5 things to do in Singapore this week: May 3 to May 9, 2021

The first week of May bring activities big on arts and culture, with 23 of Europe's best films on showcase, an exhibition peering into Singapore's vibrant palettes, and another inquiring into what it means to collect artworks in an increasingly digital world.

Finish off with a dose of weekend wellness is back in the form of muay thai on our sandy shores.

1. European Union Film Festival is back with a bang

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After a year-long hiatus, the highly-anticipated European Union Film Festival is set to screen at indie cinema The Projector, making it the first film festival to be screened physically since the Circuit Breaker period.

Its 30th iteration brings 23 of the best films from 21 countries to the table, alongside ten short films from students over at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Enjoy traditional grub from the individual countries when watching their films, like Portuguese pastel de nata during Parque Mayer.

Grab your tickets because they're selling like hotcakes!

The European Union Film Festival 2021 is happening from May 6 - 23 at The Projector, 6001 Beach Rd, Golden Mile Tower #05-00, Singapore 199589.

2. Delve into curatorial & artistic dialogue with Wikicliki

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As modern society floats information in the digital space, artists are at a crossroads in determining how to display their artworks. WikiCliki: Collecting Habits on an Earth Filled with Smartphones pries into this dialogue at the curator-artist intersection.

As artists "aggregate" information through ingesting, processing, and categorising, museums similarly face the same issue of collecting and presenting artworks that grow increasingly multimodal.

In addition to the artworks on display, there are programmes open to the public to participate in the curator-artist dialogues.

WikiCliki: Collecting Habits on an Earth Filled with Smartphones is happening till July 11, 2021 at The Ngee Ann Kongsi Concourse Gallery, National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew's Rd, Singapore 178957. Admission is free for Singapore citizens and PRs.

ALSO READ: World Art Day: 8 Singapore artists you should check out

3. Learn the art of 8 limbs by the beach

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There's nothing quite like taking it out on some pads after a long week of work.

Take to Palawan Green at Sentosa to learn authentic Muay Thai techniques while getting a good sweat.

Brought to you by Fitstop, Singapore's first outdoor mobile gym, it promises an hour of fun while learning under a Muay Thai enthusiast who has trained in Thailand.

Grab a friend, your own water bottle and head down.

Muay Thai By The Beach is happening every Saturday 6pm - 7pm, from May 8 - June 26, 2021 at Palawan Green, Siloso Beach Walk, Sentosa Island. Event fee is free, and a hand wrap is required for the session.

Available for rent at $2 or purchase one at $12 - $15 on site. Sports attire is required.

4. Ride the rhythms of light at painting with light

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Painting with Light - Palettes of Singapore sees four Singaporean artists explore the palettes of the city and its soul through a simple medium: Light.

All equipped with the OPPO Find X3 Pro, which boasts everything from a microlens to a telephoto lens in its One Billion Colour Dual Primary cameras, the artists reveal visual logs, intimate scenes, and explorations of stories and subjects.

See how colour finds its identity in the array of anecdotes presented by the local artists through phone photography.

Painting with Light - Palettes of Singapore is happening till May 16 from 10am - 7pm daily, at the ArtScience Museum, 6 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018974. Admission is free.

ALSO READ: 5 unique DIY kits: Make your own bath bombs, hot sauce, candles and more

5. Finding the fun in funeral

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"There's an over in lover, there's an end in friend, and THERE'S A FUN IN FUNERAL."

This was the quote on a meme that inspired artist Agan Harahap's exploration into the creation of one's own reality, irregardless of the social reality surrounding us.

This body of photographs was the artist's emotional response to the way the pandemic shook up and upended our lives, as well as the gradual adaptation to this "new normal," making this exhibition extremely thought-provoking and time-appropriate.

There's a Fun in Funeral is happening till May 30, 2021 at Mizuma Art Gallery, 22 Lock Road #01-34, Gillman Barracks, Singapore 108939, p. +65 6570 2505. Open Tuesday - Saturday from 11am - 7pm, and Sunday from 11am - 6pm. Closed on Monday. 

This article was first published in City Nomads.