tickets here.
Sep 30, 7:30pm, Pasir Panjang Power Station A
Fans of Hermes, you’ll soon get to experience the maison’s idiosyncratic touch through an upcoming exhibition titled Hermes in the Making, which sees nine of its ateliers (there are a total of 16) coming to Singapore to showcase how Hermes objects (such as the beloved Kelly bag or their silk scarves) are created using their in-house techniques.
The nine ateliers specialise in the following crafts: silk printing, silk engraving (separating the colours from the design), crafting a saddle, hand-painting on porcelain, gemstone-setting, glove-making, leather working, watchmaking and repairing objects.
The exhibition also incorporates a variety of interactive games designed to pique one’s senses, including workshops focused on dexterity, musical composition using round knives, and colouring. Films on Hermes’ journey with sustainability will also be screened.
The exhibition is open to public – but you’ll have to register here first.
Oct 1 to Oct 9, at Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza
If you’ve got a taste for things like caviar and preloved designer holy grails like Birkin bags (in immaculate condition), head down for a pop-up called An Autumn Chapter, organised by authenticated luxury consignment platform The Fifth Collection.
Taking place over two days this week, several vendors such as Asiatique Collection (luxury furniture), Sakechan (Japanese sakes and spirits), Nomad Caviar (self-explanatory), Beirut Confidential (home accessories) and The Fifth Collection have come together to put on a market held over at Henderson Industrial Park. See it as a way to get your Christmas shopping done early.
On now till September 30 at 203 Henderson Road, #04-07