1. religion and spirituality
2. hinduism

S I N G A P O R E’S D E F I N I T I V E A R T S & C U LT U R E G U I D E
14
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17 APR
TO
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2015
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COMPETITION
201 5
28 November – 6 December 2015
The National Piano & Violin Competition
is back for its 10th edition!
Showcase your musical abilities before an international panel
of judges, and stand a chance to perform with an orchestra!
Winners will also receive attractive cash prizes.
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LIST
CONTENTS
17 APR
TO
30 APR
2015
ISSUE 14
features
INK THE NAME OF ART
Can tattoos be elevated to an
art form?
12
one small
voice
02
06
HOOKED ON
HERITAGE
HOLDING ON
TO HERITAGE
Celebrate our cultural roots with
the Indian Heritage Centre and
Singapore HeritageFest.
cover photography JOEL LOW art direction TONY LAW
hair & makeup SHAUN LEE
model UDAYA SOUNDARI is a Vasantham artiste who made local
Tamil TV history when she became the first person to win three awards
in one year at the Pradhana Vizha (akin to Ch 8’s Star Awards) for Best
Actress, Best Host (Info-Ed) and Most Popular Female Personality.
08
ABC GUIDE
Ng Eng Teng.
Nanyang
Academy of
Fine Arts.
The Necessary
Stage.
11
NEWS
14
WHAT’S A-BUZZING
Heritage can be a draw for
Singapore too, says veteran tour
guide GERALDENE LOWE-ISMAIL.
Esplanade’s face-lift, upcoming film
festivals and the latest contest.
PROFILES
15LISTINGs
KOH NGUANG HOW
24EPILOGUE
07
An artist/archivist who has
faithfully collected anything
related to local art since 1980.
gkkkkkkh
THE A TEAM
editorial director
MICHAEL CHIANG
associate art director
WANG MEIMEI
[email protected]
[email protected]
creative director
TONY LAW
head, social media
WILLIAM LOW
[email protected]
[email protected]
editor
PAMELA HO
specialist, social media
NICK YEO
writer
JO TAN
contributors PAMELA QUEK,
[email protected]
[email protected]
TheAListSG
ENQUIRIES
PAST & CURIOUS
HARESH SHARMA
Wander off the beaten track and
discover some of Singapore’s
quirkier museums!
The Necessary Stage’s resident
playwright on collaborating with
actors.
SUPPORTED BY
JOEL LOW, DAVEN WU, KI’ERN TAN,
JOEL TAN, JIMMY LEE
www.a-list.sg
10
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Printed by Times Printers Pte Ltd.
HELD IN
IN CELEBRATION OF
2
holdinG
oN to
HeRitagE
The upcoming Indian Heritage Centre and
annual Singapore HeritageFest provide colourful
avenues to discover and celebrate our
cultural roots. PAMELA HO
S
BY
PHOTO Joel Low
ingapore is known to
celebrate its milestones of
progress. On the surface,
what many see is a
landscape of skyscrapers,
clean streets and people living
in harmony. But beneath that lie
rich layers of history and heritage.
Collectively, these layers tell stories
of a diverse group of people who
came from far and wide and ended
up calling Singapore home.
Modern Singapore started out as
a vibrant trading post when Sir
Stamford Raffles landed on our
island in 1819. The British East
India Company, which Raffles
worked for, had
its headquarters
in Calcutta, India.
With the East India
Company carving pathways
into Singapore, other Indian
communities from all over the
subcontinent started to follow the
monsoon winds to the island.
And just like the Chinese
immigrants who brought their
different dialects, the Indians
have about 20 languages, over 100
dialects and an overwhelming
diversity of sub-cultures ranging
from Parsi to Punjabi, Sindhi to
Gujarati and Chettiar to Malayalee.
“IHC is not about India’s heritage.
If you want that, go to the Asian
Civilisations Museum (ACM),” says
Dr Gauri Krishnan, IHC’s centre
director and a former senior curator
with ACM’s South Asia gallery. “IHC
is about the Indian community in
Singapore, those who settled here
from the colonial period onwards and
their contribution to our country.”
From traders to plantation workers
and soldiers to convicts, these
early Indians came for a variety of
reasons. Among the first to arrive
was Naraina Pillai, Singapore’s first
building contractor who founded the
Sri Mariamman Temple, our oldest
Hindu place of worship.
“There were also Indian women who
came to work in the plantations with
the view of escaping the misery of
home,” reveals Dr Krishnan. “They
took the risk and made the ship
journey — without men — to gain
their independence here.”
PHOTO Indian Heritage Centre
GLIMPSE OF YESTERYEAR
ITEMS SUCH AS THIS
20TH-CENTURY BRASS
WATER DISPENSER WILL
BE ON DISPLAY AT
THE IHC.
The IHC will focus on individuals
and institutions from the British
colonial era onwards, with stories
falling along thematic lines,
celebrating the contribution of the
Indian community to every sector of
growth in Singapore.
Singapore and the Peranakan
Museum. Through the experience,
I’ve obtained interesting insights
into the immigrant cultures of
Singapore,” she shares.
“Being Indian, I wanted to have
a deeper understanding of the
Indian immigrants to Singapore,
particularly their struggles and
contributions. I wanted to hear
voices narrate this story and to see
the artefacts come alive, all under
one roof,” she says, adding that
the training sessions have been
personally enriching. “I especially
learnt a lot about the Sikh and Parsi
communities and their contributions
to Singapore.”
IHC opens 8 May with a month-long
CultureFest. Visit www.indianheritage.org.sg
for more information.
SHARING THE STORIES
The initiative to collect these stories
began in 2009, when a Memorandum
of Understanding was signed
between the National Heritage Board
and the various ethnic communityled foundations.
“When we embarked on this
endeavour seven years ago, the
greatest challenge we faced was
that there was very little published
research material. We had to sift
through government documents,
newspapers, colonial records, and
tap on oral history,” recounts Dr
Krishnan. “We started by identifying
a handful of pioneering families and
getting their stories. Then by word of
mouth, one led to another.”
Conceptualised as a museum, the
modern four-storey IHC building,
located at the junction of Campbell
Lane and Clive Street in Little India,
features five permanent galleries,
educational facilities and activity
spaces. When opened, it will run
workshops, demonstrations, talks,
film screenings and guided tours by
volunteer guides or docents.
Dr Chitra Varaprasad, a senior
lecturer with the Centre for English
Language Communication, National
University of Singapore, is a docent
with the IHC. “I’ve been guiding at
ACM since 2005 and subsequently
at both the National Museum of
3
PHOTO Pamela Ho
MOVING STORIES
PHOTO Indian Heritage Centre
TRUE IDENTITY THIS BRITISH
PASSPORT FROM THE 1930s
OFFERS HISTORICAL INSIGHTS.
ALL THINGS INDIAN WHEN OPEN
IN MAY, THE IHC (ABOVE) WILL
ADD TO THE BUZZ AND VIBRANCY
OF LITTLE INDIA WITH ITS
COLLECTION OF ARTEFACTS LIKE
THIS 20TH-CENTURY PRINTED SILK
SCARF (BELOW).
PHOTO Indian Heritage Centre
By no means is the heritage of
Singapore’s Indian community
homogeneous. Come May, the
immigrant stories of this multifaceted community will be told
when the Indian Heritage Centre
(IHC) opens its doors to the world.
{DID YOU KNOW?} Who Are the
Dawoodi
Interesting facts
about the early
Bohra?
Indian community Get a glimpse into
in Singapore.
this lesser-known
Indian community
The First Wave
The earliest Indians to set through personal
foot on modern Singapore artefacts.
were 120 solDiers
he Dawoodi Bohra are a Shi’ite
from the Bengal
Muslim trading community
InFantry who arrived
with a presence in Singapore
Just as Chinese
immigrants married local
Malay women and birthed
the Peranakan Chinese,
the Indian immigrants
4
inter-married
too. The Chitty Melaka
practised HinDuism
but followed the Malay
culture in terms of
food, language and
dressing.
Female Convicts
since the 1880s. Early prominent
businessmen include FN Tyebally,
Abbasbuoy Mohammed and Moiz
Nomanbuoy.
Mrs Salma Moiz
(left), a veteran
member of this
community,
explains why
she decided to
loan artefacts
to IHC, “When
my father died and we had to move
house, it broke my heart. Things we
collected through the years or had
been passed down had piled up and
nobody wanted them. Sharing these
artefacts with others, through IHC,
is the best thing.”
Though not a big number,
women convicted of
crimes in inDia were
sent to Singapore and
were among the First
to arrive — some
even brought along their
children.
