STPI Guided Tours
2023-09-28 11:30 - 12:30 (Asia/Shanghai) | STPI Creative Workshop & Gallery, 41 Robertson Quay, Singapore, Singapore, 238236, Singapore
STPI is thrilled to present “21 Years: A Story in Multiple Parts”. Explore the exhibition and gain insights into the artworks through our guided tours, led by STPI staff and docents. Our guided tours also offer an exclusive look into our Creative Workshop and Papermill. Guided tours at STPI are free of charge.
Register your interest below. Drop-in guests are welcome.

STPI Guided Tours
2023-09-28 11:30 - 12:30 | STPI Creative Workshop & Gallery, 41 Robertson Quay, Singapore, Singapore, 238236, Singapore
STPI is thrilled to present “21 Years: A Story in Multiple Parts”. Explore the exhibition and gain insights into the artworks through our guided tours, led by STPI staff and docents. Our guided tours also offer an exclusive look into our Creative Workshop and Papermill. Guided tours at STPI are free of charge.
Register your interest. Drop-in guests are welcome.

ACM Adventures
2023-09-24 11:00 - 15:00 | Asian Civilisations Museum, 1 Empress Pl,, Singapore, 179555, Singapore
ACM Adventures: Dear Diary…
If you had a diary, what would you write about? Explore the practice of writing through a storytelling and drama performance. Then, design your own personal journal. And don’t forget to check out special calligraphic tools in the Islamic Art Gallery!

ACM Adventures: Shine Bright
Let’s get lit! Listen to a drama performance and enjoy a storytelling session in the galleries. Craft your own candle holder inspired by a candelabra from the Maritime Trade Gallery.

The Race Around The Moon
2023-09-23 14:00 - 18:00 | Gateway Theatre’s Sky Garden, 3615 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 159461, Gateway Theatre's Sky Garden, 3615 Jalan Bukit Merah,, Singapore, Singapore, Singapore 159461, Singapore
Join us on an unforgettable journey in the heavens, with beloved characters Chang’e, Jade Rabbit, and Wu Gang in an all-new Mid-Autumn tale! After years of living on the moon, the legendary trio are given a chance to return to earth—but there’s a catch! Only the victor of the amazing race around the moon will be granted this privilege. The three friends are bent on winning, and as they will soon find out, this race will test their wits, skills, and even the bonds of their precious friendship.
Will their friendship endure competition and disappointment, and will they discover the secret of true success?

The Finger Players x Joe Louis Theatre Company: WIP Presentation
2023-09-21 20:00 - 21:30 | 42WS Black Box, 42 Waterloo Street S187951, 42WS Black Box, 42 Waterloo Street S187951, Singapore, Singapore, S187951, Singapore
A myth. An insatiable desire for blood. A beautiful-looking woman with supernatural abilities to detach her head. The Finger Players and Joe Louis Theatre Company present a WIP puppetry presentation that depicts different interpretations of the infamous folklores Krasue and Penanggalan. This horrifying yet beautiful two-part showcase combines contemporary and traditional elements of puppetry. It is part of Phase 1 of a three-year collaboration, between the two companies, which will culminate to a finale production happening in 2025.
At the end of the presentation, there will be a post-presentation discussion by our Artistic Director, Oliver Chong.
Ticket holders are highly encouraged to support the presentation by donating at the door. Thank you for your generous support.

Fundraising for Impact: What's the Plan (Workshop)
2023-09-21 09:00 - 2023-09-22 17:00 | Lasalle College of the Arts, 1 McNally Street Singapore 187940, Singapore, Singapore, 187940, Singapore
Date/Time: 21 & 22 Sep / 9:00am – 5:00pm and 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Application deadline: 4 Sep 2023
Fundraising in the arts is an emerging field that requires specialised knowledge and skill sets. This course will enable you to expand funding options and consider fundraising as an alternative source of revenue for your arts organisation. To help develop your competencies and build a strong foundation in this discipline, LASALLE College of the Arts is partnering with the National Arts Council (NAC) to run a course on the essentials of fundraising.

The workshop comprises of a one-and-a-half-day workshop and one-hour clinic which is to be completed two weeks after the workshop. Attendees will work on their assignment individually in the first half of the second day.
After a successful twelfth run since its inception in 2015, the workshop is back with a refreshed curriculum developed by Professor Bill Byrnes who has over 40 years of arts management and fundraising experience. Current topics include fundraising in the COVID-19 era and organisational self-assessment methods to review website and social media presence conducted by Usha Menon, a sought after trainer and practitioner in fundraising, with over 33 years of experience.
All participants will leave the course with a fundraising strategy for their organisation or for a specific campaign.

