ArtsEquator

Open Call: Objectifs Documentary Award 2024
2024-04-29 08:00 - 2024-05-27 23:30 (Asia/Shanghai) | Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film, 155 Middle Road, Singapore, 188977, Singapore
The Objectifs Documentary Award champions Objectifs’ mission to broaden perspectives through image making, by supporting original voices in visual storytelling in Singapore and the wider region. The Award enables photographers to work on new or existing projects, encouraging them to tell stories about their native communities. It welcomes different creative approaches to non-fiction storytelling, from conventional documentary photography to visual experiments. Projects may be presented in still images or use multimedia.
Successful recipients will be given professional and financial support to work on their projects over a 6 month-long period. The final works will exhibited at Objectifs in May 2025. Deadline for applications is Monday, 27 May 2024 (2359H SGT).
Find out more about our past year recipients, mentors and curators here.
Apply now
AWARDS
1) Open Category
The Open Category is awarded to 1 recipient from Southeast Asia. The recipient will work with curator Goh Sze Ying to curate and present a solo exhibition at Objectifs in May 2025, and SGD$8,000 to work on a new or existing body of work.
One finalist will receive a grant of SGD$1,000 to continue their practice.
2) Emerging Category
The Emerging Category will be awarded to 2 recipients from Southeast Asia. Each recipient receives a 6 month-long mentorship with Jessica Lim, Director of Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops, a presentation at Objectifs in May 2025, and SGD$3,000 to work on a new or existing body of work.
One finalist will receive a grant of SGD$500 to continue their practice.
Recipients will receive production and logistical support from Objectifs for the exhibition. Completed works will be promoted on Objectifs’ website and social media channels. If the recipient is not based in Singapore, they will receive financial support for budget flights and accommodation to attend the setting up of and opening of the exhibition and conduct an artist talk/presentation.

SELECTION PANEL
A panel of five jury members will review the application materials. Jury members are:

Jessica Lim, Director of Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops. Emerging Category Mentor for 2024
Goh Sze Ying, Curator at National Gallery Singapore. Open Category Curator for 2024
Ng Swan Ti, Managing Director of PannaFoto Institute and Exhibitions Director at Jakarta International Photo Institute. Emerging Category Mentor for 2023
Roger Nelson, curator, art historian, and Assistant Professor of Art History in the School of Humanities at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Open Category Curator for 2023
Chelsea Chua, Programme Director, Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film

SELECTION PROCESS
Selection will be based on the artistic and intellectual merit of each applicant’s project. We will also consider the feasibility of the applicant completing the project by January 2025. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by the jury about their project. Successful recipients will be contacted by Jun 2024.

Application Deadline: Mon, 27 May 2024 (2359H SGT)
Announcement of Grantees: Jun 2024
Completion of Awarded Projects: Jan 2025

APPLICATION CRITERIA
We are seeking work created in photographers’ current or native communities. We welcome different creative approaches to non-fiction storytelling, including social documentary, portraiture, conceptual and art photography. Your final work can be entirely in still photography or use multimedia.
The project may be new or existing (if existing, the photographer must communicate in his/her proposal what additional plans there are for the project), and must be completed by January 2025.
1) Open Category

Open to Southeast Asian photographers (including Singapore), irrespective of age. Southeast Asian photographers who are not currently living/working in Southeast Asia may also apply.
One recipient will be selected for this category.
Applicants should ideally present an ongoing project that is near completion.
Applicants should have more than 5 years of professional photography experience (including internships and freelance work)
Applicants must be able to communicate in English
Applicants must have full copyright ownership of the work produced
Applicants will need to submit in PDF format
a. 500-word (max.) proposal
b. If proposing a new project, please share sample images showing visual approach
c. If proposing to work on/present an ongoing project, please share images from the project (max. 20 images)
d. Portfolio (max. 20 images)
e. CV

2) Emerging Category

Open to Southeast Asian photographers (including Singapore), irrespective of age.
Two recipients will be selected for this category.
Applicants must have less than 5 years of professional photography experience (including internships and freelance work)
Both ongoing or new projects are welcome
Applicants must have full copyright ownership of the work produced
Applicants will need to submit in PDF format
a. 500-word (max.) proposal
b. If proposing a new project, please share sample images showing visual approach
c. If proposing to work on/present an ongoing project, please share images from the project (max. 20 images)
d. A portfolio that includes up to 2 bodies of work (max. 20 images)
e. Biography and CV

ENTRY FEE
None.
OTHER TERMS & CONDITIONS
Award Recipients’ Commitments

Recipients should be committed to their projects. Objectifs will provide any necessary advice and support throughout the award period.
a. Open Category: The recipient will work with an experienced curator to help edit his/her work and present it in an exhibition. There will be at least 4-5 touch-points through the project, but the recipient and mentor will determine the frequency and duration of discussions to bring the project to completion.
b. Emerging Category: Both recipients will work with an experienced mentor, who is able to provide guidance and advice on refining refine his/her work. There will be at least 4-5 touch-points through the project, but the recipients and mentor will determine the frequency and duration of discussions to bring the project to completion.
In addition to working on their projects, recipients are also required to:
a. Be present during the setting up of the exhibitions and attend the exhibition opening
b. Conduct at least one artist talk/presentation
c. Make themselves available for media interviews
Recipients agree that works for the proposed project will not be shown as part of a festival, exhibition or editorial without the written consent of Objectifs, prior to the exhibition at Objectifs in May 2025.
Recipients should ensure that they obtain any relevant and/or necessary approvals, permits and/or rights when working on their projects.
Recipients should provide regular updates as to the progress of their project to Objectifs and the programme mentor/curator.
Recipients will retain copyrights of all works developed for the project.
Recipients may apply for other grants/project funds from their own countries or in Singapore, concurrent with this award.
The grant quantum is fixed. Recipients will be responsible for all incidentals, travel meals, living expenses and hiring of any assistants or production crew (if/where relevant).
Recipients grant Objectifs the right to reproduce images from the project for non-commercial purposes relating to the promotion and marketing of the Award and Objectifs programmes.
Objectifs should be acknowledged as a Supporter, together with the showcase of the Recipient’s works resulting from this Award, in any print or online platforms.
In the event that the Recipient is unable to fulfil the commitments or does not complete the project without valid reasons, Objectifs reserves the right to recover partial or full costs as provided during the Award.

