Things To Do In Singapore: The Second Installment Of Dune Is Here
Our weekly edit of things to check out.
By Keng Yang Shuen,
Yes Taylor Swift fever is at an all-time high in Singapore at the moment but if you didn't manage to snag tickets, there's plenty else to check out - sci-fi epic Dune: Part One opened to rave reviews and its long-awaited film sequel is opening in Singapore this week - more details below.
Globally, forced displacement (people forced to migrate due to reasons beyond their control, such as war) is at an all-time high (110 million as of 2023, according to the World Economic Forum). A new exhibition titled Portals of Longing, is doing its part to highlight the narratives of refugees living in Malaysia - though they may be labelled "refugees", the exhibition poignantly showcases the fact that, like all of us, they are multi-faceted and indeed, they use art as a means to tell their stories.
The exhibition is by Singapore non-profit organisation =DREAMS Asia, in collaboration with Fugee, a Malaysia-based educational non-profit organisation, and it's intended to give a platform to these refugees and artists, as well as to to raise awareness about the
impactful work undertaken by Fugee in Malaysia. The participating artists come from various countries, including Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria, and Myanmar, and they've used symbols, colours and motifs dear to their culture to create works that explore the intricacies of the refugee experience, depicting strength in the face of adversity and an unwavering optimism for a better tomorrow.
February 26 - March 3, 10am - 10pm daily, at Wisma Atria Indoor Event Area Level 1, 435 Orchard Road
Band tees have been a thing since the '80s and of late, they've been making a comeback, especially among Gen Z. Now if you missed out on the originals the first time round or are looking to start your own collection, head down to WOAW Gallery, which is hosting a showcase of rare band tees. Titled Teenage Angst Has Paid Off Well: An Exhibition of Rare Vintage Band Tees, the exhibition will display 20 rarely seen and coveted vintage band T-shirts.
You can expect authentic T-shirts from the likes of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Suede, Radiohead, all loaned from private collections in Singapore. Says Ken Tan, 43, vintage T-shirt connoisseur and organiser of the exhibition: “Would you have guessed that some of the world’s best vintage t-shirt collectors are here in Singapore? The purpose of this exhibition is to showcase their grails (a term used by the community for rare and desirable tees), and to share with the public the many stories of what makes an old beat-up t-shirt so coveted. The vintage tee is a witness to the highs and lows of life, weathering countless adventures — a first date, an unforgettable concert, or ripped by a disgruntled ex. A well-worn tee is a unique work of art that can never be replicated.”
While these 20 vintage T-shirts are not for sale, there are other T-shirts on sale by some of Singapore’s best dealers, such as Loop Garms, Fibres Friction, Death Threads and Rookies Store. Visitors to the exhibition can also snag a unique catalogue influenced by the era-defining CD format, priced at SG$25, and an exclusive T-shirt from The Salvages, priced at SG$85. Both the catalogue and the T-shirt are created in extremely limited quantities and are only available at the exhibition.
March 2 - March 9, 11am - 7pm daily (closed on Mondays and Sundays), opening reception on March 2 from 3pm - 7pm, at WOAW Gallery, 4 Ann Siang Hill
If you're a big Hermes fan - or simply anyone who appreciates good design, be sure to make an appointment to check out Hermes' Chaine d'Ancre exhibition. Opening this week at the French maison's Liat Towers flagship store, the Chaine d'Ancre exhibition focuses on the past, present and future of Hermes' iconic jewellery range of the same name: guests will be treated to the various inventive ways this anchor chain motif has been re-interpreted over the 87 years since it first debuted. More details here.
February 27 -March 3 (11am- 8pm daily) at the Hermes Liat Towers flagship store, #01-02A Liat Towers, 541 Orchard Road. Visits are by appointment only – reservations can be made by calling 6933-3222.
A new exhibition, titled Between The Lines, is emphatically making the point that textile art firmly belongs in the contemporary art scene - it has long been associated with ‘women’s work’ or ‘craft’. Presenting the works of six emerging artists Marcos Kueh (pictured), Alexander Sebastianus Hartanto, Cheong See Min, Jakkai Siributr, Cian Dayrit, and Samuel Xun, Between The Lines nods to how tactile arts have been rediscovered during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the resurgence of other ways of art-making beyond traditional Western lenses. Staged at the restaurant, art gallery, R&D kitchen and vinyl space Appetite, swing by to see how this tactile medium is being explored by contemporary artists today.
