It’s clear that there’s been a revival in old-school crafts (with a twist) in recent years, be it in pottery, hand-dyeing, wood carving and even rattan-weaving.

A new exhibition at National Vending Gallery (an initiative by DesignSingapore Council) aims to spotlight the connection between maker, workmanship, and beneficiary. Titled topic No. 4 Hand Made, the exhibition showcases a collection of products crafted by 21 makers based in Singapore.

The makers run the gamut from rattan weaver ATinyMaker (pictured here) to woodworker Arthur Zaaro – each a heartfelt paean to these traditional crafts that do justice to the oft-overused terms of artisanal, handmade and other similar buzzwords.

Check out the full list of makers here.

On now till Aug 31 at National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road

UltraSuperNewGallery always puts on fun shows and their latest exhibition, titled FUTURE SPACE, is the perfect banger to kick off their new digs in Jalan Besar.

Reportedly the first NFT art gallery showcase in Singapore, there’s a bit of everything from the metaverse with FUTURE SPACE – a wavy virtual reality experience, courtesy of the artist Jo Ho.

Cue AI-generated art. An immersive gig of experimental sound and innovative visual production by radarboy3000, Mantravine and Mischief Makers. Machines that make you dream by Andreas Schlegel, an installation that makes you question your existence in the digital realm by Kapilan Naidu. Artist talks on the topics of crypto art, AI and new media explorations to reimagine what a “space” could be.

It’s a heady line-up – head here for more details.

On now till July 24 at 168 Tyrwhitt Rd

Beloved multi-label store Spades – best known for its vintage wares and cult labels – has just relocated to a new space and undergone a rebranding, with the aim of becoming a community-building space where people and creatives from various subcultures can bond over their shared love for design and fashion.

It also aims to level the playing field for brands of every kind, “regardless of price, status or country of origin” (it stocks 16 under-the-radar labels from Singapore and the region) – so long as these brands are not merely a means for financial gains but are genuine expressions of their founder’s creativity.

We could certainly do with more of such spaces in Singapore – head here to read more about Spades and its founders’ egalitarian vision.

#02-04 MAE Building, 48 MacTaggart Road