SEHRA THIS STRIP IS TIED AROUND THE PHETA DURING
NIKAH (MUSLIM MARRIAGE) AND WORN BY THE
BRIDEGROOM, WITH THE SILVER THREADS COVERING HIS
FACE. AFTER NIKAH, THE BRIDE REMOVES IT.
PHETA THE FORMAL HEADGEAR OF THE BOHRAS. IT IS MADE
OF GOLD THREAD AND WORN BY MEN AND BOYS FOR
FORMAL OCCASIONS SUCH AS WEDDINGS AND IMPORTANT
RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES.
PEN & INK STAND MADE OF JADE WITH BRASS SETTINGS,
THIS POT HELD INK MADE FROM SAFFRON, THE MOST
EXPENSIVE SPICE. SAFFRON INK IS USED FOR AUSPICIOUS
OCCASIONS LIKE THE NAMING OF A CHILD.
First National
Service Enlistee
Mr AlBel Singh
is officially the first
National Service
(NS) enlistee in Singapore.
He was foremost in line
for NS registration on
28 MarcH 1967.
PARACHUTE HANDBAG DURING WORLD WAR II, FOUND
PARACHUTE CORDS WERE SOLD OFF THE STREETS IN
MUMBAI. MRS MOIZ’S MOTHER BOUGHT THESE AND
WEAVED THEM INTO A PRETTY HANDBAG.
TUMBLER WITH STAND (CHALAM CHI LOTA) MADE WITH
BRASS, THIS WAS USED BY THE HOST TO WASH THE HANDS
OF HER GUESTS BEFORE A MEAL. SHE'D LIKELY BEND DOWN
AS A SIGN OF RESPECT. THE USED WATER IS COLLECTED IN
THE SPITTOON-LIKE POT.
PHOTOS Indian Heritage Centre
The Chitty Melaka
T
PHOTO Pamela Ho
with Sir Stamford
Ra�les in 1819.
Night
programmes and
more are in store
at Singapore
HeritageFest
2015!
T
he Singapore
HeritageFest (SHF),
organised by the
National Heritage
Board, swings into its
12th edition this year. For the first
time, the start of the festival will
coincide with World Heritage Day on
18 April, and instead of running for
the usual 10 consecutive days, this
year’s festival spans five weekends,
ending on International Museum
Day on 18 May.
“We cannot possibly fully
understand ourselves without
knowing where we come from,
and I believe, hardwired in us, is a
curiosity to discover our roots, our
past,” says Angelita Teo, who is both
SHF festival director and director of
the National Museum of Singapore.
“Over the years, there has been an
increasing number of individuals
and community groups keen to be
actively involved. The extension
of the festival will allow for more
community contributors and
connect people from all walks of
life in celebration of their shared
experiences and memories,” says
Teo. “It’s truly a people’s festival.”
PHOTO Silent Stars Entertainment LLP
SHF2015 will garner unprecedented
community contribution, with over
100 programmes supported by
PHOTOS National Heritage Board
Discovering
Our Roots
TO PRESERVE & PROTECT
LEARN MORE ABOUT NATIONAL
MONUMENTS LIKE THE
ARMENIAN CHURCH (LEFT) AND
AL-ABRAR MOSQUE (INSET)
DURING HERITAGEFEST 2015,
WHICH ATTRACTS COMMUNITY
CONTRIBUTORS AND CONNECTS
PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE
(BELOW, LEFT).
close to 80 partners. While previous
editions featured a series of fixed
themes, with exhibitions held at
specific satellite hubs, this year’s
SHF will see events held all over
the island — from Chinatown to
the Singapore River, Tiong Bahru
to Jurong — with programming
extended to both day and night.
Night programming is a first for
SHF. Some fun events to look out
for include the Telok Ayer Street
Light Up, Night Out at Tiong Bahru,
Reliving New World Singapore,
From the Belly of the Carp at the
Singapore River, and Jiving Through
The Ages (see sidebar).
This year’s festival will also
uncover lesser-known elements of
Singapore’s heritage. For the first
time, Armenian culture is put in
the spotlight. Gevorg Sargsyan, an
Armenian volunteer with SHF2015,
sheds some light on his community.
“Early Armenian settlers in
Singapore were traders who came
to explore new opportunities in the
early 19th century. They established
businesses across the Straits of
Malacca and left behind a rich
heritage not only in Singapore but
also Malacca and Penang.” Few know
that the iconic Raffles Hotel, Vanda
Miss Joaquim (Singapore’s national
flower) and The Straits Times were
all established by Armenians!
It’s often said that Singapore is a
melting pot of cultures. But perhaps
what initiatives like SHF2015 and
IHC serve to remind us is that
immigrant cultures should be
celebrated in their rich diversity —
appreciated as a tossed salad, with
each ingredient retaining its full
form and flavour. This is the sort of
legacy we’d want to pass on to the
next generation. A
HiGhliGhts of
SHF2015
Here are some
events to check out.
Monument Open House
(18-19 April)
Be a tourist in your own country
when iconic monuments in Singapore
open their doors to the public. Take a
guided tour of Chesed-El Synagogue,
the former Command House and
other heritage sites.
Music of the Armenians
(19 April)
Experience the masterpieces by
Armenian composers and others in
an evening of vocal music featuring
Gayane Vardanyan (mezzo soprano)
and Ani Umedyan (violin).
More Than Just Chinatown
(9-10 May)
The street scene of Old Chinatown
is recreated with the closing of
three roads to traffic. Expect roving
performers, lion and dragon dances
and pushcart stalls.
From the Belly of the Carp
(15-24 May)
Encounter life along the Singapore
River in the days of old, chat with
early merchants and enjoy cultural
performances by the diverse
communities who lived and worked
by the river.
Jiving Through the Ages
(16-17 May)
It’s party time outside the Cathay as
local music takes centrestage. Catch
legends from the 1960s to present
— performing in English, Chinese,
Malay and Tamil — in these closing
concerts.
For more details, visit www.heritagefest.sg
5
INTERVIEW BY PAMELA
HO
one
small
voice!
Sentosa. Marina Bay Sands. Heritage? That can be a huge draw for
Singapore too, says veteran tour guide, Geraldene Lowe-Ismail.
6
These are not tourist tours. I’d
bring expatriates and foreigners to
have prata and teach them how to
eat, how to order. At Keong Saik
Road, we’d go through the shops to
the back where they make the best
curry puffs. We’d sit in the back
lane and look over to what was the
old railway line.
Many people think Singapore is a
new country, glossy and modern,
but there is still so much here that
can be discovered, shared and
appreciated. Telok Ayer Street,
for example, was originally the
Heritage is
important because
it is the soul of
Singapore.
GERALDENE LOWE-ISMAIL HERITAGE TOUR GUIDE
Once, I took some expatriate friends
to Little India to walk around,
and someone in the group said,
“Geraldene, you must do walking
tours, the Americans will love it!”
When planning outings for various
expatriate clubs and embassies, I
thought it would be more
interesting to connect the tours
with festivals — like the Monkey
God’s birthday or Thaipusam —
then it’s not just me talking, but you
can actually experience the rituals.
So that was how it progressed,
linking tours to Chinese, Hindu,
Muslim and Christian calendar
events.
coastline. That’s why so many
mosques, Chinese and Hindu
temples are located there. For
the immigrants, the journey to
Singapore wasn’t easy. They had
to sail with the monsoons and risk
being attacked by pirates. So when
they landed, one of the first things
they did was to thank the gods!
But if everything is gone and
nothing is the same anymore, what
you lose is a sense of belonging to
a place. On my tours, I often say
this used to be this, this used to
be that, and sometimes nostalgia
and sadness hit me. On a positive
note, Singaporeans are becoming
more interested in their history
and heritage. For those who like
to travel or have lived overseas for
a while, their eyes are opened and
they’re often curious about their
own country. Especially when
everything is disappearing — you
try to cling on to memories and
what roots you have here.
So even if you’re on a bus from
Jurong or Sembawang, you can
stop and explore. I think everyone
is just so busy in Singapore, we
don’t have time to stand and
stare, to take in the atmosphere
— beyond the MRT and buses —
and to see beneath what’s already
there, what you pass everyday and
don’t notice.
There’s a depth to Singapore that
goes beyond its modern facade.
The unique buildings, the law and
order, are fantastic. In the old days
it was more chaotic, but there was
much history and character. To me,
heritage is important because it is
the soul of Singapore. A
GERALDENE LOWE-ISMAIL, 76, is a veteran tour guide
best known for her heritage tours of colonial black-and-white
houses, shophouses, World War II trails, antiques, traditional
trades and more. In 1964, she was part of the pioneer team
that developed an official 50-week course for Singapore tour
guides. To this day, all guides have to go through intensive
training to be licensed. At the Singapore Experience Awards
2014, organised by the Singapore Tourism Board, she
was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award for an
outstanding 50 years’ of contribution to tourism.