February 29 - May 26, 6pm - 12am daily (closed on Mondays and Sundays), at Appetite, 72A Amoy Street
Nightlife juggernaut Thugshop - the entity behind beloved joints like Headquarters, Tuff Club and MDLR - is back with another round of KAOS in the CBD , a 12-hour marathon party across various venues. This huge event comprises a total of 16 phenomenal artists spread across four venues, with things kicking off at 4pm with an open-air party (at 30 Maxwell Road) led by local up-and-comers like Kevin Sy, Muto, and Loyboy as well as headlining duo Soft Crash (made up of Phase Fatale from Berghain and Pablo Bozzi from Imperial Black Unit). After the open-air segment, the party splinters into each of Thugshop's three venues. Techno king Declos reigns at Headquarters, house savant BOg at Tuff Club, with Clara Cuve rounding things off at MDLR with more hard-hitting techno.
Get your tickets here.
March 2, 4pm till late, at Open-air (30 Maxwell Road), Headquarters (66 Boat Quay), Tuff Club (#19-01, 138 Robinson Road), MDLR (62 Cecil Street).
Japanese folk singer-songwriter Ichiko Aoba was in Singapore last February for the Alex Blake Charlie Sessions festival, and if you missed out on this poetic enchantress, she's back once more for a one-night-only performance at the Esplanade. For the uninitiated, Aoba is best known for her ethereal sonic tapestries that often relies on just her vocals and delicate guitarwork, rising to cult adoration in her home country at age 19 in 2010 with her debut album Razor Girl. A one-woman orchestra with a flair for storytelling, Aoba forms unique realms by blending folk and ambient music, complemented by her uniquely dreamlike and delicate voice. Inspired by the enchanting sounds present in Studio Ghibli and Disney movies, Aoba captures a profound sense of nostalgia and yearning through her elaborate compositions.
Get your tickets here.
March 2, 7.30pm at Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Drive
You've been admiring the Dune cast's fantastical wardrobes (that archival Givenchy by Alexander McQueen skirt suit on Zendaya!) as they embark on their promo tour and now the film is finally opening in Singapore this week. The second part of what is said to be a trilogy, director Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert's iconic sci-fi literature has been receiving rave reviews - just to recap, the Dune series primarily revolves around political intrigue, environmental struggles, and interstellar power dynamics as noble houses vie for control over the desert planet Arrakis, which is the only source of the spice, melange - the most valuable commodity in the Dune lore. Timothee Chalamet returns as the noble Paul Atreides, while Zendaya plays Chani, a Fremen insurgent (word is she'll have a bigger role to play as compared to the first movie), with new characters coming onboard that's played by an impressive ensemble cast comprising Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Lea Seydoux and Anya Taylor-Joy.
Dune: Part Two opens February 29 at cinema theatres island-wide
CHECK OUT AN EXHIBITION CAPTURING THE BEAUTY OF LIGHT
How do we perceive and and receive an intangible thing like light? That's the question central to emerging artist Liu Liling's practice - she's well-known for her beautiful, gossamer-like prints and now, she has a new solo exhibition (curated by Cheong Kah Kit) at Mizuma Gallery titled After Light. Operating at the intersection of photography and installation, Liu views her prints as tangible objects, skillfully navigating the balance between the visual and physical realms. Her intricate prints, born from repeated experimentation and the accumulation of nuances through ink and printing processes, extend beyond the confines of the prints themselves when presented in a site-specific installation. This extension into the exhibition space prompts viewers to contemplate their visual and spatial encounters. Experiencing these works becomes a journey of images, light, and space, inviting contemplation on the intricate relationship between seeing and sensing.
On now till March 28, 11am - 7pm daily (till 6pm on Sundays and closed on Mondays), at Mizuma Gallery, #01-34 Gillman Barracks, 22 Lock Road