General

Applications must be submitted electronically by 27 May 2024. Incomplete or physical submissions will not be accepted. We will not accept any late applications after the deadline.
The selection panel’s decision is final. We regret that we are unable to provide feedback for applicants who are not selected for the Award.
By submitting an entry, an applicant warrants and represents that any intellectual property are original to him/her, and that he/she has the rights granted for the work, that here have been no prior transfer of the rights to the images and that the publication of the images will not infringe upon any other person’s copyright or other rights. The applicant agrees to indemnify and hold Objectifs and the Selection Panel harmless from any liability, loss cost and expense (including legal fees) arising from any breach of the foregoing warrants, due to or arising out of the applicant’s entry materials for this Award or the applicant’s conduct during and in connection with the creation of his/her work for the Award.

19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2025: Open Call for Curatorial Proposals
2024-04-30
The Philippine Arts in Venice has announced its open call for curatorial proposals for the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2025. All Filipino architects, curators, practicing artists from the different disciplines, urban planners, ecological activists, geographers, historians and critics of space, heritage workers, among others, are invited to submit to the discourse on architecture that the biennale champions. Proposals grounded in research and that engages in interdisciplinary collaboration are encouraged, as well as those contextualized in urgent global challenges, the task of sustainability, and the goal of resilient design, inclusivity, and social responsibility. The Philippine Pavilion will be housed in Arsenale, the major exhibition space in Venice, Italy.
Results will be announced on May 31 2024. For more information click here.

Singapore HeritageFest 2024
2024-05-01 - 2024-05-26 | Held across various locations
Singapore HeritageFest 2024
Various locations
1 to 26 May 2024

Discover the tales of our buildings and landmarks at the 21st edition of Singapore HeritageFest (SHF). This year’s festival celebrates our nation’s rich built heritage, as well as the 40th anniversary of Total Defence. Featuring tours, trails, exhibitions, and other exciting activities across the island, SHF 2024 promises an immersive and engaging exploration of Singapore’s architectural treasures. Don’t miss crowd favourites like the Homeground exhibition, Ride & Discover and the Hop-On and Hop-Off (HOHO) bus experience, which make our history and heritage rev up to life.
More information will be available on sgheritagefest.gov.sg.

*SCAPE Creative Arts Residencies Open Call
2024-05-01 08:00 - 2024-06-30 00:00 | *SCAPE, 2 Orchard Link #02-14, Singapore, Singapore, 237978, Singapore
Attention all creatives! Are you a choreographer, dancer, filmmaker, movement artist or visual artist?​
*SCAPE Creative Arts wants YOU! Join us in shaping the future of art as we collaborate, experiment, and nurture new and original works. Dive into a melting pot of groundbreaking ideas and collaborations that will catapult your artistic journey.​
Showcase your creativity and present your masterpieces in early 2025.​
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Seize this rare chance and apply now! Application period: May – June 2024. Learn more at scape.sg/open-call.

LEELA JHANSI
2024-05-03 20:00 - 2024-05-05 22:00 | Auditorium A, Komtar, Penang., Level 5, KOMTAR, Penang Road, George Town, Penang, 10050, Malaysia
Fa Abdul & Big Nose Productions brings you LEELA JHANSI, a gripping tale of a stolen childhood, where dreams clash with harsh realities in the heart of a remote village. Thirteen-year-old Leela, a spirited girl with aspirations as vast as the open skies above her, yearns for education and the promise of a better future. However, her innocent dreams are shattered when the wealthiest man in the village proposes marriage, not out of love, but as a transaction for his own gain.
LEELA JHANSI weaves a compelling narrative that challenges conventional notions of morality and tradition, urging audience to confront the uncomfortable truths that lie beneath the surface of seemingly innocent customs. Through Leela’s courageous journey, the story poses thought-provoking questions about the value of a child’s innocence, the importance of education, and the power dynamics that govern our society. It is a tale that resonates far beyond the confines of its setting, offering a poignant reflection on the universal struggle for dignity, freedom, and the pursuit of one’s dreams.
Set to grace the stage from May 3rd to 5th, 2024 at Auditorium A, Level 5, Komtar, Penang, LEELA JHANSI promises to captivate audiences with its poignant exploration of a stolen childhood and the ethical dilemma surrounding child marriage.

The Red Pencil (Singapore)’s Art Therapy Event - Minds Awaken: A Celebration of Mental Wellness!
2024-05-05 10:00 - 12:30 | Sembawang Country Club, 249 Sembawang Road, Singapore 758352, Singapore, Singapore
Come join us at The Red Pencil (Singapore)’s Art Therapy Event – Minds Awaken: A Celebration of Mental Wellness!
Experience the transformative power of art therapy alongside renowned personalities musician Nathan Hartono, actress Oon Shu An, and presenter Anita Kapoor on 5 May 2024 at Sembawang Country Club’s Banquet Hall. Participants will immerse themselves in an engaging discussion panel with the celebrities and an art therapy workshop, where they can pick up art therapy self-care tips and ideas on how to make life lighter and happier.
Discover the universal accessibility of art therapy as participants engage in a hands-on session, guided by credentialed therapists. Through art, we break barriers and emphasize that mental wellness is for everyone. Moreover, our esteemed celebrities will share their personal mental health journeys, offering valuable insights into improving overall well-being.
Join The Red Pencil (Singapore) for a day of creativity, connection, and celebration as we collectively uplift spirits and ignite hope!
Ticket prices for “Minds Awaken: A Celebration of Mental Wellness” are as follows:
Registration Fee:
Stage-Front Seats: $120 (Early Bird: $100)
Normal Seats: $80 (Early Bird: $60)
Student Price: $40 (Early Bird: $30)
Early Bird Registration ends 15 April 2024!
*Opt-In FREE Shuttle Bus Service from Yishun MRT to Sembawang Country Club.
More information available in online Registration Form here – https://bit.ly/MindsAwaken

Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey
2024-05-10 10:00 - 2024-09-22 19:00 | SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, 39 Keppel Rd, 01-02, Singapore 089065, Singapore, 089065, Singapore
Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey is the first major solo exhibition in Southeast Asia dedicated to the work of Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson. The survey exhibition presents a broad range of artworks that employ diverse media to touch on the major themes of his three-decade-long practice – embodiment, experience, perception, as well as the urgency of climate action and more-than-human perspectives.
In his art practice, Eliasson has been driven by the desire to make the ungraspable tangible. Artworks like Beauty (1993), Symbiotic seeing (2020), Ventilator (1997); and Adrift compass (2019) use ephemeral materials, such as light, wind, fog, and water, to conjure evanescent phenomena – shimmering rainbows, swirling mists, the split-second sculptural form of a spouting fountain – or make invisible elements of our surroundings like air or magnetic fields experienceable. Other works, like The cubic structural evolution project (2004), invite visitors to collaborate on creating shared experiences, building shared worlds.
Singapore Art Museum is the first stop for Your curious journey. The journeys that the artworks will take to each location over a period of three years is at the centre of one group of artworks on view in the exhibition: drawing devices installed in crates will create abstract drawings of the artworks’ long trip to their destination by truck, train, or boat. These visual traces will be on view at each leg of Your curious journey, bringing into the exhibition the global story behind the show’s development. Tickets are now on sale online at https://ticketmaster.sg/activity/detail/24sg_olafur.

Bawang Putih Bawang Merah
2024-05-10 20:00 - 21:30 | Singtel Waterfront Theatre at The Esplanade, 8 Raffles Ave., Singapore 039802, Singapore, Singapore, 039802, Singapore
Delve into the intricate layers of a Nusantara folktale in the reimagination of Bawang Putih Bawang Merah—a captivating exploration of courage, challenging societal norms, and the unexpected twists of fate.

This darkly humorous and witty production breathes new life into the well-known tale, focusing on the equally enchanting stepsisters, Bawang Putih and Bawang Merah. Amidst the shadows of loss and grief, these rival siblings embark on a journey of self-discovery and liberation, guided by magical mothers, rebellious royalty, and a fabulous fairy godmother.

Can Bawang Putih and Bawang Merah, armed with unshakeable determination and guided by unconventional allies, break free from the constraints of patriarchy and monarchy? This audacious adaptation challenges traditional narratives of happily ever afters, damsels in distress, and knights in shining armour; reminding us that we can be the heroes of our own stories.

Produced by one of Singapore’s theatrical powerhouses, Teater Ekamatra, Bawang Putih Bawang Merah assembles a stacked creative team, many of whom were behind the award-winning production Bangsawan Gemala Malam (2022): Ridhwan Saidi, a Malaysian writer and filmmaker making waves in the Singapore theatre scene; Mohd Fared Jainal, a theatre stalwart known for his sharp directorial vision and innovative set design; Safuan Johari, a multi-hyphenate musician and composer; and TUBE Gallery, costume designers of the acclaimed musical Fatih – The Prince & The Drum. The star-studded cast includes Nabila Huda, Aidli ‘Alin’ Mosbit, Fir Rahman, Munah Bagharib, Rizman Putra, Siti Hajar Abdul Gani, and Siti Khalijah Zainal.

Samsara – A Cine-Concert
2024-05-10 20:00 - 21:30 | Esplanade Concert Hall, Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Dr., Singapore, 038981, Singapore, Singapore, 038981, Singapore
What is one willing to give up to fulfil their insatiable desires?

Following the internationally acclaimed Setan Jawa—which premiered in 2017 to a sold-out crowd at Esplanade—respected Indonesian director Garin Nugroho returns for the world premiere of Samsara, a stunning cinematic experience that marries film with live music.

Samsara follows the story a man from an impoverished family who is rejected by the wealthy parents of the woman he loves. He strikes a bargain with the Monkey King, performing a dark ritual to gain wealth but in the process, curses his wife and child into suffering.  Rooted in Indonesian mysticism, this is a universal narrative about the insatiable hunger to be what one is not, and the boundaries one is prepared to breach to realise this.

Like its predecessor Setan Jawa, Samsara is a “cine-concert” that draws from German black-and-white films from the 1920s as well as wayang kulit (traditional Indonesian shadow puppetry). While the former featured an evocative silent film accompanied by live gamelan music and a Western classical orchestra, Samsara forgoes the orchestra for vibrant, live electronic music. The production marries this electronic soundscape with traditional Balinese performance elements like the gamelan orchestra, traditional dance, masks and wayang kulit. The film and live performance stars two Asia-Pacific luminaries of the stage and screen, Indonesian film actor Ario Bayu and Indonesian-Australian dancer Juliet Widyasari Burnett.

Under the bold visionary eye of Garin Nugroho and the exceptional work of a powerhouse creative team, Samsara promises to be a bold and memorable cinematic experience, seamlessly bringing together the art forms, nuances, and traditions of Indonesia’s past and present.

Production Credits
Lead Actors: Ario Bayu & Juliet Widyasari Burnett
Supporting Actors: Gus Bang Sada, Valentine Payen-Wicaksono, Siko Setyanto, I Wayan Wira Kusuma, Aryani Willems & Cok Sawitri

Director: Garin Nugroho
Music Composer: Wayan Sudirana & Gabber Modus Operandi
Musicians: Gabber Modus Operandi & Gamelan Yuganada

A commission by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Produced by Cineria Films, Garin Workshop & Lynx Films
With the support of Ministry of Culture, Research and Technology Republic of Indonesia and Yayasan Puri Kauhan Ubud

Producer: Gita Fara & Aldo Swastia
Executive Producer: Ario Bayu & Rob O’Hare
Supervising Producer: Jala Adolphus
Choreographer: Ida Ayu Wayan Arya Satyani
Cinematographer: Batara Goempar
Costume Designer: Retno Ratih Damayanti
Production Designer: Vida Sylvia
Stage Designer: Iskandar Loedin
Sound Recordist and Designer: Trisno
Editor: Beck
Co-producers: Rai Pendet, Batara Goempar
Line Producer: Ineke Bajalaras

Figuring a Scene | In Dialogue with Patrick Flores and Siddharta Perez
2024-05-11 11:00 - 12:00 | National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew's Rd, #01 – 01,, Singapore, 178957, Singapore
Sat 11 May | 11am | National Gallery Singapore, Supreme Court Wing, Level 5, Glass Room | Free, registration required: https://bit.ly/FiguringAScene
How do exhibitions shape how we make sense of history or society?
Curated by Dr. Patrick Flores, the exhibition “Figuring a Scene” proposes that exhibitions hold intrinsic significance beyond historical or societal contexts. Emotions, imagination, and sensory experiences take centre stage in our understanding of art, defining how we make sense of the world around us.