Siao Char Bors Comedy presents Nat Kang
2023-09-16 20:00 - 22:30 | The Projector Golden Mile, 6001 Beach Rd, #05-00 GOLDEN MILE TOWER, Singapore, 199589, Singapore
SIAO CHAR BORS COMEDY, your favourite women & queer-friendly comedy open mic night is back on stage with a vengeance! Featuring an exciting range of fresh open micers, drag queens ACYD RAYNE and DIQ ENVY and visiting Malaysian headliner NAT KANG!
A percentage of proceeds from ticket sales will be going to Malaysia’s Community Health Care Clinic, a community-based clinic working with affected populations on HIV and AIDS, gender identity and sexual health. Find out more here.
NAT KANG
NAT KANG is one of Southeast Asia’s only comedians specialising in musical and also dark comedy. With a sense of humour often described as mixing the musical, the morbid, and moronic, he was one of Malaysia’s most booked live comedy show hosts during the pandemic.
Since 2016, he has worked with nearly all of Malaysia’s major comedy headliners (Douglas Lim, Joanne Kam, Harith Iskander, Rizal van Geyzel, etc), and also various international stars such as Stephen K. Amos (UK), Papa CJ (IND), Liz Miele (USA), Nigel Ng aka Uncle Roger (UK/MAL), and even Tinky Winky the Teletubby.
Having performed across Southeast Asia and recently debuted his first solo show in 2023, he is now bringing his second solo show on tour, and is proud to be returning to headline Siao Char Bors Comedy for the first time since 2019.

The Finger Players x Joe Louis Theatre Company Puppetry Season 2023: Masterclass
2023-09-16 14:00 - 23:00 | Cairnhill Arts Centre, Cairnhill Arts Centre (Teater Kami Black Box), 126 Cairnhill Rd, #02-04/05, 229707, Singapore
OPEN CALL to the puppetry enthusiasts in Singapore! 🎭 🙌 The Finger Players x Joe Louis Theatre Company Puppetry Season 2023 will be launching an exclusive 2-day Puppetry Masterclass.
This will be jointly led by The Finger Players and Joe Louis Theatre Company. Artistic Director Oliver Chong will impart The Finger Players’ distinctive techniques of manipulating contemporary rod puppetry, while Joe Louis Theatre Company will focus on teaching the fundamentals of traditional Thai puppetry and the traditional Thai dance form, Khon–Thai Mask Dance.
The Finger Players is one of Singapore’s leading theatre companies, best known for inventively fusing puppetry elements into its visually-arresting productions, and its strong advocacy of puppetry.
Joe Louis Theatre Company, also known as the Traditional Thai Puppet Theatre, is a puppetry troupe in Thailand that serves to preserve and propagate the art form of the Thai Classical Small Puppet theatre (Hun Lakhorn Lek) within and beyond Thailand.

Register Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchmAoBs-h0I-62LLV5kskH-3Ty-iWfDPW5ZnBVSFX9H2xjSQ/viewform
Limited slots are available, sign up today! 🤩👇

I See You | Artists & Curators in Conversation
2023-09-16 14:00 - 15:30 | Online
I See You | Artists & Curators in Conversation
Sat 16 Sep | 2pm (GMT+8) | Online on Gallery’s Facebook & YouTube channel

Watch on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/688035826568312
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NationalGallerySingapore

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The exhibition “See Me, See You: Early Video Installation in Southeast Asia” explores the emergence of video installation art in the region during the 1980s and 1990s through the restaging and reproduction of important works by ten artists, including Dr Baharudin Mohd Arus and Jean Marie Syjuco.

In this online conversation between the two artists as well as curators Clarissa Chikiamco and Cheng Jia Yun, they will discuss the significance of their artistic innovations in the age of emerging technologies and the dynamic process of collaboration between the artists and curators as they worked closely to recreate their respective artworks.

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About the Speakers

BAHARUDIN MOHD ARUS is one of Malaysia’s pioneering media artists. Interested in motors from a young age, Baharudin has been making robotic sculptures and kinetic artworks since 1989. He participated in the Balai Seni Visual Negara’s Young Contemporary Art Exhibition in 1969, 1971, 1975 and 1981. Baharudin is a professor at Universiti Malaysia Sabah and has also written several papers on fine art, art education, the indigenous art of Malaysia, the art of Brunei and Islamic art history. He received his BFA and PhD from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Malaysia and his MA from the University of Tulsa, USA. He is currently a lecturer in the Art and Design faculty at City University Malaysia.