PHOTO Victor Yue
I WAS ALWAYS SHY AS A
CHILD. I was an only child and
my father died in the war, so
I’d follow my mother and amah
[nanny] everywhere. Being shy,
you listen to all these different
people gossip and talk. I guess
I took it all in. You can learn so
much from everybody.
When I was training tour guides, I’d
tell them, “Talk to your granny and
listen to all her stories, the origin
of road names and what happened
there, because that’s what makes it
interesting.”
Profile
KOH NGUANG
KOH
NGUANG HOW
HOW
art
of the
matter
Artist/archivist Koh Nguang How has faithfully
collected anything and everything local-art
related since 1980. BY JO TAN
WE’VE ALL COME
ACROSS ARTISTS WHOSE
WORKS ARE SO HEADSCRATCHINGLY SELFABSORBED, they leave
audiences baffled. But for every
artist who trumpets the ‘me, me,
me’, there’s also Koh Nguang How,
a genial fifty-something who’s
dedicated his life to documenting
other people’s work.
“I started collecting art
news as a student in 1980,”
recalls Koh, who has amassed
35 years’ and at least two rooms
worth of photographs, media
clippings, books, videos and
audio recordings about anything
local-art related, including rock
concerts, wayang and even school
art workshops, in an ever-growing
collection he calls his Singapore
Arts Archive Project (SAAP).
The full scale of SAAP hits
home whenever parts of it go on
display at various art projects such
as his Errata series, the Artists
in the News exhibition for the
2011 Singapore Biennale, and his
recently-concluded Singapore
Art Archive Project at Gillman
Barracks. In each event, clippings
and pages swarm walls and fill
shelves, stunning audiences with
the sheer amount of art present in
Singapore’s history.
Explains Koh, “As someone
who has known many artists and
a few art writers, I feel it would
be impossible to truly know their
stories and times without some
form of documentation. Our
collective memories and histories
of the arts would be scattered and
shallow if people do not record
their stories and experiences.”
Koh isn’t just a hoarder, he
identifies as an artist in his own
right. For each SAAP exhibition,
he has to curate his gargantuan
collection in a comprehensible
way for audiences. This could
involve collaging his clippings into
artworks themselves, or acting as
a live arts guide, all to tell a story
of other artists in Singapore.
Beyond SAAP, Koh has also
worked on installations and
photography. Even as his upcoming
photography exhibition, Art Places,
documents shots of local artists
and their work, it evokes Koh’s own
questions about art.
“The pictures for Art Places,
spanning almost 30 years, show
that artists and audiences are not
much different, and that artists
have created works and experiences
not necessarily just at galleries
and museum spaces in Singapore.
Audiences get to see places where
artists used to gather or interact
with the public. Some might
remember they were once in those
very same places or events where
some ‘strange’ people made strange
gestures or sounds. Maybe they can
remember asking themselves, ‘Is
this art?’ This is a question I have
also been asked with SAAP itself.
While this exhibition is held at the
Esplanade, I hope people can think
of how and where artists created
experiences before Singapore had
the means to build new facilities for
the arts.” A
Art Places in on from 1 May-19 July
at the Esplanade. Free admission.
See Listings pg 20 for details.
7
Feature
PAST &
CURIOUS
Wander off the beaten track and discover
some of Singapore’s quirkier museums. Here
are eight of our favourites. BY DAVEN WU
2. CHINATOWN
HERITAGE CENTRE
One of the most overlooked
museums in Singapore, this
innocuous shophouse in
Chinatown’s commerciallybustling Pagoda Street offers an
intriguing, authentic snapshot
of Singapore of yore. Climb
up the old wooden staircase
and step into a labyrinth of
mood-lit rooms that recreate,
with startling authenticity
and sounds, the living rooms,
bedrooms and kitchens of the
early immigrants.
8
PHOTO Albert Lim
CLOSED FOR RENOVATION TILL MID-2015
WHERE 48 PAGODA STREET
WWW.CHINATOWNHERITAGECENTRE.SG
1. MINT MUSEUM
OF TOYS
Touted the world’s first purposebuilt toy museum, this boasts an
incredible collection of 50,000
vintage toys and memorabilia
that its owner has spent decades
collecting from over 40
countries. Each of the five
floors is specially themed.
Level 2, for instance, holds
the world’s largest collection
of China-made toys, while
other levels feature Disney
memorabilia alongside
childhood favourites like
Astroboy, Batman, pre-war
Japanese figurines and
Tintin. (Trivia: The
MINT stands for Moment of
Imagination and Nostalgia
With Toys. Cool!)
WHERE 26 SEAH STREET
OPENS DAILY 9.30AM-6.30PM
ADMISSION $15 (ADULT),
$7.50 (CHILD 2-12 YEARS OLD).
WWW.EMINT.COM
3. SINGAPORE
COINS AND NOTES
MUSEUM
The best way to get an instant
sense of a country’s political and
economic history is to look at its
coins and notes. Which is why this
museum is so fascinating.
The exhibits trace our
currency from the earliest
days when Singapore’s
port was dominated by
barter trade to the very
first post-Independence
notes, all the way to the
current high-tech polymer
notes we usually tuck
away so carelessly into our
wallets. Learn all about the
iconic images printed onto
the notes and coins, as well
as geeky trivia about the
in-built security features.
WHERE THE MUSEUM HAS RELOCATED
TO THE SINGAPORE MINT’S
HEADQUARTERS AT 20 TEBAN GARDENS
CRESCENT AND WILL BE REOPENED AT A
LATER DATE.
WWW.SINGAPORECOINSANDNOTESMUSEUM.COM
4. SINGAPORE
PHILATELIC
MUSEUM
Many youngsters today have
probably never posted a letter in
their lives, much less understand
the obsession that once gripped
entire generations of stamp
collectors. All the more reason to
drop in on this museum and ogle
its incredible collection, some
of which date back to the 1800s.
Like coins and currency notes,
stamps provide a convenient
snapshot into an era’s history — its
transportation, movers and shakers
of the time, as well as food, ethnic
celebrations, and even its flora and
fauna. Art lovers will be stunned
by the incredible miniature
artwork and expertise that went
into creating the limited-edition
stamps.
PHOTO Defence Media Centre, MINDEF
WHERE 23B COLEMAN STREET
OPENS 9.30AM-7PM (TUE-SUN), 1PM-7PM (MON)
ADMISSION FREE FOR SINGAPORE CITIZENS &
PERMANENT RESIDENTS. FOREIGN VISITORS: $6
(ADULT), $4 (CHILD 3-12 YEARS OLD).
WWW.SPM.ORG.SG
5. ARMY MUSEUM
OF SINGAPORE
Given the army forms such
an important part of life for
Singaporeans, it makes sense that
there should also be a museum
celebrating not just the heritage
of the Singapore Army but also
WHERE 520 UPPER JURONG ROAD
OPENS DAILY 10AM-6PM, CLOSED MON
ADMISSION FREE FOR SINGAPORE CITIZENS &
PERMANENT RESIDENTS. FOREIGN VISITORS: $5
(ADULT), $3 (CHILD 6-12 YEARS OLD).
WWW.MINDEF.GOV.SG/ARMYMUSEUM
7. THE CATHAY
GALLERY
The Loke family is one of
Singapore’s most illustrious and
famous. Its patriarch Loke Yew
arrived in Malaya from Guangdong
in the mid-1880s and became the
colony’s richest man, making his
fortune in tin-mining and real
estate. His descendants diversified
the family business interests into
Singapore including the iconic
Cathay cinema. The Cathay
Gallery offers a unique peek into
this unusual family, chockablock
with an unrivalled collection
of cinematic memorabilia, art,
photography and personal items
amassed over the past 150 years.
WHERE 2 HANDY ROAD, #02-16 THE CATHAY
OPENS DAILY 11AM-7PM
CLOSED ON SUN & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
ADMISSION FREE
WWW.THECATHAY.COM.SG/THE-CATHAY-GALLERY
9
PHOTO The Cat Museum
PHOTO Singapore Philatelic Museum
the sacrifices of NSmen, NSFs,
regulars, veterans and their
family members. The six galleries
meticulously showcase the Army’s
development since its beginning
and includes a nostalgic mock-up
of a 1970s soldier’s bunk as well as
displays of army equipment that
are accompanied by the ‘sounds
and smells’ of battle.