This conversation between Dr. Flores and Siddharta Perez will delve into debates around exhibition-making and the tension between “making” and “making sense.”
About the Speakers

Siddharta Perez is Curatorial Lead at the National University of Singapore Museum, where she also oversees its South and Southeast Asia collections and contemporary projects. Additionally, Perez helms the ‘prep-room’, a unique curatorial model that articulates the relationships among artefacts, artworks and archives, as well as the interactions between artists’ practices and pedagogical disciplines. Perez is from the Philippines, which is also where her work with university museums, galleries, artists and independent projects made an impact in the regional scene. She co-founded the exhibition, residency and news platform Planting Rice in 2011 and is currently part of the editorial collective Southeast of Now.

Patrick Flores is Deputy Director of Curatorial & Research at National Gallery Singapore. He was previously Professor of Art History and Criticism at the Department of Art Studies, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, which he chaired from 1997 to 2003. He was also concurrently the curator of the Jorge B. Vargas Museum. In 2015, he curated the Philippine Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale. In 2022, he was curator of the Taiwan Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.
About “Figuring a Scene”

“Figuring a Scene” moves away from how art history has defined the logic of exhibitions, arguing that exhibitions have intrinsic significance independent of supposedly external factors like history or society. It asserts that emotions, imagination, and sensory experiences play crucial roles in understanding art and inevitably defining how we make sense of history or society. The exhibition probes the process of creating forms and how sensitive materials like art gain significance within specific settings, resembling the unfolding of narrative or drama.

“Figuring a Scene” presents different instances where elements from nature become signs that help us perceive and grasp social forms. These instances come via the shadow, the fruit, the fire, the air, the wax, and the city.

Tung Yue Nang: Life
2024-05-11 12:00 - 2024-05-26 19:00 | artcommune gallery, 76 Bras Basah Rd, #01-01, Singapore 189558, Singapore, Singapore, 189558, Singapore
artcommune gallery is pleased to present Life by veteran artist Tung Yue Nang. Tung (b. 1959, Singapore) has secured a reputation, over the past decade, as an accomplished draughtsman and ink painter with a recognisable landscape style that is stupendously rich in detail yet delicately poetic in its espousal of Chinese ink-and-brush aesthetic. However, Photography, as much as painting, has been a constant in Tung’s life as an artist. In the period of 2000s, the passion he reserved for photography even took precedence over painting and he devoted well over a decade to mostly travelling and developing a body of photographic work.
Life is Tung Yue Nang’s first solo photography exhibition and focuses on an aspect of his work that is less well known and exposed to the public. This curated showcase of 60 photograph prints at artcommune gallery features locales and topics spanning 6 countries – China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore. While these works constitute but a fraction of Tung’s dedicated engagement with the medium, they bring to sharp focus some classically human themes that have always preoccupied him – beauty in the mundane, family bonds, the interior lives of ordinary people, old-world values in a changing society, childhood innocence, the resilience of life, and
the quest for spirituality.

Mahalaya
2024-05-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Alliance Française, 1 Sarkies Road Singapore 258130, Singapore
‘Maha Alayam’ means great temple. According to the philosophy Sanatana Dharma, the human body is considered a temple within which the ‘Jiva’ or soul resides. Within this body the five sheaths or Panchakosha is encapsulated. The Panchakosha is a philosophy in yoga that refers to the five layers of awareness through which all human experience is processed. This performance aims at exploring the corporeality of the Panchakoshas through the narrative of the ‘Kurukshetra war’, a segment from the epic Mahabharatha. Also known as the Bhagavad Gita we will focus on Arjun Viṣhād Yoga and Sānkhya Yoga. Upon further investigation, this ‘war’ is seen as a metaphor for man’s inner struggles to realise his/her nature. In having to find one’s true purpose, self awareness is a first step. The philosophy of the Panchakoshas is a linear knowledge system that supports the practice of self awareness. The five sheaths will unravel through the context of these two chapters led by the archetypes Arjuna and Sri Krishna. The movement and poetry re- territorialize a 6th century tamil poetic work ‘Thirumanthiram’ which expounds on the theory for the nurturing and preservation of the body. Keeping Bharathanatyam as the base, the choreography incorporates elements of physical theatre through the use of ‘Mei- Padam’, an ancient form of body conditioning practiced by Tamil Warriors.

Open Call: Fotomoto I/LAND
2024-05-12 - 2024-08-11
Fotomoto hans announced an Open Call for I/LAND, a project that seeks photographic responses to how life in an archipelago shape Filipino identities and communities. The call is open to photography enthusiasts, 18 years old and above. Photographs must have a “verifiable Philippine context”, and entries from both Filipinos and non-Filipinos are welcome. Only one entry may be submitted, with maximum five images per entry.
Entrants have to pay a P550 submission fee for file management, storage, and security. Deadline of submissions is August 11 2024, 11:59PM. For more details click here. — https://fotomoto.ph/pages/open-call