JEAN MARIE SYJUCO is a visual artist whose practice spans painting, performance, sculpture, installation and video. She is well known for performance art and the collaborative nature of her works. She won the gold medal for Sculpture in the 1980 Art Association of the Philippines Annual Art Competition for her minimal nylon string installation titled “Traps: A Spatial Approach to Mass and Insinuation”. She is also a recipient of the 1990 Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Thirteen Artists Award. She is the co-founder and chief curator of ART LAB: Atelier Cesare and Jean Marie Syjuco, a developmental art facility in Manila focused on multi-media art experimentation.

CLARISSA CHIKIAMCO is a curator at National Gallery Singapore, researching on Philippine art, artists’ moving image practice and post-war art of Southeast Asia. Exhibitions at the Gallery she has worked on include “A Fact Has No Appearance: Art Beyond the Object”, “Chua Mia Tee: Directing the Real” and “Nam June Paik: The Future is Now”. She is a PhD candidate in Film Studies at King’s College London.

CHENG JIA YUN is a curator at National Gallery Singapore, where she researches post-war art of Southeast Asia. Her projects include “Awakenings: Art in Society in Asia 1960s–1990s”, “Suddenly Turning Visible: Art and Architecture in Southeast Asia 1969–1989” and “Chng Seok Tin: Drawn Through a Press”.

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Artwork Credit: Jean Marie Syjuco. “See Me, See You (Revenge of the Giraffe)”. 1986. Installation view of the Pinaglabanan Galleries, 1986. Image courtesy of Pinaglabanan Galleries Ⓒ Jean Marie Syjuco

Cheong Soo Pieng: A Retrospective
2023-09-16 12:00 - 2023-10-01 19:00 | ArtSpace @ HeluTrans, 39 Keppel Road, Singapore, 089065
Following the success of Tonalities: The Ink Works of Cheong Soo Pieng, the first-ever retrospective survey of the artist’s entire body of ink work, artcommune gallery has joined hands with local collectors to curate a retrospective that showcases Cheong Soo Pieng’s comprehensive body of art. Visitors can look forward to works that span Cheong’s early career in the 1940s to his final works in the 1980s.

Traverse through time to witness the Singapore pioneer art master’s artistic journey across nine distinctive themes – from the Nanyang art movement of the 1950s, to his European journey in the 1960s, mixed media works and the Nanyang Decorative style, among others. Discover ways of interpreting the master’s artistic oeuvre and embark on the journey to understand Soo Pieng’s status as one of Singapore’s most prolific visual artists.
Art collectors and enthusiasts can also get a hold of artcommune’s new bilingual (English and Chinese) publication, to learn more about the artist’s comprehensive body of art. For more information on the exhibition, visit artcommune’s website or follow artcommune’s Instagram and Facebook.

liTHE 2023 by T.H.E Second Company
2023-09-15 20:00 - 2023-09-17 16:30 | Gallery Theatre, National Museum of Singapore
Emerging choreographers from T.H.E’s main and second companies contemplate facets of greed, illusion and grief in a boldly tender triple bill.
Building upon last year’s choreographic curiosities, liTHE 2023 goes closer and deeper. Fiona Thng’s tauted takes a hard look at the enmeshed issues of overpopulation and privilege; The world, pink at its edges by Kwek Yixuan surfaces an underlying unrest amidst a rose-tinted world; Jackie Ong and Lynette Lim shed light on the aggrieved to find hope within in I’m not leaving. Tender, brave, pertinent: join these emerging choreographers as their explorations continue unfolding on stage.
liTHE 2023 is presented as part of T.H.E Dance Company’s programme lineup for its 15th anniversary.

Tracing Steps, Learning Journey
2023-09-15 12:00 - 2023-10-07 19:00 | Lasalle College of the Arts, 1 McNally Street Singapore 187940, Singapore, Singapore, 187940, Singapore
Date: Fri 15 Sep to Sat 7 Oct
Time: 12:00pm – 7:00pm (Monday – Saturday, closed on Sunday, public holidays and College closures)
Venue: Earl Lu Gallery, Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, LASALLE College of the Arts
Admission: Free

The Tracing Steps, Learning Journey exhibition pays tribute to LASALLE founder Brother Joseph McNally’s journey from Ireland to Singapore. It features a series of drawings responding to a trip to Brother McNally’s birthplace of Ballintubber in County Mayo, Ireland, in June and July 2023.

The works by artist-designers Edmund Chia and Vicente Delgado, lecturers from LASALLE’s Faculty of Design, are developed from sources that include ephemera collected from local charity shops and the natural elements of the land. Physical and digital drawings re-interpret what they have gathered from their visit to showcase a range of approaches, materials and techniques. This encapsulates the ethos of placing drawing as a ‘medium’ as an engine of design pedagogy at LASALLE – reflective of Brother McNally’s spirit of exploration and experimentation.