6. CAT MUSEUM
8. TRICK EYE
MUSEUM
WHERE 8 PURVIS STREET, #02-02
OPENS 4.30PM-7.30PM (FRI),
12PM-7.30PM (SAT & SUN)
ADMISSION $9, FREE FOR CHILDREN
BELOW 6 YEARS OLD.
WWW.THECATMUSEUM.COM.SG
WHERE RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA,
26 SENTOSA GATEWAY #01-43-44
OPENS DAILY 10AM-9PM
ADMISSION: $25 (ADULTS),
$20 (CHILD 4-12 YEARS OLD).
WWW.RWSENTOSA.COM
Feline lovers can purr to
their hearts content at this
wonderful, light-filled space that
is a collaboration with the Cat
Welfare Society. The whimsical
exhibits capture kitties in art and
photographs, alongside renditions
of every famous cat from Pussin-Boots to Garfield. Particularly
intriguing is the section that
theorises the local Malayan cats
arrived in Singapore on the same
ships that brought the first settlers
to the island.
Nothing is what it seems here.
Using clever optical illusions,
interactive stage-sets turn 2-D
paintings into 3-D impressions.
When photographed, you appear
to have shrunk to half your normal
size, Superman is carrying you
up-up-and-away through the
skyscrapers of Metropolis, you’re
hanging off an icy ledge, or even
sticking your head into a giant,
pre-historic sea-monster. Fabulous
fun for kids of all ages — and
adults too! A
Profile
HARESH SHARMA
HARESH
SHARMA
any means
necessary
Most of his work is the result of collaboration with
actors, says Haresh Sharma, resident playwright
of The Necessary Stage. BY JOEL TAN
introduced me to Alvin [Tan], and
I started helping out with The
Necessary Stage (TNS) shows.”
Formed in 1987 by current
artistic director Tan, TNS had its
early beginnings as a university
theatre group. Sharma started
writing for the group after
winning the NUS-Shell Short
Play Competition in 1988, which
he’d entered on a whim.
“After that, Alvin said, ‘Why
don’t you write a play for TNS?
So that’s how Lanterns Never Go
Out happened.”
Today, Sharma and Tan have
enjoyed an enviable long-time
collaboration. This relationship,
says Sharma, is crucial to his
longevity as a playwright.
“One of the reasons why I did
not leave the job in the past 27
years, having to write play after play
after play non-stop, is that I was
able to write what I wanted, and
write about a variety a things in a
variety of ways. Working with Alvin
gives me the freedom to do that.
“It’s not difficult to write a
play if you know how to write one,
what’s difficult is to lift it into
something more, and he’s the
one that does that for me.” A
Off Centre is on from 23-26
April at the Esplanade
Theatre Studio. See
Listings pg 21 for details.
PHOTO Lee Jian Wei
10
HARESH SHARMA HAS
TOLD ALL KINDS OF
STORIES OVER HIS
ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER.
From the harrowing but often
hilarious story of two young
Singaporeans committed to a
mental institution in his 1993
classic Off Centre, to the frisky
seniors of his most recent Pioneer
(Girls) Generation, Sharma’s
plays are known for turning a
curious, microscopic eye to the
workings of often-overlooked
parts of Singapore society and
bringing them to life.
The 50 year-old playwright
lets on that most, if not all, of his
work emerges from collaborations
with actors.
“Even if I have ideas and
characters in my head, I still like
to workshop with actors, because
at the end of the day, you cannot
exist without the actors, and the
actors cannot exist without the
writer — I cannot separate myself
from them sometimes.”
Sharma, a 1997 National
Arts Council Young Artist Award
recipient, has spent the past 27
years with The Necessary Stage as
its resident playwright, a nowlegendary association that had
almost accidental roots.
“In 1987, I was working on a
show called Dragon Teeth Gate,
where I met stage actors like Neo
Swee Lin and Lim Kay Siu. When
I attended the National University
of Singapore (NUS), Swee Lin
NG ENG TENG
N
g Eng Teng was one of
Singapore’s pioneering
sculptors, affectionately
dubbed the ‘Grandfather of
Singapore
Sculpture’. Ng
trained under
Nanyang-style
visual artists
Georgette Chen
and Liu Kang, and
studied ceramics
in the United
Kingdom. On his
return to Singapore, he worked
on a prolific body of work that
spanned several decades until
his death in 2001. Ng produced
many works of public art, most
notably ‘Mother and Child’,
reflecting his larger practice of
giving humanist ideas dramatic
and quirky physical forms.
Throughout his career, Ng was a
big champion of education and
community-building. His wellloved Studio 106, his home and
studio in Joo Chiat, was where
he hosted informal gatherings of
artists. It was later turned into a
residency space after his death,
though the house has since made
way for urban redevelopment.
Ng was conferred the Cultural
Medallion for Art in 1981.
NANYANG
ACADEMY OF FINE
ARTS (NAFA)
N
AFA is the
oldest and most
established
tertiary arts education
institution in Singapore.
It was established in 1938
by educator, Lim Hak Tai,
Your Dictionary To The Arts
BY JOEL TAN
and a group of arts educators
with the support of the Society
of Chinese Artists. The school
gained momentum after the
post-war years, attracting to the
faculty émigré artists fleeing the
Japanese occupation in China,
as well as Singapore-born
artists like Georgette Chen. In
the post-independence years,
a small faculty of well-known
Chinese artists taught classes
to a small enrollment. The
school grew in the 1980s,
opening departments for
interior design, music, dance
and fashion, paving the way
for further expansion in the
’90s into a full-fledged multidisciplinary art school. In
2004, NAFA moved into its
own purpose-built premises
at Bencoolen Street. Notable
alumni include sculptors Ng
Eng Teng and Han Sai Por, as
well as painter Ang Ah Tee.
NECESSARY STAGE,
THE
O
ne of Singapore’s most
prominent theatre
companies, The
Necessary Stage (TNS) was
formed in 1987 by current
artistic director Alvin Tan.
The seed of the company was a
National University of Singapore
campus theatre group, where
Tan, resident playwright Haresh
Sharma and other collaborators
met. Over the years Tan and
Sharma evolved TNS into an
award-winning theatre company
with a strong reputation for
staging socially-conscious
work. The company premiered
several of Sharma’s plays that
are regarded classics of the
Singapore stage, notably Those
Who Can’t, Teach (1990) and
Off Centre (1993). Both Sharma
and Tan are recipients of the
National Arts Council’s
Young Artist Awards,
conferred in 1997 and
1998 respectively. TNS
also organises and
curates the annual
M1 Singapore Fringe
Festival, a creative
platform for local and
international artists. A
11
ILLUSTRATION Jimmy Lee
N
ABC
Feature
12
PHOTO iStock
Is it time to see tattoos as an
art form?. BY KI’ERN TAN
T
attoos have
traditionally been seen
as a badge of rebellion.
Think of the Japanese
yakuza with their
full-body suits of ink. For a long
time, they were synonymous with
gang affiliation, rank and loyalty.
The prejudice is so entrenched
that even now, most bathhouses
in Japan will still refuse to admit
anyone with a tattoo, even if it’s
a tiny four-leaf clover! Just the
act of getting tattooed — and
its association with blood, pain
and suffering — can be an easy
allusion to the violence.
It wasn’t always this way, though.
The history of tattoos began over
5,000 years ago. The term itself
is derived from the Polynesian
word ta, which means 'striking
something', and the Tahitian word
tatau, which means 'to mark
something'. To the Polynesians,
tattooing had, and still has,
significant religious and cultural
meaning. They believe a person’s
spiritual power or life force is
displayed through their tattoo. The
rest of the world is beginning to
see a shift in perspective as well.
Not only have tattoos become a
legitimate form of self-expression,
tattooists are also evolving into
bona fide artists in their own
right. Like artists, they take
pride in their creations and value
originality. In the past, clients
would walk into a tattoo parlour,
flip through a folder of flash art
and pick a design they liked.
Tattoo artists back then were little
more than ‘human photocopiers’
transferring images from paper
onto skin.
The relationship between artist
and canvas has intensified
as customers become more
sophisticated. They can now see
themselves as living canvasses
for artists to express and create
on. The process of being inked is
more intimate, and not merely a
monetary exchange for services
rendered. It’s a joint journey to
create art.
Besides, wearing someone else’s
art on your skin is infinitely more
profound than simply hanging
a painting in your living room.
You’ve allowed yourself to be
marked for life. How’s that for
commitment to art? A
Jen, 28
Visual Orgasm, Haji Lane
(@jenxtattoos)
Lionel, 39
Traditions Tattooing
(@Traditions_Tattooing)
“I started tattooing when I got out of the army
and I’ve been at it for about 18 years now. I
don’t have any art background and am mostly
self-taught. I specialise in Polynesian tattoos.
