Every first Wednesday of the month, ArtsEquator will release a list of recommended shows/events/programmes that our readers can look out for in that month.
This list in published in no particular order.
1. Ulirát: Best Contemporary Stories in Translation from the Philippines
Gaudy Boy has a new translation imprint, Gaudy Boy Translates, and is launching with Ulirát (Tagalog for “consciousness”), an anthology of fiction translated into English for the first time from Filipino, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Waray, Kinaray-a, and Akeanon languages. This book aims to challenge the mainstream idea of what constitutes Filipino literature (often conflated with English-language Filipino literature), and features new and speculative depictions of contemporary life the Philippines, touching on politics, socio-economy, the climate crisis and much more.
2. A Most Unlikely Malay: Anna Salleh X Shabbir Hussain Mustafa
8 February 2021, 12.15-1.30pm
Anna Salleh recently released the audio documentary about her illustrious father, titled “Salleh Ben Joned: A Most Unlikely Malay”. The Malaysian poet and actor, often described as a “the bad boy of Malay literature”, passed away last October. This live online conversation between Anna and National Gallery Singapore curator, Shabbir Hussain Mustafa, looks set to be both an arresting and meaningful tribute to an icon.
3. Creative Unions
Until 21 February 2021
We have to give props to Funan (or CapitaLand?) for being game to have its shops overtaken by art. Creative Unions, the brainchild of Aravin Sandran of curatorial collective Neighbourhood, involves the integration of art and commerce that doesn’t make us instantly cringe. One of the most successful collaborations is Small Joys, which sees quirky artist Aida Sa’ad (@yellowmushmellow), working with gelato shop Butterknife Folk to create inventive (and yummy) flavours inspired by crowd-sourced stories of small joys. The result? Flavours such as “Moonlight Prata-ta, “Sunset on the AYE” and “Stepping on Dried Crunchy Leaves”.
4. Girls & Boys
25 February to 14 March 2021
Carey Mulligan played her in 2018. Now, Nikki Muller will take on the role of the unnamed woman at the heart of the powerful and devastating Girls & Boys, Dennis Kelly’s gripping 90-minute play about the rise and fall of a relationship and a life built on promise. This Pangdemonium play – also its first one-woman play – is its highly anticipated return to a live theatre space, the Drama Centre Theatre, after a year. It will be directed by Tracie Pang.
5. Progressive Disintegrations
Till 21 February 2021
This artist-initiated exhibition, featuring works by Chua Chye Teck, Hilmi Johandi & Wei Leng Tay, has a certain iconoclastic air that is strangely appealing. Presented sans artwork captions, the works lure you in into a closer conversation with the artists and fellow collaborator (aka curatorial interlocutor) Marc Gloede. From the physical placing of works, to a visceral sense of materiality and an overall permeating can-do spirit, this exhibition is the epitome of small but mighty.
ArtsEquator is introducing three new series in 2021 – Hot List, Teaser Tuesday and Cakap-Cakap – to help promote shows, events and other arts and culture programmes in Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia. Read here for more.
To submit a show/event/programme for consideration for any our new three series, you must fill in this form. All entries to be featured must be submitted by the 15th of the preceding month. ArtsEquator reserves the right not to publish any information that is shared, at our editorial discretion.
About the author(s)
Nabilah Said is an award-winning playwright, editor and cultural commentator. She is also an artist who works with text across various artforms and formats. Her plays have been staged in Singapore and London, including ANGKAT, which won Best Original Script at the 2020 Life Theatre Awards. Nabilah is the former editor of ArtsEquator.