Women in Film and Photography 2023: Bodies
2023-09-14 19:30 - 2023-11-05 19:30 | Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film, 155 Middle Road, Singapore, 188977, Singapore
Presented by Objectifs
Chapel Gallery, Objectifs
14 Sep to 5 Nov 2023

The seventh edition of Objectifs’ Women in Film and Photography explores the theme, Bodies, through the works of artists from Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia.
Seeking to preserve and illuminate, these layered narratives reveal intimate and powerful moments of loss, community, resilience, imagination, and empowerment. In doing so, the artists in this edition have adopted different approaches which incorporate documentary, autobiography, archives, constructed tableaux, as well as dance and movement.
By navigating geographies of the body, ambiguities of tradition, and contestations of territories and histories, Bodies foregrounds both personal identity and collective existence, inviting us to relook at the world we inhabit.
WOMEN IN FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY 2023 PROGRAMME
FILM SCREENINGS | 14 to 16 Sep 2023
:: Screening 1: Bodies in Motion: Thu 14 Sep 2023, 7.30pm to 9pm
:: Screening 2: Dreaming Bodies (Open Call Screening): Fri 15 Sep 2023, 7.30pm to 9pm
:: Screening 3: Antiphony: Sat 16 Sep 2023, 2.30pm to 5pm
EXHIBITION | 22 Sep to 5 Nov 2023
:: Opening: Fri 22 Sep, 6.30pm – 9pm
:: Free Admission
:: Artists Guided Tour, registration required: Sat 23 Sep, 1pm – 2.30pm (RSVP here)
:: Curator and Artists Guided Tour, registration required: Sat 14 Oct, 2pm – 3.30pm (RSVP here)

dink: House of Mirrors
2023-09-13 20:00 - 22:30 | UltraSuperNew Gallery, 168 Tyrwhitt Road, SIngapore, Singapore, 207572, Singapore
Join our HOUSE OF MIRRORS this September, where we’ll reflect as we enter the third quarter of the year. Can you look inward? Are you overwhelmed by all the distortions? Does the person in the mirror look alright to you? 🪞👄🪞
Whether you’re ready for these questions or not, come down and hang with us. Maybe everyone else’s answers and art will help you make sense of the year thus far! Maybe not. Mirror mirror, on the wall, who’s the clearest headed of them all?
Snag your open mic slot now and let loose your introspections and reflections! All mediums, genres and artists are welcome.

i Light Singapore 2024 Open Call
2023-09-11 08:00 - 2023-09-17 23:59
(this call is open to applicants in Southeast Asia)

Asia’s leading sustainable light festival will return for its 10th edition to showcase new and exciting light art installations at Marina Bay.
For this edition, we invite artists to explore various forms of Sustainability and Sustainable Living – of environment, economy and culture – and examine how light art can create conversations about our lifestyles, decision making and the community.
The curatorial theme of i Light Singapore 2024, Cyclical Nature, calls for innovative light art installations that draw inspiration from the colour green – associated with nature as well as sustainable concepts such as the circular economy and upcycling.
Cyclical Nature reimagines the endless potential of everyday objects that are disposed of and their impact on nature through redesign, restoration, and repurposing.
For further information, download the Open Call document here.
Fill in the Open Call application form here and submit by 17 September 2023, 2359hr GMT+8.
Selected proposals will be realised and presented at i Light Singapore 2024.
Financial feasibility in consideration of the maximum budget of $18,000 (Singapore Dollars). Do note that the provided budget should include artist fees and production.

Pán: Why are we here?
2023-09-09 20:00 - 21:30 | Gallery Theatre, National Museum of Singapore
From the original work of Pán《盤》(Best Performance, Asian Arts Award, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021) comes Pán: Why are we here? — a re-edit of 2021’s livestream premiere with new footage shot in everyday social spaces to bring the explorations of transculturation closer to home. What do we have on our plates, and how do they coexist?
Infused with Founding Artistic Director and Main Choreographer Kuik Swee Boon’s HollowBody™ methodology and Resident Choreographer Kim Jae Duk’s unrelenting dynamism, Pán: Why are we here? is a filmic portrayal by dance-filmmaker Maurice Lai of culture, community, and an emergent reality.
Pán: Why are we here? is presented as part of T.H.E Dance Company’s programme lineup for its 15th anniversary.

This programme is approximately 90 minutes long and includes a dialogue with the artists after the screening.

