Things To Do In Singapore: Exhibitions That Explore Queer Narratives & More
Our weekly edit of things to check out.
By Keng Yang Shuen & Nicholas See,
It's Pride Month and this week sees the opening of two exhibitions that seek to present various viewpoints from the LGBTQ+ community. Over at UltraSuperNew Gallery, Serving Thots is a jubilant presentation of artworks from emerging artists that take a more fluid and nuanced exploration of identity and desire. Meanwhile, over at Projector X at The Cathay, Rainbow Families seeks to document queer families in Singapore. More details below.
Emerging artists in Singapore have been exploring and dissecting outdated notions of masculinity with inclusivity and tenderness, and an upcoming exhibition, cheekily titled Serving Thots, looks to continue that conversation, this time through a queer perspective. Featuring multimedia works by six Singapore-based emerging artists whose practices straddles the realms of fashion and art - Dylan Chan, Samuel Xun, Mazri Ismail, Masuri Mazlan, Mus, and Sean Tay - the exhibition seeks to spotlight the vast multiplicity of queer experiences.
And though Singapore has been gradually moving into an age of heightened acceptance of queerness, there are still many narratives untold from the sidelines, states curator Dylan Chan. Expect an exuberant show where each artist serves their interpretation of the world and their experiences, encouraging viewers to look beyond conventional perspectives.
Opens June 9 - 18, 12pm - 8pm (closed on Mondays and PH), at UltraSuperNew Gallery, 168 Tyrwhitt Road
If you're a fan of Italian culture, don't miss out on the Italian Film Festival. Now in its 21st iteration, this year's edition is stacked with festival titles from Cannes and Venice film festivals, as well as all-time classics such as the heartwarming drama Cinema Paradiso (1988), the OG love letter to the art of cinema, and the epic spaghetti Western The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966), which inspired everything from a chart-topping Gorillaz song to Quentin Tarantino himself who hailed the work as the “best directed film of all time.”
For fashion folks, don't miss out on the gem Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams (2020), a Luca Guadagnino-directed documentary (pictured) focusing on the life story of possibly the most famous Italian shoemaker of all time: Salvatore Ferragamo, whose designs have been beloved and worn by the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Elizabeth Taylor.
Check out the full line-up here.
Opens June 9 - 21 at The Projector Golden Mile Tower, #05-00 Golden Mile Tower, 6001 Beach Road and Picturehouse, #05-01 The Cathay, 2 Handy Road
Rainbow Families, an independent collective of queer creatives and allies that advocates for the acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in Singapore, is back with a second edition of its campaign to document positive representation of queer families in Singapore. Last year's inaugural exhibition saw over 700 exhibition visitors in attendance, including MPs Sun Xueling and Eric Chua.
The Rainbow Families campaign this year comes in two major parts. First, an immersive and interactive art exhibition which explores the nuances of queer acceptance at home, curated by exhibition lead Adzlynn Fizra (she/her) from Studio 1914. The next part comes in the form of a pride-themed photoshoot from June 17-18 at UglyCarrot Studio where queer families (by birth, chosen or otherwise) can celebrate their love in a series of rainbow-themed family portraits shot by professional photographer Toh Xing Jie.
The campaign is also launching tie-ups with small and locally-owned businesses that support the LGBTQ+ community, such as indie candlemaker Crys Knick Knacks, kombucha brand Pourabucha, and sourdough donut maker Kobashi. Sales from Rainbow Families-branded merchandise from Pourabucha and Kobashi will help fund the Rainbow Families exhibition.
More details here.
The Rainbow Families exhibition is on now till June 11 at at Projector X: Picturehouse (The Cathay)
The Strange Weather team has always sought to push the format of raves, exceeding its patrons’ expectations with every party. With their firm belief that other mediums should exist hand in hand with otherworldly music, you’ll never know what to expect stepping into one of the collective’s parties. Their all-new monthly outfit Kelab Malam is no different, with its focus on off-kilter beats and experimental tunes. Situated within iKi at 20 Upper Circular Road, its second iteration on June 9 features Jakarta’s very own weird and groovy bunch – which includes the likes of Aditya Permana, Jonathan Kusuma and Ridwan alongside Strange Weather’s very own Yetpet, Kindergarchy, RTJ and Aalely.
Get your tickets here.
June 9, 10pm till late, at Iki, 20 Upper Circular Road