VOICE OF ART 3 - Spring Summer Autumn Winter
2024-05-14 10:00 - 2024-05-19 22:00 | ION Art Gallery, Level 4, ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn Singapore 238801, Singapore, 238801, Singapore
Step into the immersive realm of the Voice of 3 art exhibition, where each masterpiece meticulously embodies the essence of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, offering a captivating journey through dynamic landscapes. Paintings, sculptures, and floral installations intertwine seamlessly, sparking the imagination in a sensory-rich experience.
Every brushstroke and sculpted form serves as a window into the artist’s soul, weaving cultural heritage and personal narratives in a symphony of creativity. Radiant colors celebrate renewal, warm hues envelop in Summer’s bounty, while Autumn’s earthy tones evoke contemplation. Winter’s serene landscapes invite quiet reflection on solitude and stillness.
Beyond its aesthetic allure, the exhibition acts as a bridge connecting people worldwide. Visitors become active participants in a dialogue transcending borders, forging connections, deepening understanding, and fostering appreciation for shared humanity. In this ever-changing tapestry of seasons and creativity, the Voice of 3 stands as a testament to art’s transformative power to unite, inspire, and uplift.
Make sure you catch the special Art Demos at Voice of 3! Talented artists will be showing how they create their amazing artworks, sharing their skills and techniques. Plus, don’t forget to join us for the Artist Talk sessions where you can learn about their unique journeys in art. It’s a fantastic opportunity for all art lovers, and it’s going to be so much fun!​

Sisa Bilang Manlilikha: Final Run
2024-05-16 19:00 - 2024-05-17 19:00 | Everything’s Fine, 14 Tordesillas, Prince Tower, Makati, Philippines
An experimental performance built from the first The Sisa Prize, a writing prize for young Filipino women writers, Sisa Bilang Manlilikha (Sisa as Creator) is also the sixth variation on the character of Sisa, as reconfigured and reimagined by Carlo Paulo Pacolor from the archetypal character of the crazy woman in National Hero Jose Rizal’s novel Noli Me Tangere. The variations rethink, and re-engage in conversations about womanhood across Philippine history and local contexts, with this sixth variation drawing from the woman as creator in the present, and the push and pull between personal creative impulses and the roles she must fulfil, the performances she needs to put up, for the institutions and communities she is part of.
Sisa Bilang Manlilikha, sisa sa ika-anim (Sisa as Creator, Sisa at the sixth), is by Carlo Paulo Pacolor and Katrina Stuart Santiago, performed by Serena Magiliw.
This is the second and final ticketed run of the performance.

SIFA 2024: The Anatomy of Performance – They Declare
2024-05-17 - 2024-06-02
Returning from 17 May to 2 June 2024, the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) 2024 presents The Anatomy of Performance – They Declare, an expression of the multiplicity of voices that the Festival welcomes and celebrates. With Festival Director, Natalie Hennedige, setting the direction of the Festival for a third year, SIFA 2024 calls for audiences to embrace difference and make space for the coexistence of different beliefs and ways of being.

SIFA 2024 continues to foster creative intersections, progressive and original works that demonstrate how performance can be approached as a dynamic arena for artistic innovation and expression, as well as reflect shifting perspectives today. Festivalgoers can look forward to a diverse line-up ranging from dynamic transnational collaborations, exciting invited international presentations, an engaging event that celebrates Singapore’s vibrant theatre scene, as well as Little SIFA, an all-new programming pillar dedicated to families and children. Examples of these highlights include:

Moby Dick by Norwegian director, actress, puppet-maker, and artistic director of Plexus Polaire, Yngvild Aspeli, presents a 90-minute live adaptation of Herman Melville’s mythical work about an ancient white whale. Performed by a cast of seven actors, fifty puppets, and video projections, the work employs filmic techniques, captivating puppetry, and clever stagecraft to manipulate the audience’s perspective.
SUARA / Oro Rua by Singapore music artist Safuan Johari and Māori Choreographer Eddie Elliot features original compositions, choral singers, and New Zealand dance artists to imagine a post-Anthropocene future.
Singapore theatre-makers Haresh Sharma and Chong Tze Chien’s The Prose and the Passion is a play where fictional characters from English novelist E. M. Forster’s novels traverse space and time and interact with characters from Sharma’s imagination.
First showcased at the 2019 Venice Biennale, internationally-acclaimed award-winning experiential opera performance Sun & Sea by Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Vaiva Grainytė, Lina Lapelytė, will make its Singapore debut at SIFA 2024. An ecological work at its very core, the work takes the form of an imitation beach indoors where its lounging performers sing about mundane existence, worry, and boredom, darkly remarking on the Earth’s decline.
Transforming Stamford Arts Centre into a sandbox of works-in-process, Tomorrow and tomorrow is an extraordinary opportunity to witness the diverse practices of local theatre groups on a single platform, opening up vistas for future presentations while unearthing Singapore’s fertile ground for contemporary theatre-making.
As part of Little SIFA, The Dancer’s Fair beckons audiences of all ages to Cathay Green, where a larger-than-life ballerina and an old-style fair comprising seven fascinating machines await. Catch Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster, where Mo Willems’ books are brought to life with hundreds of illustrated paper puppets, book pages, two-dimensional props, furry monster puppets and songs.
SIFA’s online presence continues with the light gleams an instant, a 9-minute experimental short film helmed by film artist Natalie Soh in collaboration with Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music that responds to the museum’s collections of specimens, exploring the recursive and decaying nature of memory and meaning-making.

SIFA 2024 is commissioned by the National Arts Council and organised by the Arts House Limited.

Moby Dick
2024-05-17 - 2024-05-18 | Singtel Waterfront Theatre at The Esplanade, 8 Raffles Ave., Singapore 039802, Singapore, Singapore, 039802, Singapore
Moby Dick by Plexus Polaire (FR/NO) is a programme under Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) 2024.
It is the image of the ungraspable phantom of life; and this is the key to it all. ― Herman Melville, Moby Dick
An ancient white whale, a captain steering his ship into destruction and the inner storms of the human heart: Moby Dick is the tale of a whaling expedition, but also the story of an obsession or an investigation into the unexplained mysteries of life.
Drawing inspiration from her own family’s seafaring heritage, director Yngvild Aspeli and award-winning puppet theatre company Plexus Polaire craft a spectacular visual world on stage that brings Herman Melville’s classic tale to life. With a cast of seven actors, fifty intricately crafted puppets, live music and immersive video projections, this sensory feast of a production invites you to journey into the unfathomable depths of the ocean and Man’s perpetual battle with the forces of Nature.
Against a backdrop of maritime history, you’ll encounter the iconic white whale, Captain Ahab’s relentless pursuit, and the complex human emotions that drive Melville’s timeless epic. Miss at your own peril, this striking theatrical adaptation of Literature’s beast of a book.
17 May 2024, Fri
8PM
18 May 2024, Sat
3PM & 8PM

Singtel Waterfront Theatre at Esplanade

$98, $78*, $58*, $38
*Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors.