Unspoken Life Photography Exhibition 2023
2023-09-09 11:00 - 2023-09-10 18:00 | 78 Guan Chuan Street, #01-35 Tiong Bahru, Singapore 160078, 78 Guan Chuan Street, #01-35 Tiong Bahru, Singapore, Singapore, 160078, Singapore
Unspoken Life seeks to delve beneath the labels and unfurl the many selves of migrant domestic workers often unseen by Singapore society. This competition and exhibition will applaud and showcase the strength, diversity and creativity of migrant domestic workers who are here seeking a brighter future for themselves and their families.

Natee Utarit – HISTORIA
2023-09-09 - 2023-09-30 | Richard Koh Fine Art, Blk 47 Malan Road #01-26 Gillman Barracks Singapore 109444, Singapore, 109444, Singapore
Richard Koh Fine Art proudly presents “Historia,” a solo exhibition by the renowned Thai artist Natee Utarit. Originating from the ancient Greek term “Historia,” which embodies the quest for knowledge and the exploration of the past, this extraordinary exhibition will unfold from 9th to 30th September 2023, at our Singapore gallery located at 47 Malan Road, 01-26 Gillman Barracks, Singapore.
“Historia” marks the culmination of Utarit’s remarkable artistic journey within the Hierarchy of Painting series. His unique approach presents a synthesis of the pursuit of knowledge and an exploration of the past, revealing the intricate layers of artistic tradition and personal identity. Through 24 meticulously crafted paintings, Utarit invites you to peer through windows to the past, bridging the gap between historical influences and contemporary creativity.
Join us in exploring art, history, and self-discovery as “Historia” weaves a tapestry of narratives through paint and canvas. Each artwork stands as a testament to Utarit’s enduring commitment to his craft and the profound influence of art on his life.

Pachara Piyasongsoot — Your Green is Mine
2023-09-09 - 2023-09-30 | Richard Koh Fine Art, Blk 47 Malan Road #01-26 Gillman Barracks Singapore 109444, Singapore, 109444, Singapore
Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA) is delighted to present “Your Green is Mine,” a solo exhibition featuring the works of prominent Thai artist Pachara Piyasongsoot. The exhibition will take place from 9th to 30th September 2023 at RKFA’s Singapore gallery, located at Blk 47 Malan Road, #01-26 Gillman Barracks, Singapore 109444.
Piyasongsoot’s “Your Green is Mine” offers a thought-provoking exploration of power, nationalism, and identity through the lens of nature. Drawing inspiration from the Rajabhakti Park in Thailand, where the statues of seven notable Thai kings are enshrined, Piyasongsoot reimagines the significance of trees and green spaces as symbols of strength and nobility.
Piyasongsoot’s artistic vision intertwines with socio-political commentary, inviting viewers to question established power structures and the implications of nationalism. By dismantling the boundaries of traditional landscapes, he opens up possibilities for reimagining personal and collective identities.
“Your Green is Mine” promises to captivate art enthusiasts and challenge conventional perspectives on power dynamics, nationalism, and individual agency. Richard Koh Fine Art invites the public to experience this significant exhibition, which showcases Piyasongsoot’s evocative works that transcend boundaries and ignite contemplation.

Objectifs Artist Residency 2023 Studio Events
2023-09-08 19:30 - 2023-09-09 16:30 | Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film, 155 Middle Road, Singapore, 188977, Singapore
Next weekend, come by Objectifs to explore our residency open studio and participate in a Pirate Readers Workshop!
Meet our current Artists-in-Residence, Hu Qiren and Euginia Tan, alongside Vanessa Ban, as they open their residency studio to the public from 8 to 9 September 2023. At Qiren and Euginia’s studio, you’re invited to pen letters in response to their project, ‘Mulling Manhattan’ – a text-based visual project that documents Manhattan House, nestled in the heart of Chin Swee Road, Chinatown, Singapore. At the Pirate Readers workshop guided by Vanessa Ban on 9 September, roll up your sleeves and delve into the art of crafting your very own pirate reader using self-publishing tools and a variety of materials.
Learn more about our current Artists-in-Residence now at https://www.objectifs.com.sg/artist-residency-recipients-2023/
Events
Fri 8 Sep, 7.30pm – 8.30pm
Public Studio Visit with Euginia Tan and Hu Qiren (Free admission, available for walk-ins)
Sat 9 Sep 2pm – 3.30pm
Pirate Readers Workshop with Vanessa Ban ($10 per pax, please register here).
Sat 9 Sep 3.30pm – 4.30pm
Open Studio Sessions with Vanessa Ban, Hu Qiren, Euginia Tan (Free admission, available for walk-ins)

Crossing Cultures: Sounds of Asia
2023-09-08 16:00 - 21:00 | Asian Civilisations Museum, 1 Empress Pl,, Singapore, 179555, Singapore
Discover Asian music through specially curated performances that are both traditional and contemporary, as we enjoy a weekend of non-stop rhythmic excitement. Find your groove through workshops, tours, activities, and unique experiences in this edition of Crossing Cultures.