These tattoos have meanings and roots. They’re
not just a fashion statement. I want my clients to
understand what the tattoos symbolise so they
won’t end up regretting it one day.
I like tattooing because it continually pushes you
beyond your creative limits. Back in the ’90s,
tattoos were done by Ah Bengs and the designs
were all the same. Then I met local tattoo artist
Elvin Yong (@elvintattoo), who became my
mentor. When I saw his works, it made me want
to become a better artist.
Tattooing is definitely a form of art and tattoo
artists like Shane Tan (@shane_tan) and Elvin
take tattooing to a new level. Their works are
creative and completely original. They have
a signature style, a trademark. Tattoos used
to be about copying, but now it’s all about
originality.”
“I have no formal art
background but I’ve been drawing
since I was young. A lot of people come to me
for handwriting-style tattoos or for my original
watercolour-style pieces. To me, tattooing is
definitely an art form. What else can you call it
besides art?
A lot of what people are choosing to put on their
skin is actually already considered art on paper.
The only difference is that tattoos are permanent
and people wear it on their skin. People are also
inking more artistic things like poems, quotes
or geometric designs. It’s all art. I believe it’s
possible that tattoos can some day be accepted
as a proper art form. I have clients who are
doctors and lawyers. Almost everyone these days
has a small tattoo somewhere.”
Flee, 42
Traditions Tattooing
(@fleecircus)
“I’m actually quite new to the tattoo scene.
I’ve been apprenticing for about a year. Before
this, I was a full-time commercial illustrator for
almost 15 years. The difference for me is that
drawing on skin is permanent so that’s a whole
new ball game with a completely different
learning curve.
I’m not bothered by titles. You can label what
I do anything — artist, illustrator or tattooist.
Most important to me is a need for my works to
speak for themselves. People are coming around
to regarding tattoo as art. There’s
still a little stigma, but it’s no longer
the mark of a gang. Clients are
also putting their own ideas into
the work. It’s a form of their
own expression and is deeply
personal.”
13
Z
NEWS e
Latest
FROM THE ARTS SCENE
TEXT BY PAMELA
Esplanade’s forecourt
gets a garden-themed
face-lift.
T
he Forecourt at Esplanade
— Theatres on the Bay is
underdoing a revamp from now
till 31 July. On completion, the open
space will be transformed into a garden
landscape with more shade, seating
and water features to engage children
and families. These enhancements are
part of the Esplanade’s ongoing plans
to offer a more holistic experience
PHOTO Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay
for visitors, as well as the
Urban Redevelopment
Authority’s vision to create
a safe and walkable park
environment for visitors
around Singapore’s Civic and
Cultural District by the Bay.
Landscape
in Progress
14
HO
A NOVEL
PRIZE
Epigram Books
announces
Singapore’s richest
literary prize.
In support of Singapore
fiction and in search of the
next big Singapore novel,
local publisher Epigram
Books is awarding $20,000
for your unpublished
manuscript in English — if
it wins. This is the richest
Singapore literary prize
to date. In comparison,
the biennial Singapore
Literature Prize, organised
by the National Book
Development Council of
Singapore, is $10,000.
The Epigram Books
Fiction Prize is open to all
Singapore Citizens and
Permanent Residents, as
well as Singapore-born writers residing
abroad. Deadline: 31 August 2015.
For more information, visit shop.epigrambooks.sg.
FILM
ESCAPADES
See more of Europe and
Southeast Asia at these
film festivals.
D
on’t have the time or
money to travel the world?
Do the next best thing:
discover foreign lands through films.
Upcoming are two film festivals that
provide perspectives on the cultural
and contemporary issues of Southeast
Asia, as well as countries in the
European Union. If you’re a film buff
or a couch traveller at heart, don’t
miss the Southeast Asian
Film Festival
2015, on at
SAM at 8Q’s
Moving Image
Gallery from
now till 3 May;
the European
Union Film
Festival 2015
Catch French
takes place at
thriller The
Connection at
GV Suntec City
the European
from 13-24 May. A
Union Film
Festival.
For more details on films and timings, visit
www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/SEAFF and
www.euff.sg.
STAY SOCIAL & WIN!
The SOUTHEAST ASIAN
FILM FESTIVAL is back for its
fifth year and we have tickets
to give away! To score a pair
of tickets to some of the best
cinematic works from the region,
stay tuned to our Instagram,
Facebook and Twitter pages.
Follow us for updates, news and other surprises!
TheAListSG,
AListSG and
alistsg
Guilty
pLeasures
LISTINGS
YOUR 14-DAY GUIDE TO WHAT’S AHEAD
17 APR TO 30 APR 2015
So what would be yours this weekend?
1
High Drama
PHOTO iStock
Scandal and sorcery in Shakespeare’s Tempest (p22)
or soapy good fun at the Korean Drama
OST Night (p18)
2
3
High Camp
High Jinks
Happy shiny times with
Abba-rybody at Bjorn
Again (p17) or sheer
irreverence, Kumar
style (p21)
Hitchcock with humour
in The 39 Steps (p22) or
indie film-makers with
edge at the Southeast
Asian Film Festival (p20)
15
+
DANCE
Paris Opera Ballet
Screenings
THE ESPLANADE CO LTD
Time travel back to two great
moments in dance history with these
recordings of live performances by the
Paris Opera Ballet, including works
by George Balanchine, Benjamin
Millepied and featuring never-before-
seen rehearsal footage and interviews
with the dancers.
VENUE Esplanade Theatre Studio
ADMISSION PRICE $22
DATE 17-19 Apr
TIME Various times
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Imaginarium:
A Voyage of Big
Ideas
SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM
This annual contemporary art
exhibition for children returns, this
time, themed ‘A Voyage of Big Ideas’
in tribute to our little nation’s ability
to dream and think large. In this
spirit of imagination, emerging and
established artists from Singapore
and the region present seven new
large-scale artworks, ranging
from installations requiring viewer
contribution, to entire worlds in which
to dream and discover.
16
Crossings
NANYANG ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS
The lissome dance-diploma students
of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
tackle a variety of genres, from
western to eastern, in this showcase
featuring works by international young
choreographers.
VENUE Lee Foundation Theatre, NAFA
Campus 3, 151 Bencoolen Street
ADMISSION PRICE $10, $15
DATE 24 & 25 Apr
TIME 8pm
WEBSITE Call 6512-4187 for tickets or visit
www.nafa.edu.sg
VENUE Singapore Art Museum, SAM@8Q
(8 Queen Street Singapore)
ADMISSION PRICE Usual museum admission
charges of $5, $10. Free admission for
Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and
all children under the age of six. Conditions
apply.
DATE Till 19 Jul
TIME Sat-Thu 10am-7pm, Fri 10am-9pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Counting Sheep,
Dreaming Goats
SINGAPORE PHILATELIC MUSEUM
FAMILY
The Three Billy Goats
Gruff
SINGAPORE REPERTORY THEATRE LITTLE COMPANY
It’s supposed to be their year, but goat
trio Baby, Middle and Big face food
fears when a drought hits their side of
the valley. They could cross the bridge
to the green grass on the other side,
but a goat-eating troll waits under the
bridge. Find out what the gruff, tough
trio gets up to in this musical version
of the fairytale by West End musical
theatre songwriting duo George Stiles
and Anthony Drewe.
VENUE DBS Arts Centre
ADMISSION PRICE $22, $25
DATE Till 10 May
TIME Mon-Fri 10am, Sat & Sun 11am, 2pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
’Tis the year for sheep and goats,
so get your children into the spirit of
things with this exhibition that focuses
on famous hooved heroes from stories
and cultures. Visitors can also examine
gorgeous goat-themed stamps from
around the world.
VENUE Singapore Philatelic Museum
ADMISSION PRICE Usual museum admission
charges of $4, $6. Free admission for
Singaporeans & Permanent Residents.
DATE Till 27 Sep
TIME Mon 1pm-7pm, Tue-Sun 9.30am-7pm
WEBSITE www.spm.org.sg
+
Artistic Touch
Imaginarium, an interactive contemporary art exhibit
especially for children, invites little ones to dive in, dream
and dabble.
03
MUSIC
Tchaikovsky’s Violin
Concerto
SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece may be
the title of this orchestral concert,
but there’s a lot more going on in
this performance. Other highlights
include a specially-commissioned
work from local composer Terence
Wong, and promising young violinist
Loh Jun Hong tackling the solo in
Tchaikovsky’s concerto.