Tomorrow and tomorrow
2024-05-17 | Stamford Arts Centre, 0202, 155 Waterloo Street, Singapore, Singapore, 187962, Singapore
Tomorrow and tomorrow comprises of two weekends where our theatre groups come together in a showing of works-in-process, opening up vistas for future presentation and unearthing Singapore’s fertile ground for contemporary theatre making.​ Tomorrow and tomorrow sees Stamford Arts Centre and 42 Waterloo Street transformed into a sandbox of works-in-process.

the light gleams an instant
2024-05-17 00:00 - 2024-06-02 23:30 | Online
The experimental short film dwells at the intersection of art, music and nature, casting new light on artist-jeweller Shing of Argentum, Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.

URL to IRL: SIFA Digital
2024-05-17 00:00 - 2024-06-02 23:30 | Victoria Theatre, 9 Empress Pl, 179556, Singapore, 179556, Singapore
Beginning in 2022, the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) introduced a virtual venue and creation platform hosted on the official festival website. This platform showcases digital art, as well as creative responses to the SIFA performances, which expand, organise, and deepen the ideas and artistry radiating from each edition of the festival. This year, 𝘜𝘙𝘓 𝘵𝘰 𝘐𝘙𝘓 brings a selection of these online creations into the physical space of Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall Atrium. In this installation, digital explorations find new life in real life. You’re invited to wander through the creations, reminisce on past editions and reflect on the manifold conversations that art inspires.

FL(U)ORESCENCE
2024-05-17 00:00 - 2024-06-02 23:30 | Online, Singapore
Writer and editor Hong Xinyi joins us once again, as the curator of SIFA’s online platform for creative responses by art writers to the festival’s programmes. This year, the platform bears the name 𝘍𝘓(𝘜)𝘖𝘙𝘌𝘚𝘊𝘌𝘕𝘊𝘌; the creative responses are likened to flowers blossoming above the mycelial network of the festival.

The Grapevine Selection
2024-05-18 10:00 - 2024-05-30 17:00 | Art30 Gallery, 30 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi, Vietnam, 100000, Vietnam
EXHIBITION “THE GRAPEVINE SELECTION | LỰA CHỌN CỦA GRAPEVINE”
Opening: 17:00, Friday, 17 May 2024 Exhibition: 10:00 – 17:00, 18 – 30 May 2024 Venue: ART30 Gallery, no. 30 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi** The exhibition is free entry.

Following the success of previous seasons, the annual exhibition The Grapevine Selection – Lựa chọn của Grapevine 2024 will officially open on 17 May 2024, at Art30 Gallery, 30 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, featuring more than 20 pieces of varied forms of expression from 9 artists.
With strict criteria of the Art Advisory Board, the exhibition features the artists’ most recent works, each differentiated by its own artistic style. The exhibition focuses on artists and works with notable representative value, setting milestones for the future of long-term art archiving and collecting. Stretching from the series “Creation” by Nguyễn Đức Tín and subtle yet thoughtful works by Ngô Đình Bảo Châu (HCMC), self-portraits by Huy Phan (Da Lat), lacquer creations by Lê Thừa Tiến (Hue), to the latest “Vũng Hoa” by Nguyễn Duy Mạnh, contemporary narrative works by Nguyễn Thị Diệp and Thùy Anh Đặng, and the search for Phùng Nguyên’s ancient culture by Lâm Na (Hanoi), The Grapevine Selection offers a universal yet equally rich and multi-faceted view of Vietnamese contemporary art.

With the vision of The Grapevine Selection exhibition as a contribution to the foundation of the creative industry and art market in Vietnam, the choice of space enhances the experience of contemporary works while also partly facilitating a dialogue between history and modernity, tradition and innovation. The Grapevine Selection exhibition will take place from 17 to 30 May 2024, in the space of a more than 100-year-old French mansion nestled in the middle of Quang Trung street, Hanoi; and in June at the Institute of Smart City and Management, District 1, HCMC.

ART ADVISORY BOARD Ariel Phạm, art collector and head of an art organisation Đỗ Tường Linh, curator and art researcher Sophie Huang, researcher and international collector

LIST OF ARTISTS Huy Phan Lê Thừa Tiến Lâm Na
Mai Huyền Chi
Ngô Đình Bảo Châu Nguyễn Duy Mạnh Nguyễn Đức Tín Nguyễn Thị Diệp Thùy Anh Đặng

The Grapevine Selection exhibition is organised by Hanoi Grapevine and ddur.production, with valuable support and companionship from ART30 Gallery, Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM), Vietnam Art Collection, Phố Bên Đồi, Art Republik Vietnam, LUXUO, and be-wine.
ABOUT THE GRAPEVINE SELECTIONThe Grapevine Selection – Lựa chọn của Grapevine is an annual exhibition that aims to fulfill Hanoi Grapevine’s mission of promoting Vietnamese contemporary art at home and abroad. This exhibition is expected to bring artists closer to professionals and the art-loving community to support their future career growth. We want to be one of the pioneering creative spaces that focus on, monitor, and research the development of contemporary art in Vietnam.