Tampines Boy
2023-09-08 10:00 - 2023-09-17 19:00 | Our Tampines Hub, 1 Tampines Walk, Singapore, Singapore, 528523, Singapore
Shai and his family have lived in their Tampines Central home for the last 35 years. With ageing parents, marriage not quite on the books yet, and property valuation in the estate at an all-time high, the question increasingly on everyone’s mind is, “to sell or not to sell?” While they joke about wanting to sell the house (sometimes not really), deep down they’re reluctant to move. But in a city of constant progress, will pragmatism trump sentimentality? Afterall, it’s just a house…right?
Created by Shaifulbahri Mohamad, Tampines Boy is a part-theatrical, part-tour promenade experience taking place in the Tampines Central estate. Journeying through the different places and spaces he has grown up in, he contemplates the impermanence and temporal nature of the state of things in a place like Singapore.
🚶 Length of walk: ~5km
⏳ Duration: 2.5 hours
📍 Venue: Our Tampines Hub, 1 Tampines Walk, Singapore 528523
👤 Age requirement: Recommended for audience above 13 years old and above
♿ Accessibility: Please write in to us at hello@bahriandco.com if you have accessibility queries or needs

Freedom Film Network’s Film & Society Conference
2023-09-07 13:00 - 2023-09-08 20:00 | Conexxion Conference & Event Centre at Nexus, Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Freedom Film Network’s inaugural Film & Society conference will take place on 7 – 8 September around the theme, “Content Creation, Choice and Control in the Digital Age”.
Academics, film practitioners, artists and policy makers from around Southeast Asia and beyond will convene to share their expertise and experience on film classification, the protection of children in digital media and auteurship on difficult topics in film. Together, we want to reimagine film regulation in the digital age. How do we navigate and balance the protection of children with the freedom of choice for adults when it comes to content? And how do we ensure the creativity of filmmakers remains protected? Are OTT platforms the answer? Join us as we discuss these issues and more. There will also be screenings of the films Malaysian short films (Osom, Bagan, Story 2, 46th Moon, Rama-Rama & Still in Motion) and Maryam Pagi ke Malam.
Day 1: September 7th 2023
Panel #1: REGULATING AND MANAGING CONTENT IN THE DIGITAL AGE: REALITIES AND THE WAY FORWARD
Panel #2: “SENSITIVE STORIES”: WHY TELL THEM?
Panel #3: REIMAGINING CONTENT GUIDELINES FOR A GLOBAL INDUSTRY
Day 2: September 8th 2023
Panel #4: HOW DO WE EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE CRITICAL CONSUMERS AND CREATORS WITH FILM AND DIGITAL CONTENT?
Panel #5: DANCING WITH CENSORSHIP: ARTISTS PUSHBACK
Panel #6: THE ROLE OF ALTERNATIVE CINEMA IN SOCIETY
Presentation #1: SOUTHEAST ASIA CENSORED: DOCUMENTING ATTACKS ON FREE EXPRESSION IN THE ARTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA (ARTSEQUATOR)
Kathy Rowland presents ArtsEquator’s inaugural research project to document arts censorship in Southeast Asia.
Presentation #2: REGIONAL PRESENTATION: FACING THE CENSOR: BAN, CANCEL, JAIL OR TEA (ARTSEQUATOR)
A presentation of reports and analysis of arts and culture censorship in Southeast Asia from 2010 – 2022 by ArtsEquator’s fellows.
More information at https://freedomfilm.my/conference/
Tickets and registration: https://freedomfilm.my/conference/#bookpass

i Light Singapore 2024 Open Call
2023-09-05 08:00 - 2023-09-17 23:59 | Online
i Light Singapore 2024 Open Call
Asia’s leading sustainable light festival will return for its 10th edition to showcase new and exciting light art installations at Marina Bay.
For this edition, we invite artists to explore various forms of Sustainability and Sustainable Living – of environment, economy and culture – and examine how light art can create conversations about our lifestyles, decision making and the community.
The curatorial theme of i Light Singapore 2024, Cyclical Nature, calls for innovative light art installations that draw inspiration from the colour green – associated with nature as well as sustainable concepts such as the circular economy and upcycling.
Cyclical Nature reimagines the endless potential of everyday objects that are disposed of and their impact on nature through redesign, restoration, and repurposing.
For further information, download the Open Call document here.
Fill in the Open Call application form here and submit by 17 September 2023, 2359hr GMT+8.