01
02
VENUE Victoria Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $20, $32, $55, $72
DATE Till 17 Apr
TIME 7.30pm
TEXT Jo Tan
01 WE BUILT THIS ESTATE! Little Bob the Builders or Angie the Architects can pile
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
supersized Tetris-inspired blocks to create their own cutting-edge housing estate, or
raze previous constructions to the ground to make way for their own. They can even
move velcro-enhanced residents around the neighbourhood.
02 LET’S MAKE! STUDIO Complete with materials and instructions, this installation
encourages mini museum-goers to craft small artworks representing their thoughts
on our nation’s future.
03 GREEN II: INTERSTELLAR OVERDRIVE By cycling on various stationary bicycles
attached to seemingly inanimate objects, tots can pedal-drive life and movement
and hopefully, start thinking about the energy sources that power life’s little luxuries.
17
Imaginarium: A Voyage of Big Ideas is on till 19 Jul 2015 at SAM@8Q.
LITERARY
Speakeasy
ARTISTRY CAFE
This celebration of the spoken
word returns and the literary artist
featured this time is the indomitable
Deborah Emmanuel, fresh from the
publication of her book When I
Giggle in My Sleep. Expect to hear
her spunky poetry, infused with lots
of Emmanuel’s in-person passion,
humour and sass.
VENUE Artistry, 17 Jalan Pinang
Bjorn Again — 25th
Anniversary Tour
BASE ENTERTAINMENT
Swedish sensation ABBA is a band
that’s long been dissolved, but
you can still take pleasure in their
shamelessly ’70s sound with Bjorn
Again, the only tribute act to be
endorsed by the original ABBA
members themselves. Bounce to
hits like ‘SOS’, ‘Honey Honey’,
‘Take a Chance on Me’, ‘Knowing
Me, Knowing You’ and many more
fabulously-resurrected hits.
ADMISSION PRICE Free
VENUE Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands
DATE 29 Apr
ADMISSION PRICE $45, $65, $95, $105
TIME 8pm
DATE 17 & 18 Apr
WEBSITE www.artistryspace.com
TIME Fri 7.30pm, Sat 3pm & 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Go Pop With
Sebastian Tan
Tapestry of Sacred
Music
SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA CO LTD
THE ESPLANADE CO LTD
People think orchestral and pop music
are polar opposites, but the Singapore
Chinese Orchestra is here to prove you
wrong, with
the help
of singer/
actor/comic
Sebastian
Tan (also
known
as the
Broadway
Beng).
The stage star will croon
Hokkien hits, TV serial theme songs and
even English and Mandarin musical
theatre classics, to the accompaniment
of the orchestra’s fine musicians.
Hear music that’s literally, fit for the
gods, in this annual festival that takes
soaring melodies originally created for
sacred or religious purposes and puts
it in secular, public spaces for us mere
mortals to enjoy. This year, expect such
transcendent ticketed acts as South
Africa’s powerhouse Soweto Gospel
Choir and Noureddine Khourchid with
the Whirling Dervishes of Damascus, in
addition to over 40 free performances.
VENUE SCO Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $35, $55, $75, $95
DATE 17 & 18 Apr
TIME 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
VENUE Various venues in the Esplanade
ADMISSION PRICE Various prices, includes free
programmes
DATE Till 19 Apr
TIME Various times
WEBSITE www.tapestryofsacredmusic.com
The Script Live in
Singapore
MIDAS PROMOTIONS
This Irish pop-rock trio have sold
20 million records worldwide and
performed in four continents. Now, for
one night only, they’re set to fire up our
island with their greatest hits like ‘Hall of
Fame’ and ‘Superheroes’.
VENUE Singapore Indoor Stadium
ADMISSION PRICE $98, $118, $128, $148
DATE 21 Apr
TIME 8pm
WEBSITE www.sportshubtix.sg
Korean Drama OST
Night
MODE ENTERTAINMENT PTE LTD
Sway along to the soundtrack of
your favourite Korean dramas at this
concert featuring the most popular and
well-loved Korean drama theme songs,
performed by the reigning royalty of the
genre: pop superstars Baek Z Young
and K.Will.
VENUE The Star Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $68, $78, $88, $98, $128,
$168, $228
DATE 22 Apr
TIME 8pm
Make-believe Art
18
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
If you’ve never heard of a particular painter or photographer, maybe
it’s because he doesn’t exist. Here are some cheeky Singapore artists
who’ve created fictitious alter egos — complete with bodies of work!
WHO Robert Zhao & Ang Song
Nian THEIR FAKE Wu Xiao Kang,
a schizophrenic photographer
whose last photographs before
his suicide were exhibited in
2007 to public uproar. Meghan Trainor That
Bass Tour
TEXT Joel Tan PHOTOS Today
LIVE NATION LUSHINGTON (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
This sassy songstress has inspired music
lovers worldwide to be ‘All About That
Bass’. If you’re among the fraternity,
come satisfy your ‘bass desires’ at her
first solo concert in Singapore, featuring
the eponymous hit single and other tunes
from her debut album.
WHO Alan Oei HIS FAKE Huang Wei, a make-believe Nanyang-era painter who
created ghostly paintings of children with missing body parts, held various
exhibitions between 2009-2013. VENUE The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel,
Singapore Resorts World Sentosa
ADMISSION PRICE $128, $188
DATE 23 Apr
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
+
VISUAL
Affordable Art Fair
AFFORDABLE ART FAIRS PTE LTD
In Each Hand a
Cutlass: The Kraken
THE ESPLANADE CO LTD, LATE NITE@ESPLANADE
Celebrated Singapore instrumental/
rock quintet In Each Hand a Cutlass
presents their gorgeously-evocative
sophomore album, a tribute to the
legendary and massive kraken of
the deep, and boasting equally
gargantuan international names on
the credits. Venture with them into a
SSO Pops Concert:
John Williams
Extravaganza
SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Among the greatest film composers
of all time, John Williams has inspired
not one, but two tribute concerts from
the Singapore Symphony Orchestra,
under the baton of multi-award-winning
conductor Jason Lai, no less. Head
to this sonic extravaganza and be
transported into movieland by tunes
from films such as Star Wars, Jurassic
Park and Catch Me If You Can.
VENUE Esplanade Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $20, $38, $58, $78
DATE 24 Apr
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Motherlanz — ANZAC
Day Music Festival
SAN MIGUEL, AIR NEW ZEALAND
On ANZAC Day, a day of
commemoration for all Australians and
New Zealanders, get in the spirit of
the continent down under, with Aussie
and Kiwi music sensations such as Ian
Moss, Ash Grunwald and the Jordan
Luck Band rocking it out at the suitably
surfer location of Wavehouse Sentosa.
sonic soundscape where they perform
the entire album live, for the first time,
accompanied by background visuals
courtesy of video artist Brandon Tay.
When you’re as popular as the
Affordable Art Fair, people don’t like you
to stay away too long. Accordingly, just
five months after its last visit to our island,
this arty party returns with more emerging
artists, interactive studios and art tours.
Plus, of course, sassy new works to
bring home at reasonable prices.
VENUE F1 Pit Building
ADMISSION PRICE $8, $12, $15, $20, $25
VENUE Esplanade Recital Studio
DATE 17-19 Apr
ADMISSION PRICE $25
TIME Fri 12pm-6pm (with AAfter Glow
Evening from 6pm-10pm), Sat 11am-8pm,
Sun 11am-6pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
DATE 24 Apr
TIME 9.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
ADMISSION PRICE $115
DATE 25 Apr
TIME 3pm-11.30pm
WEBSITE www.motherlanz.com
Demi Lovato:
Demi World Tour in
Singapore 2015
AC MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT PTE LTD
In anticipation of her fifth album,
superstar with the soaring vocals Demi
Lovato is touring the world — with
Singapore as her first Asian stop.
Expect trademark tunes such as ‘Let It
Go’, ‘Skyscraper’, ‘Heart Attack’, ‘Give
Your Heart a Break’, ‘Neon Lights’ and
current single ‘Nightingale’.
VENUE Suntec Convention & Exhibition
Centre, Level 6, Hall 601-604
ADMISSION PRICE $68, $98, $128, $168, $228
DATE 28 Apr
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Artists Imagine a
Nation: SG50
LASALLE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS INSTITUTE OF
CONTEMPORARY ARTS SINGAPORE
Thirty-six acclaimed artists present
their views of people and places in
Singapore, from the 1930s to the
present. Expect a marvellous mix of
media ranging from gouache to batik.
VENUE Institute of Contemporary Arts
Singapore, Gallery 1, 2 & TriSpace,
Basement 1
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE Till 19 Apr
TIME Tue-Sun, 10am-6pm
WEBSITE www.lasalle.edu.sg
National Theatre Live
THE ESPLANADE CO LTD
Not quite able to make a trip to London?