The Yearning for Harmony
2024-05-18 12:00 - 2024-05-31 19:00 | Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film, 155 Middle Road, Singapore, 188977, Singapore
A solo exhibition by Ryhan M.Y.
18 to 31 May 2024
Objectifs Annexe

Opening: Sat 18 May 2024, 7pm – 9pm
Free admission
Exhibition programmes:
Artist Talk (RSVP here)
Fri 31 May 2024, 7:30pm – 8:45pm
Objectifs Workshop Space
How do you learn to call a place in which you have no direct connection to, home?
Since 2019 Ryhan has been residing in Japan working within the agriculture sector. From farming green tea to researching sea salt, practising photography has provided her with a way of reconciling the paradoxical feelings of discomfort and joy while exploring her new home. This creative outlet became especially poignant during a time when borders in Japan were closed and there were numerous insecurities about the future.
Each photograph chosen represents a specific moment of beauty and longing for Ryhan. When being in the present also alludes to a well grieved past, this yearning for harmony between nostalgia and the allure of new memories is the fabric of her unapologetically human behaviour.
Shot primarily on film, each photograph is accompanied by Ryhan’s honest thoughts on tackling the harsh realities that came with making her dreams a reality. Trying to bridge the disconnect between the person she was when she left Singapore, and who she is now.
Ryhan has since also collaborated with two other artists, DaybyDae and MZA, in an attempt to make the rootlessness, tangible. Through the medium of pottery and music, both collaborators were given the freedom to interpret the photographs in their own voice.

Ryhan M.Y.
Full-time farmer, part-time photographer; the quiet of the countryside is where Ryhan finds her loudest bursts of creativity. Day in, day out, the continuous routine of the fields have trained her attention for detail and tenacity to seek out the beauty in small daily rituals. Shooting on both digital and film, she hopes to capture these delicate intricacies for others to appreciate.
DaybyDae
A Singapore-based potter, Daesiree creates functional tableware using wheel throwing and hand building techniques. Her work explores the inherent elegance of form and function, where nature serves as a guiding muse. Her passion for pottery blossomed in 2019 and since then, she has been honing her skills in creating functional ceramics that bridges the gap between everyday objects and artistic expressions. Motherhood adds another dimension to her work, where she finds inspiration in the joy of everyday living. Whether crafting unique cups to elegant serving platters, she strives to infuse each piece with a sense of beauty and functionality.
MZA
A mixed Japanese-Singaporean DJ/producer, based in Singapore. MZA creates music inspired by jazz, hip hop and dance culture. Often using a mixture of drum machines, electronic synthesisers and traditional folk instruments from the East and Southeast Asian region.

Objectifs Documentary Award
2024-05-18 12:00 - 2024-06-16 16:00 | Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film, 155 Middle Road, Singapore, 188977, Singapore
From 18 May to 16 Jun 2024, Objectifs Centre presents 3 works by recipients of the Objectifs Documentary Award 2023.
An Elephant’s Eye
Featuring works by Choulay Mech (Cambodia)
Recipient of the Objectifs Documentary Award 2023, Open Category
Mentor and Curator: Roger Nelson
Chapel Gallery, Objectifs
Opening | 18 May 2024, 12pm – 7pm
Artist Talk with Choulay Mech and Roger Nelson | 18 May 2024, 2.30pm – 3.30pm (Register here)
In this exhibition, Choulay Mech invites us to consider an elephant’s place in the world, and to imagine the world as it is experienced by elephants. The artist proposes a multi-species view of the entangled intersections between nature and history, religion and violence, humans and other animals. Her intuitive and poetic approach layers photography, video, and found objects, and draws on long-term research.
Choulay pays particular attention to the impact on elephants of ongoing environmental destruction in Cambodia, the country’s recent history of war and widespread violence, and the spiritual beliefs combining Buddhism with animism which shape the attitudes of many Cambodians.
—
Sunshine
Featuring works by Lê Nguyên Phương (Vietnam)
Recipient of the Objectifs Documentary Award, Emerging Category
Mentored by Ng Swan Ti
Lower Gallery 2, Objectifs
Opening | 18 May 2024, 12pm – 9pm
Artist Talk with Lê Nguyên Phương and Dan Tran | 18 May 2024, 4pm – 5pm (Register here)
Sunshine, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne, is home to a Vietnamese-Australian community that started to grow in the 1970s, when a large number of refugees from the American War in Vietnam were settled in Australia. Today, the suburb contains multiple facsimiles of Vietnam in its community practices and environment – references to and longing for a home country that many first-generation immigrants continue to hold close to their hearts. In documenting the suburb, Phương Nguyên Lê addresses notions of diaspora, national identity and longing.
—
Mangaramoti Tano Ni Ompung (To Bless the Mother’s Land)
Featuring works by Kaleb Sitompul (Indonesia)
Recipient of the Objectifs Documentary Award 2023, Emerging Category
Mentored by Ng Swan Ti
Lower Gallery 1, Objectifs
Opening | 18 May 2024, 12pm – 7pm
Artist Talk with Kaleb Sitompul and Ng Swan Ti | 18 May 2024, 1pm – 2pm (Register here)
The Opung Raja Nasomalomarhohos Pasaribu (Natinggir Forest Indigenous Community) is a Batak tribe that has resided in the highlands of Toba in North Sumatra, Indonesia, for over 300 years. They are one of the area’s oldest indigenous residents. The tribe has a deep spiritual and emotional connection to the land from years of living in and managing the forest, with the frankincense tree occupying a special place in their folklore and beliefs. Aside for using the land for farming and gathering, they harvest the fragrant resin of frankincense trees, a practice that has been in place for generations.
The tribe’s ancestral lands have slowly been encroached upon by eucalyptus plantations established by a major company that pulps eucalyptus trees for industrial purposes. These plantations have turned a vibrant ecosystem into a monoculture; the frankincense trees that used to grow plentifully are disappearing and the land has been left bereft, threatening the tribe’s traditional livelihoods and practices.
About the Objectifs Documentary Award
The Objectifs Documentary Award champions Objectifs’ mission to broaden perspectives through image making, by supporting original voices in visual storytelling in Singapore and the wider region. The Award enables photographers to work on new or existing projects, encouraging them to tell stories about their native communities. It welcomes different creative approaches to non-fiction storytelling, from conventional documentary photography to visual experiments. Projects may be presented in still images or use multimedia.
Successful recipients will be given professional and financial support to work on their projects over a 6 month-long period. The final works are exhibited at Objectifs each year.
Open Call for Objectifs Documentary Award here.