i Light Singapore 2024 Student Call
2023-09-05 08:00 - 2023-09-17 23:59 | Online
i Light Singapore 2024 Student Call
An open call for students from local tertiary institutions, the i Light Singapore Student Call enables creative youths to realise their potential through light art installations.
For this edition, the curatorial theme of i Light Singapore 2024, Cyclical Nature, calls for innovative light art installations that draw inspiration from the colour green – associated with nature as well as sustainable concepts such as the circular economy and upcycling.
Cyclical Nature reimagines the endless potential of everyday objects that are disposed of and their impact on nature through redesign, restoration, and repurposing.
Be one of the light art installations to transform Marina Bay into magical landscape of light and colour at i Light Singapore 2024!
For further information, download the Student Call document here.
Fill in the Student Call application form here and submit by 17 September 2023, 2359hr GMT+8.

Mari Kita Main Wayang
2023-09-04 08:00 - 17:00 | Singtel Waterfront Theatre at The Esplanade, 8 Raffles Ave., Singapore 039802, Singapore, Singapore, 039802, Singapore
Hijinks and humour abound in Mari Kita Main Wayang (Let’s Stage A Play)!
This play-within-a-play follows a group of Peranakans who come together to stage Empat Bini, an ambitious script that is set within the illustrious walls of a royal court. However, all is not as it seems—as the play unfolds, a gripping narrative of power gone awry among the players comes to light.
Presented in Baba Melayu and peppered with familiar expressions, Mari Kita Main Wayang is a love letter to the rich Peranakan cultural heritage deeply rooted in Singapore. It pays homage to the under-appreciated art form of Peranakan theatre, while highlighting the significance of having this heritage represented on stage. Witness the revival of this tradition and be transported to a bygone era where the past meets the present.
First staged in 1994, this adaptation of Felix Chia’s script is comedic, unique and utterly captivating—look forward to witty banter, dramatic storytelling and masterful performances by the cast!

13 & 14 by TAO Dance Theater (China)
2023-09-04 08:00 - 17:00 | Singtel Waterfront Theatre at The Esplanade, 8 Raffles Ave., Singapore 039802, Singapore, Singapore, 039802, Singapore
After their sold-out performance at da:ns festival nine years ago, the acclaimed TAO Dance Theater takes the stage at Esplanade once again, this time on a grander scale with 14 dancers at the Singtel Waterfront Theatre. The award-winning contemporary dance company presents a double bill of 13 and 14, the two latest instalments of choreographer Tao Ye’s signature Numerical Series. Known for their distinct minimalist stye of repetition and restriction, TAO has found immense success worldwide and is recognised as one of Asia’s leading contemporary dance companies.
This production is presented as part of da:ns focus – Connect Asia Now (CAN), a weekend that spotlights contemporary dance works by Asian artists focusing on distinct voices and creative impulses from the region.

Lapse by Melati Suryodarmo (Indonesia)
2023-09-04 08:00 - 17:00 | Esplanade Annexe Studio, 1 Esplanade Drive, 038981, Singapore
Known for her bold, durational solo performances, acclaimed Indonesian visual and performance artist Melati Suryodarmo premieres Lapse, a new dance creation performed by collaborators from Indonesia, Taiwan and Singapore.
First released as two short films, this iteration marks the live performance premiere of Lapse. Here, Suryodarmo dives into the metamorphic constellation of body and environment through evocative, visceral imagery suspended in factual absurdity. With sound design and live music by Yuen Chee Wai from Singapore music collective The Observatory, Suryodarmo orchestrates movement patterns that steer the group of performers to connect by failures while collectively attempting a new structure and alchemy of senses.
Drawing inspiration from by-products of chaos and situations that represent a gradual decline in the efficiency, stability, and overall functioning of society, Lapse signifies a transition from a state of order and coherence to one of disorder and confusion. Within this deep-rooted turbulence, Suryodarmo points to the symptomatic nature of systemic breakdowns, ethical decline and societal disillusionment of our time. While lapses in society begin to manifest through the decay of behaviour, diminishing social cohesion, ruptured institutions and the disintegration of moral frameworks, the work investigates the unpredictable space between reality and a vision of collective commitment towards change.
Lapse by Melati Suryodarmo is commissioned by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.
This production is presented as part of da:ns focus – Connect Asia Now (CAN), a weekend that spotlights contemporary dance works by Asian artists focusing on distinct voices and creative impulses from the region.