Fear not, fabulous live recordings of top
productions from the city’s acclaimed
National Theatre have hit town. See
premier plays such as Sam Mendes’ King
Lear; Of Mice and Men starring James
Franco; A Streetcar Named Desire starring
Gillian Anderson and the perpetually
sold-out War Horse, all from the
convenience of the Esplanade Theatre.
VENUE Esplanade Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $22, $27
DATE 30 Apr-2 May
VENUE Wavehouse, 36 Siloso Beach Walk,
TIME Various times
Sentosa
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
19
Macpherdoodle
All the world’s a stage, and for the
Band of Doodlers, every wall’s a
canvas. This collective, which is
dedicated to turning white walls
into arresting doodle surfaces, is
collaborating with stall owners to turn
the Circuit Road
Hawker Centre
wall into a mural
that pays tribute to
the heritage and
culture of a beloved
food hangout.
VENUE Circuit Road Food Centre, Block 80
ADMISSION PRICE Free
Southeast Asian Film
Festival 2015
SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM
Who says the best films are from
Hollywood? See the lesser-known, new
and compelling cinematic creations
from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
and Vietnam at this festival, many of
which reflect the current socio-polical
DATE Till Jul
climate. For selected screenings,
audiences will also get to meet and
talk with the directors.
TIME All day
VENUE Moving Image Gallery, Level 2, SAM at 8Q
ADMISSION PRICE $10
DATE Till 3 May
TIME Various times
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Chinese Ink Works
From Lee Kong Chian
Collection of Chinese
Art
celebrated local artists have
their works adapted into bow
ties, tote bags and the like for
public purchase. This time, the
artist in question is celebrated
photographer Kevin Ou, best
known for his psychedelic images of
coloured lights.
20
Vernacular
NANYANG ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS
See works about the simplest
Singaporean things, manifested in
sculpture, mixed-media creations,
photographs and time-lapse videos,
all demonstrating how our nation’s
everyday culture, too, is art.
VENUE Galleries 1 & 2, NAFA Campus 1,
80 Bencoolen Street
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE 24 Apr-19 May
TIME 11am-7pm, closed on Mon & public
holidays
WEBSITE www.nafa.edu.sg
The Sew Out Show
KEVIN OU, THE GENERAL COMPANY
Accessorise with art at the second
edition of The Sew Out Show, where
VENUE The Connoisseur Concerto ‘The
Gallery’ 51 Circular Road
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE 17 Apr-8 Jun
TIME Sun-Thu, 11am-midnight; Fri, Sat
& eve of public holidays 11am-2am
WEBSITE www.theconnoisseurconcerto.com
Art Places
THE ESPLANADE CO LTD
Think Singapore is devoid of art?
Koh Nguang How has photographic
proof otherwise. See this arts
researcher and photographer’s
beautiful images of diverse art events
in Singapore’s past.
VENUE Jendela Visual Art Space,
The Esplanade
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE 1 May-19 Jul
TIME Mon-Fri, 11am-8.30pm, Sat & Sun,
10am-8.30pm
WEBSITE www.esplanadesingapore.com
WEBSITE bandofdoodlers.com
NUS CENTRE FOR THE ARTS
The National University of Singapore
(NUS) Museum holds its share of 2D
treasures, including ink works from the
Qing Dynasty and handscrolls from
the Ming Dynasty. See paintings and
calligraphy from the museum’s Chinese
collection at their new permanent
home in the freshly-renovated Lee Kong
Chian Gallery.
VENUE Lee Kong Chian Gallery, Lobby Level,
NUS Museum
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE Till 2016
TIME Tue-Fri 10am-7.30pm, Sat & Sun
10am-6pm
WEBSITE www.nus.edu.sg/cfa/museum
After Utopia
SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM
Art can be a form of escape, but
sometimes it can be brutally honest too.
Various artists share their perspectives
on paradise at this exhibition featuring
iconic works from established and
emerging Asian contemporary artists.
VENUE Singapore Art Museum
ADMISSION PRICE Usual museum admission
charges of $5, $10. Free admission for
Singaporeans, Permanent Residents
and all children under the age of six.
Conditions apply.
DATE 30 Apr-18 Oct
TIME 10am-7pm, Fri 10am-9pm
WEBSITE www.singaporeartmuseum.sg
Hawa
HATCH THEATRICS
THEATRE
Ragnarok (R18)
Public Enemy
SKINNED KNEE PRODUCTIONS
W!LD RICE
This original play is a parable that
uses Norse mythology to explore
darker human behaviour within the
gay culture. The tale revolves around
a few beautiful inhabitants of Asgard
— an alternative nightclub.
Based on Henrik Ibsen’s sizzling 1882
satire that’s still relevant today, director
Glen Goei resets the story in a town
where Dr Thomas Chee tries to warn
people about a massive health hazard
should the government’s plans to turn the
town into a resort spa continue. But when
he goes against authority, he finds himself
first vetoed, then vilified. Starring Ivan
Heng alongside a host of A-listers including
Lim Kay Siu and Brendon Fernandez.
VENUE The Substation Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $35
DATE Till 18 Apr
TIME 8pm
WEBSITE www.skinnedkneeproductions.com
VENUE Victoria Theatre
The Teahouse —
Children’s Cross
Talk Play
Siti, a recent
convert to Islam,
is suddenly
tasked with
overseeing
the funeral
arrangements
of her close
companion,
but finds that dealing with her
beloved’s afterlife is nothing compared
to overcoming judgment in the world of
the living.
VENUE The Substation Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $18, $24
DATE 24 & 25 Apr
TIME Fri 8pm, Sat 3pm & 8pm
WEBSITE To book tickets, email hatch.
[email protected]
ADMISSION PRICE $45, $50, $55, $60, $65,
$70, $75, $80
DATE Till 25 Apr
TIME Tue-Fri 8pm, Sat 3pm & 8pm, Sun 3pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
The Studios: Fifty
THE ESPLANADE CO LTD
While Singapore is a democracy, it
acknowledges its queen in Kumar, the
reigning empress of the local stand-up
scene. Get ready for the comedian’s
annual address where he educates his
subjects on the state of our nation.
This series of intimate blackbox productions is supersized in
celebration of SG50, presenting no
fewer than 50 plays from the canon of
local theatrical works as reinterpreted
by numerous local directors and
actors. Some performances, like the
Selected Works of Ovidia Yu, will
take the form of dramatised readings
while others, like classics Off Centre
or Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral,
get full stagings.
VENUE Drama Centre Theatre
VENUE Esplanade Theatre
VENUE Various venues in the Esplanade
ADMISSION PRICE $25, $27
ADMISSION PRICE $46, $66, $86, $106, $116
ADMISSION PRICE $5, $12, $20, $30
DATE 17 & 18 Apr
DATE 22-26 Apr
DATE Till 10 May
TIME 8pm
TIME Wed-Fri 8pm, Sat-Sun 4pm & 8pm
TIME Various times
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Normal
Showstopper! The
Improvised Musical
after which an impromptu all-singing,
all-dancing production results.
YOUNG PEOPLE’S PERFORMING ARTS ENSEMBLE LTD
Hot on the footsteps of Chinese
theatre classic The Teahouse, which
played to sold-out audiences in
March, comes the equally popular
teen version, where young people
depict characters in a teahouseturned-modern-café who miss the
human touch. Expect hilarious crosstalk (the Mandarin art of witty comic
dialogue) from the troupe of youth
performers.
CHECKPOINT THEATRE LIMITED
In this stark and affecting stage drama,
playwright Faith Ng takes us on an
exploration of an educational system
where being ‘normal’ is less than ideal.
Enter a world where students who
have fallen through the cracks, as well
as their teachers, must learn to cope
with demands and expectations.
Directed by Claire Wong.
VENUE Drama Centre Black Box
ADMISSION PRICE $38
DATE Till 19 Apr
TIME Tue-Fri 8pm, Sat 3pm &
8pm, Sun 3pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Kumar Stands Up for
Singapore (R18)
DREAM ACADEMY
ABA PRODUCTIONS PTE LTD
This show, which boasts four sellout seasons on the West End, has
absolutely no script until the audience
gives suggestions — be it Sondheim on
a ski lift or Cole Porter in Punggol —
VENUE SOTA Drama Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $58, $78, $98
DATE 28 Apr-3 May
TIME 7.45pm except 3 May (7pm)
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
21
+
OTHERS
The 39 Steps
ASYLUM THEATRE
Hitchcock with lashings of buffoonery?
