Best things to do in Singapore this week: Jan 9 to 15
PHOTO: City Nomads
PUBLISHED ONJanuary 10, 2023 5:14 AM
This week, we see Singapore transform into a giant art playground as art takes over the entire island.
Engage with the various forms of artistic expressions, from electrifying outdoor installations, performances, to workshops and exhibitions.
Singapore Art Week 2023
Celebrate the vibrant visual art scene in Singapore with 130 art events happening over 10 days of engaging experiences at museums, galleries, art spaces, and public spaces across Singapore.
Look forward to a series of insightful discussions and tours that will take you from parks to community centres and even one of Singapore's oldest shopping centres.
Highlights include two anchor art fairs, S.E.A. Focus and ART SG (read our guide here); the homecoming presentation of Pulp III: A Short Biography of the Banished Book, and the Singapore Biennale.
Singapore Art Week 2023 runs Jan 6 to 15 at various locations around Singapore. Please see here for the programme lineup.
Light To Night Festival
National Gallery's Light to Night Festival returns with a diverse lineup of over 60 programmes and artworks by local and international artists.
Themed Here and Now, the festival encourages visitors to reflect, interact and celebrate the present. In addition to the well-loved light projections in Arts Skins on Monuments, two large-scale installations — Hearing Padang and Ephemeral at the Padang, transform the space into an interactive and engaging playground.
Festival-goers can immerse in live performances and workshops, along with the choice of food and beverages from over 50 stalls, at the Art X Social Festival Market.
Check their website for the exciting lineup of programmes filled with fun and games.
Light to Night Festival runs Jan 6 to 26 at the Civic District. Entrance to installations is free, some activities are ticketed or require pre-registration, please see here for programming details.
Worthington's Presents an Auction of "Fine Art"
To unravel the formalities of the elusive realm of art, Worthington's presents an Auction of "Fine Art" that spotlights the actual value of art in a parody of the exclusivity of auction houses.
In a bid to make arts inclusive and accessible, part of the proceeds from this casual "fine art" auction will go to the Anak Book Prize, which supports the passion of less privileged art students in developing their creative process.
The 36 lots of art pieces, curated from the Asian Creators index, will be displayed for public viewing and pre-bidding over three days.
On Jan 14, join drag queen auctioneer JoJo Sam Clair in the live auction as she shows you how art imitates life and play.
Worthington's Auction of Fine Art is located at 407 Havelock Road, Annex@Furama, #03-01, Singapore 169634. View art pieces Jan 11 to 13, 12pm to 8pm. Live Auction runs Jan 14, 3pm — 7pm. (Lots 1 to 18 starts at 3pm, Lots 19 to 36 starts at 5pm) RSVP here.
Gajah Gallery presents Neti Neti by Jane Lee
Curated by John Tung and hosted by Gajah Gallery, Singaporean modern artist Jane Lee showcases 14 brand-new pieces to the theme of Neti Neti.
Meaning "not this, not this" in Sanskrit, this 8,000-year-old expression shapes Jane's journey through self and artmaking. Her rich tactile sculptures transform classic art into thought-provoking and unique works.
She captures the essence of these paintings and continues to challenge boundaries by melding the two- and three-dimensional worlds.
Rigorous work has been put into these innovative mediums; see them in Monet paintings printed on crumpled steel or a porcelain jug and rattan chair that pops out from Cezanne and Van Gogh replicas.
Neti Neti by Jane Lee is located at Gajah Gallery Singapore, 39 Keppel Road, #03-04, Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Singapore 089065, phone: 6737 4202. Open 11am-7pm on weekdays, 12pm-6pm on weekends and public holidays. Entrance is free.
M1 Fringe Festival: Django in Pain
Presented as a digital "theatrical-cinema", this 60-minute table-top puppet show is loosely based on Romani-Belgian musician Django Reinhardt.
It follows the adventures and misfortunes of the main character Django and a stray dog as they navigate the intricacy of depression and suicidal ideation.
This digital show was created and staged in isolation during the early pandemic and seeks to present an unbiased take on themes of hopelessness, sorrow, loyalty, and love — universal concerns uncovered in the M1 Fringe Festival.
The creation of this piece itself is an exploration of creativity and collaboration and the therapeutic benefits of art during times of inner turmoil.
Django in Pain is part of the M1 Fringe Festival and can be accessed via video-on-demand from Jan 4 to 15. Tickets are S$15, available here.