Evidence of Things Not Seen: An investigation into Robert Zhao's artistic practice
2024-05-18 12:00 - 2024-06-30 18:00 | ShanghART Singaproe, Block 9 Lock Road #02-22, 108937, Singapore
Evidence of Things Not Seen, presented by ShanghART Singapore, is a showcase of art books, archival materials, and documentation of past projects outlining Robert Zhao Renhui’s artistic practice spanning nearly two decades. Coinciding with his representation of Singapore at the ongoing 60th Venice Biennale, this presentation offers an unprecedented overview of his career leading up to the solo presentation of Seeing Forest at the Singapore Pavilion in Venice.
The showcase delves into the artist’s diverse projects, transforming the gallery space into a physical repository of his career milestones, including the founding of the Institute of Critical Zoologists (ICZ) and his ventures into the secondary forests in Singapore. Evidence of Things Not Seen guides visitors through the highlights of Zhao’s practice, gathering past exhibitions, interviews, media features, publications, and research materials to offer a comprehensive review of his thematic explorations and conceptual development.
Bookmaking, an essential part of Zhao’s practice, signifies deep dives into different subjects and phases of his career. The exhibition presents numerous publications created by Zhao and various collaterals from past projects. Visitors will also have the opportunity to have a first look of the new catalogue produced for Seeing Forest.
In response to the strong interest in his practice garnered from his participation in the Venice Biennale, this exhibition strives to provide a comprehensive overview of his artistic journey, from his interest in photography as a tool for storytelling, to constructing narrative-rich universe through installations inspired by “cabinet of curiosities” and exploring secondary forests for unseen aspects of the human-nature relationship.

The Romeo
2024-05-18 20:00 - 21:15 | Victoria Theatre, 9 Empress Pl, 179556, Singapore, 179556, Singapore
Picture a dance. Let’s call it the “Romeo”, after Shakespeare’s young lover who, in ignited enthusiasm, believed he could conquer death. Picture this dance, which would be known all over the world, although no one would know when and where it was created. A large-scale piece for a dozen performers, Trajal Harrell forges a speculative style of dancing inspired by the primal impulse behind the desire to dance, and to transcend the here and now. It is a dance which lends its characteristics to a multitude of protagonists. As court dance, voguing pose, or pastoral dance, the Romeo has already lived a thousand lives. No matter where the Romeo might have originated: imagine this dance that people of all origins, genders, and generations, of all temperaments and moods, dance when they face their tragedies and only dance. Trajal Harrell will now bring it to Singapore. And maybe that’s where the story really begins.
Duration: 1h 15m, no intermission
Venue: Victoria Theatre
Tickets: $78, $58, $38

Una Isla
2024-05-18 20:00 - 2024-05-19 18:30 | SOTA Drama Theatre, 1 Zubir Said Dr, Singapore 227968, 227968, Singapore
Una Isla by Agrupación Señor Serrano (ES) is a programme under Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) 2024.
Dive into an existential dialogue between artificial intelligence and performance. Una Isla questions and blurs the lines between “us” and “others”, between human and machine, exploring themes of agency, identity, and coexistence in a digital world. Through a fusion of choreography, live video, AI-generated music, and holographic sculptures, Una Isla prompts contemplation on the complexities of our interactions with AI, and the ever-elusive quest for meaningful connections in an increasingly automated world.
Integrating physical and digital performance languages, the performers engage in dialogue with artificial intelligences, allowing them to generate text, images, and music. This collaboration is not concerned with showcasing AI’s potentialities, but rather harnessing them to reinforce the work’s concept and poetics. In a world where the boundaries between human and machine are ever-evolving, Una Isla invites us to explore the possibilities of imagining new ways of living together.

Adobe Premiere Pro CC Workshop
2024-05-20 09:00 - 2024-05-21 17:00 | Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film, 155 Middle Road, Singapore, 188977, Singapore
Turn raw footage into flawless productions with the industry-leading video editing software.
Duration
16h over 2 sessions
Proficiency Level
Beginner
Course Description
Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-standard software used by professional video editors.
In this three-day video editing workshop suitable for beginners, participants will learn how to combine and edit video, audio, effects, animation, titles and other elements to build a completed video project. They will be guided in how to get started with assembling their videos and will be taken step by step through the production process all the way to project completion.
At the end of this workshop, participants will feel comfortable working in the Premiere environment to assemble and edit video projects.
Please register via the form on our website.
Course fee
$680 (eligible for use of Skillsfuture credits)

ANGELA (a strange loop)
2024-05-23 20:00 - 21:30 | Victoria Theatre, 9 Empress Pl, 179556, Singapore, 179556, Singapore
ANGELA (a strange loop) by Susanne Kennedy & Markus Selg (DE) is a programme under Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) 2024.
ANGELA (a strange loop) is a close-up of a woman’s life as she struggles to make sense of her existence. Join her in a thought-provoking journey as she navigates everyday situations: illness and recovery, waking and sleeping, giving birth and being born, ageing and death. ANGELA is made up of millions of experiences, many of which come from other people’s stories. Ultimately, she might be nothing but a strange loop, an endless sequence. The virtual and the real become blurred, while ANGELA attempts to construct herself and hold it together by repeating her stories. But what happens if we zoom in on ANGELA, closer and closer, to understand that self? What is hidden there?
With innovative use of technology and a compelling narrative, ANGELA (a strange loop) takes us on a deep dive into the fundamental questions of existence, identity, consciousness and the nature of reality. It is a poetic, social analysis through the lens of the diseased rather than the healthy. How can a community deal with the individual’s experience of illness? How do we care for each other, when life comes to an end?

CALL FOR ARTISTS: ROME INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR – 10TH EDITION
2024-05-24 08:00 - 2024-06-06 17:00 | roma
ITSLIQUID Group is pleased to announce the open call for the 10th edition of ROME INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 2024, international exhibition of photography, painting, video art, installation/sculpture and performance art, which will take place in Rome, at ITSLIQUID Monti – Rome Art Space from May 24 to June 06, 2024.
ROME INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 2024 provides artists and exhibitors with the unique opportunity to present their works to an international audience of professionals as curators, gallerists, collectors, editors and publishers who seek to acquire, publish and encourage the best contemporary art talents