Yes, indeed! This award-winning script,
adapted by Patrick Barlow from the
novel by John Buchan, and inspired by
the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, is rife with
gags and over 100 zany characters
played by four fearless actors. Follow its
hero Richard Hannay as he encounters
dastardly villains, double agents and
devastatingly beautiful women.
VENUE Drama Centre Black Box
ADMISSION PRICE $20, $37, $42
DATE 22 Apr-10 May
TIME Tue-Fri 8pm, Sat & Sun 3pm & 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
The Tempest
SINGAPORE REPERTORY THEATRE, SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
22
The annual Shakespeare in the Park is
generally a magical experience, what
with its extravagant sets and scenes
under the stars, but this year’s edition is
geared to be even more so. The play
being staged is The Tempest, the tale of
an aged sorcerer who can command
fairies and monsters alike, but cannot
escape the island he is trapped in until
his betrayers arrive in a royal shipwreck.
Singapore
Through
the Glass
RE:MIX
Four film-makers from
local production
house birdmandog
present four original
art videos surrounding
Singapore’s faces,
places, past and
present, all set to
orchestral suite,
‘Singapore Seasons’,
which will be played live by
leading musicians when you
watch the films. A classy way to
experience the sights and sounds of
Singapore!
Singapore
HeritageFest 2015
NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD
In the largest edition of this festival
to date, expect to be surprised
by familiar Singapore spots,
from riverbanks to community
neighbourhoods, as you rediscover
their secret stories and forgotten
pasts.
VENUE Various venues
ADMISSION PRICE Free
VENUE Fort Canning Park
DATE 17 Apr-18 May
ADMISSION PRICE $40, $45, $50, $55, $65,
TIME Various times
$85, $98, $108
DATE 29 Apr-24 May
TIME Wed-Sun, 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
WEBSITE www.heritagefest.sg
Singapore Stripped!
A Comedy Roast of
the Lion City (R18)
Return to Sender —
An Exhibition
SINGAPORE PHILATELIC MUSEUM
This wacky performance stars a robot
chicken and his attractive human
sidekick as they present inter-species
banter, parody songs and a slideshow
to reveal our island’s hidden history.
Come pay tribute at this shrine
of Elvis Presley, rock & roll god
and movie leading man. See
commemorative stamps from various
countries honouring the superstar,
a US$1,000 banknote sporting his
signature, his movie posters, albums
and even his letter to a former US
president.
VENUE Paulaner Clarke Quay
VENUE Singapore Philatelic Museum
ADMISSION PRICE $28
ADMISSION PRICE Usual museum admission
DATE Various dates till 20 Jun
charges of $4, $6. Free admission
for Singaporeans and Permanent
Residents.
TCSS
TIME 8.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
VENUE Esplanade Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $15, $20, $25
DATE 26 Apr
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
DATE Till 1 Jul
TIME Mon 1pm-7pm, Tue-Sun 9.30am-7pm
WEBSITE www.spm.org.sg
A Monument to Our
History
NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD
Be awed by the tales of Victoria
Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall,
now classed among our national
monuments, in this exhibition that
takes you through their architecture,
as well as historic events (speeches,
performances and more) that took
place within their walls, as documented
by programme booklets and archival
video clips.
VENUE Level 3, Victoria Theatre and Victoria
Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE Till further notice
TIME 10am-9pm
WEBSITE www.nhb.gov.sg
HAVE AN ART AFFAIR YOU’D LIKE
TO INCLUDE IN OUR LISTINGS?
Simply send us details of the event at
least 6 weeks before it takes place, at
a-list.sg/submit-an-event. (Listings
are free but not guaranteed.) We’ll
help you get this arty started.
*All information is correct at press time
but may be subject to change.
Coming up!
Kaleidoscope
With Shankar
Mahadevan
ARTE COMPASS PTE LTD, INDIAN HERITAGE
CENTRE
Amjad Ali
Khan — Live!
SOORYA (SINGAPORE)
Living legend Amjad Ali Khan
has been conferred honours by
governments from France to
Japan; he has performed for
royalty and the Dalai Lama in the
swankiest venues worldwide. Now,
this master of mesmerising Indian
string instrument, the sarod,
comes to flaunt his fabulousness
in Singapore, accompanied by his
two sons. Witness this maestro in
action at a one-night-only concert.
Among the launch activities
for Singapore’s Indian Heritage
Centre is this all-encompassing
concert that spans Indian musical
genres from classical to folk to
Bollywood, not to mention jazz
and rock. Expect to enjoy the
strains of the flute, tabla, guitar,
keyboard and, of course, the
presence of star singer Shankar
Mahadevan.
VENUE Esplanade Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $40, $60, $80,
$100, $130, $160
DATE 2 May
ABA PRODUCTIONS PTE LTD
Masters of improvised musicals, the
Showstoppers, present an exciting
musical adventure for kids, with no
plot except the ones suggested by
the young audience on the day of
the show itself.
VENUE SOTA Drama Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $38, $48, $58
DATE 1-3 May
TIME 3pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
If you want to take mum to a
show this Mother’s Day, here’s a
parent-friendly pick. Popular xin
yao singer Hong Shao Xuan joins
the Singapore Chinese Orchestra
to perform some mum-targeted
melodies, including evergreens,
Hong Kong TV-serial theme
songs, and of course, xin yao.
VENUE SCO Concert Hall
No Sex, Please
— We’re British
BRITISH THEATRE PLAYHOUSE PTE LTD
A fabulous farce with a 16-year
run on the West End, this
madcap play revolves around
a respectable young couple
who sends an email order for
Scandinavian glassware, only to
receive an unstoppable river of
Scandinavian adult materials,
saucy movies, questionable
photographs and even ‘party
girls’, threatening their sanity and
the young husband’s career at
the bank.
ADMISSION PRICE $30, $45, $60,
VENUE Jubilee Hall, Raffles Hotel
$70
ADMISSION PRICE $100, $110,
DATE 8 & 9 May
$115, $125
TIME 8pm
DATE 6-16 May
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
TIME Tue-Fri 8pm, Sat & Sun
4pm & 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
THE ESPLANADE CO LTD
ADMISSION PRICE $30, $40, $60,
The Fantastical
Story Factory
SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA
CO LTD
Le Corsaire
VENUE Esplanade Concert Hall
$80, $100
DATE 1 May
TIME 7pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
SCO Mother’s
Day Concert — A
Love Tribute to
Mum
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Whose Line Is
It Anyway?
If the only ballet characters you
know are pirouetting swans,
open your eyes to Le Corsaire’s
sexy Conrad the swashbuckler,
who sails the seas to find the
beautiful harem girl Medora.
This reinvention of the 1856
choreography is performed by the
English National Ballet, set to a
rousing score by nine composers
and featuring extravagant sets
and costumes by Hollywood
film designer Bob Ringwood
(Batman, Alien 3 and Troy).
TCSS
Sides 2015
This show is a complete sell-out
every year it comes to town,
so consider this fair warning!
The original stars of hit British
TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway,
featuring improvised sketches
based on audience suggestions
during showtime itself, are
returning to set off those sidesplitting guffaws.
FRONTIER DANCELAND
VENUE klapsons — The Boutique
Hotel
23
VENUE Esplanade Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $68, $78, $88,
ADMISSION PRICE $60, $100,
$108, $128, $136, $146,
$156, $176, $196
DATE 6-9 May
TIME 8.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
$140, $180, $220
DATE 14-17 May
TIME Thu & Fri 8pm, Sat 3pm &
8pm, Sun 3pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Local contemporary company
Frontier Danceland presents its
annual mid-year production, a
triple bill featuring choreography
that includes a local work, an
Australian item and a unique new
piece that is the result of a year
of no-holds-barred choreographic
improvisation between the
company’s artists.
VENUE Esplanade Theatre
Studio
ADMISSION PRICE $20, $25
DATE 15 & 16 May
TIME Fri 8pm, Sat 3pm & 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
EPILOGUE
BY PAMELA
HO
Supermodel
me
BECAUSE ART IS LONG & LIFE IS SHORT
24
To find out more about Goh’s works, visit www.ernestgoh.com
PHOTO Ernest Goh
T
he
chicken
was not
abused or
trained to perform.
This is how it moves, says
Singaporean photographer,
Ernest Goh, who chanced
upon chicken beauty pageants
while on a photo expedition
in Malaysia. “These chickens
are appreciated purely for
their ornamental qualities,”
reveals Goh, creative director of
The Animal Book Co., an outfit
that works with animal-welfare
groups through photography.
“My motivation is always to
photograph the uniqueness
of every animal I come
across, so that it gets
appreciated that much more.” A