Mali Bucha: Dance Offering by Kornkarn Rungsawang (Thailand)
2023-09-04 08:00 - 17:00 | Esplanade Theatre Studio, 1 Esplanade Dr, Singapore, 038981, Singapore
Cross material and virtual worlds with up-and-coming choreographer Kornkarn Rungsawang in this ritual-inspired performance that combines dance, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Rum Kea Bon is an ancient ritual performed at shrines and temples in Thailand where dance is used as a tool for negotiation by humans towards higher beings in a bid to make wishes come true. The charming dancer, hired as a messenger to access higher beings, enhances the likelihood of one’s wish fulfilment.
Inspired by this ritual, Kornkarn created Mali Bucha: Dance Offering, a hybrid constellation of augmented reality, virtual reality and dance. This immersive and participatory iteration of Rum Kea Bon crosses between physical and immaterial worlds, with a digital shrine accessible through AR and VR throughout the duration of the performance. Audience members will be able to view, make wishes and offer flowers to the digital shrine, with VR headsets present on site for audiences.
Kornkarn thus acts as an interface between the material plane (the real-time audience) and the digital realm (the virtual shrine), communicating individual wishes and thanksgiving to higher beings through dance. Flowing as a current throughout Mali Bucha is a belief system that concerns itself with duality—economics and ecology, image and sound, old and new, the mundane and the transcendent.
This performance marks the full-length premiere of Mali Bucha: Dance Offering, after being workshopped at various leading platforms in Asia and Europe, such as Dance Nucleus in Singapore, Kinosaki International Arts Centre in Japan, and Tanz Kongress in Germany. As a dancer, Kornkarn has spent years performing with the renowned Pichet Klunchun and training in both classical and contemporary dance forms. Now as a dancemaker to watch, she continues to bridge the traditional and contemporary, reflecting modern cultural impulses of this generation.
Mali Bucha: Dance Offering is commissioned by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.
This production is presented as part of da:ns focus – Connect Asia Now (CAN), a weekend that spotlights contemporary dance works by Asian artists focusing on distinct voices and creative impulses from the region.

The Sixth Liu Kang Annual Lecture | نڬري داڬڠ | 蔚為大觀: Multicosmological Modernity in 1930s Penang
2023-09-02 14:00 - 15:30 | National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew's Rd, #01 – 01,, Singapore, 178957, Singapore
The Sixth Liu Kang Annual Lecture | نڬري داڬڠ | 蔚為大觀: Multicosmological Modernity in 1930s Penang
Sat 2 Sep | 2pm | City Hall Wing, Level B1, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium | Free, registration required: https://bit.ly/6thLKAL

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Nan Guo (南郭), a Penang correspondent for the Nanyang Siang Pau (《南洋商報》) daily newsletter, published a series of articles from 1934 to 1936 that featured Chinese businesses in Penang. Amidst the aftermath of the Great Depression, Nan Guo’s writing sought to capture the social and cultural development in the wake of a catastrophic global financial meltdown. Despite the fact that he had no training in the social sciences, Nan Guo adopted sociological methods in his reporting. Besides reporting local news and affairs, he surveyed empty houses, counted bicycle shops, observed Penang residents’ peculiar habits, talked to Penang residents from various class backgrounds and even visited art exhibitions. Through Nan Guo’s data-rich, yet reflexive writing, one gets the sense that during the early 20th century, aesthetics played a larger role in shaping one’s perception of their place in the world.

In this lecture, Dr Simon Soon will contextualise the use of the Geographic Information System (GIS) to produce a cultural map of 1930s George Town, Penang. He will explore Nan Guo’s articles alongside the paintings and activities of two of Penang’s modern artists—Abdullah Ariff and Yong Mun Sen. He will also discuss Penang’s modernity through theories of animism to highlight the island city’s multicosmological societies.

* نڬري داڬڠ is Malay in the Jawi script for “negeri dagang” or “trade country,” while “蔚為大觀” (wèi wéi dà guān) translates roughly to “exuberant vista”

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About the Speaker

Dr Simon Soon completed his PhD in Art History from the University of Sydney under an Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship. His thesis “What is Left of Art?” investigates the intersection of left-leaning political art movements and modern urban formations in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines from the 1950s to the 1970s. His reading and research interests span from comparative modernities to art historiography, with a focus on 20th century art in Southeast Asia. He has an interest in historical GIS and the use of digital tools in the humanities. Soon is a co-editor of “Narratives of Malaysian Art, Vol. 4”. He is also an editorial advisor to “Southeast of Now: Directions in Contemporary and Modern Art”, a new peer review journal. He is currently the Deputy Dean of Postgraduate Studies and Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Creative Arts, Universiti Malaya.

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About The Liu Kang Annual Lecture series

The Liu Kang Annual Lecture is a signature Gallery programme that is planned in partnership with the Liu Kang family. Each year, the lecture presents new research that spotlights a pivotal period of Singapore’s art history, shedding light on cultural forces and critical moments that have shaped our art.
