Things To Do In Singapore: Japanese Film Festival Kicks Off And More
Our weekly edit of things to check out.
By Carlos Keng,
This week, Nipponophiles will be in for a treat, with the return of Japanese Film Festival to cinema-screenings after two years of hybrid-type showings, while fashion lovers should definitely check out a small but earnest exhibition dedicated to Singapore designers of the 2000s. More details below.
There are many fans of Japanese culture/food/shopping/art (take your pick) and it's not just biasedness talking – after all, the country is ranked the top travel destination worldwide in the latest Travel and Tourism Development Index by the World Economic Forum. Japan is finally slated to open up visa-free travel to tourists after more than two years of closure but if it's not on the cards for you yet, satiate your Nipponophile thirst with the Japanese Film Festival, which makes a return to cinema-only screenings of two years of hybrid screenings.
There are a total of 31 works in the line-up, with a special focus on one of the country's top soft power exports: anime. The latter has traditionally been viewed as childish by non-fans but anime has an enormous influence on popular culture. Take how the key work in this year's festival – the cyberpunk classic Akira (pictured) – continues to be referenced visually and thematically in films and TV shows ranging from Stranger Things to The Matrix franchise, as well as musicians like Michael Jackson and Ye.
Check out the full line-up here.
Oct 6 to Nov 5, various locations
To those who say Singapore doesn't have a fashion identity – we say take a trip down to independent gallery space Fashion On Display, which is currently hosting the exhibition CAPSULE2009. The latter is a small and highly personal showcase of stylist Josiah Chua's collection of garments designed by Singapore designers who were predominantly active in the 2000s, co-curated together with fashion academic Daniela Monasterios-Tan.
The exhibition features more than 50 garments and paraphernalia from some of the most important labels of the period, such as Woods & Woods, Kwodrent, Mash-up, iamwhoiam, Mad Dog's Gang Men, alldressedup and more. There's clearly massive appetite for archival fashion at the moment, and here is a key place to see how Singapore fashion has evolved during a particularly exciting period for the local scene.
On now till Oct 23 at Fashion on Display, #04-04D Heng Loong Building, 61 Bukit Batok Crescent
Visual artist Ashley Yeo (as well finalist at the Loewe Craft Prize 2018) has long been a favourite at FEMALE for her ethereal paper art sculptures that are painstakingly cut by hand. Now you can see her works in person thanks to Art Outreach – a long-running travelling exhibition series housed in repurposed shipping containers.
The exhibition's latest edition sees their containers stationed conveniently at Plaza Singapura's outdoor atrium – they feature an original, site-specific paper installation and wall mural, alongside rarely-seen drawings and sculptural objects by Yeo. In keeping with Art Encounter’s mission to bring art closer to the public, Yeo will live-drawing a pastel mural inside the container on various Saturdays (Oct 8, Oct 15 and Oct 22) to interact with visitors and present paper-cutting demonstrations that reveal her fascinating technique.
On now till Oct 24 at Plaza Singapura's outdoor atrium
British jeweller Graff is known for its ultra-opulent pieces and it's a rare chance to see the maison's high jewellery collection in person – but you'll get a chance to do so at Graff's new travelling exhibition. The showcase highlights the brand's latest high jewellery collection, which was inspired by the mythical goddess of light– and accordingly, many of the pieces sport vivid yellow diamonds in varying intensities of hue; just take the model pictured here, a 5.02-carat oval Fancy Vivid Orangey Yellow diamond ring.
On now till Oct 15 at Graff's flagship store at #02-17 Ion Orchard