Things To Do In Singapore: The Projector X: Picturehouse's Closing Party & More
Our weekly edit of things to check out.
By Keng Yang Shuen & Nicholas See,
This week, cinema buffs should not miss out on The Projector's final hurrah for its Picturehouse (Cathay) outpost - expect an all-day party thrown by an eclectic array of party maestros across different genres. Whether you've been to one of the parties thrown at the venue or simply headed down to catch one of their films, it's your final chance to soak in the good vibes. More details below.
.... The Projector's year-long outpost at The Cathay, that is.
ICYMI, The Cathay at Handy Road is shuttering temporarily for redevelopment works. Adding to that bittersweet moment is the closing of The Projector X: Picturehouse Cinema, the pop-up in the building by indie cinema The Projector which opened in August last year. For its final curtain call, the cinema is throwing a 12-hour party at the premises.
From 1pm to 4pm, Salsa y Comida, the purveyors of Latin dance and music here, will be throwing its own fiesta with resident DJs May Leong and Vijay Singh at the helm. Kampong Boogie party collective, known for its eclectic offerings will be taking the floor between 4pm and 8pm, with music maestros that include the likes of Amanda Keisha Ang and Francesca Aurora Way leading the way. Later in the evening, veteran music collective Eatmepoptart will be hosting a four-hour party from 8pm to midnight featuring local DJ stalwarts Adrian Wee and Yafith A. Hamid on the decks. Now, who’s ready for a long night of fun?
July 9, 12pm - 12am, #05-00 The Cathay, 2 Handy Road
The music collective Ice Cream Sundays (ICS) has long been a major advocate of feel-good daytime parties in Singapore since 2016 and this weekend, they're turning seven. Known for their unique party locations (previous editions have been staged at Haw Par Villa and DECK), ICS is putting on their next instalment at the outdoor carpark space at Tanjong Pagar Distripark (besides Singapore Art Museum), with Australian selector Pjenne, a widely respected name in Melbourne’s dance music scene, as the guest DJ.
Alongside Pjenne, there'll be lighting design by artists Myles & Miho, creative direction and light installations by creative studio Dvrk By Hei, and set design by botanical artist Bryan Kang and Pier Alessio Rizzardi of TCA Think Tank. There'll also be an on-site bar will be dishing out the finest tipples from Lion Brewery Co, Aperol, Angra Wines, and Joe’s Singapore Seltzer to keep dancers grooving throughout the day.
If you're a fan of ICS' parties, you'll want to catch this one - it'll be the collective's last one for the year as they'll be preparing for their upcoming Sunda Festival - billed as Singapore's first camping-meets-music festival - that's slated to be held this September.
Get your tickets here.
July 8, 3pm - 10.30pm, at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, 39 Keppel Road
Artist Damien Soh, who goes by the alias AMIEN, is staging his first solo exhibition. Titled The Banquet, AMIEN will be showcasing 11 new paintings that depict a series of characters that have been done up in his signature surreal style (imagine avatars of human beings that are just ever so slightly uncanny in their doll-esque proportions and features). These beings appear in heavenly settings that seem to take inspiration from Chinese mythology, caught in a great banquet - guests, servers, cooks alike - that's in the midst of being disrupted by otherworldly forces.
Despite this disruption, the characters are determined to ignore it and to obstinately move on with their lives; a reflection of the routines and rituals we make ourselves go through in everyday life.
Accompanying AMIEN's paintings are a multitude of mixed media works by various creatives and artisans - ceramicist Rei Minagawa and woodworker Liuyang of Un Studio, printmaker Derrick Ng, paper conservator Mandy Tan, web technologist Siah, and finally the genre-defying musician weish were invited to create works in response to AMIEN’s artworks, bringing an element of physicality to complement this phantasmagorical universe.
"The inclusion of other hand-crafted elements and an immersive musical experience highlights the importance of being present in this space, a marriage between the digital and physical realm," states the press release.
July 8 - 16, 11am - 7pm, HEARTH by Art Outreach, #01-06 Gillman Barracks, 5 Lock Road.
There will be an artist talk by AMIEN on July 15, 2pm - 3.30pm, at the same location
Milieu, the store best known for its well-curated selection of archival designer pieces, is set to reopen in a new location. It first opened in the basement of The Adelphi shopping centre in January last year, and carried more than 100 men’s and womenswear archival pieces from brands such as Comme des Garcons, Helmut Lang and Martin Margiela. The original location was shuttered this March but thankfully for design fiends, store founders Alfred Bong and Leon Lim have found a new and bigger space in an industrial space near Bishan.
Milieu continues to offer their curation of archival fashion pieces, and there are now design and fashion books to browse too. What's more, we hear there are plans to include contemporary local designers in future. For now however, head down to the new space this weekend to check it out in person.
Milieu reopens July 8, 2pm - 8pm, at #09-01 Foo Wah Industrial Building, 45 Jalan Pemimpin
Australian skincare label Aesop has a reputation for executing thoughtful projects and their latest continues that streak; cue the installation that's currently in the label's store at Marina Bay Sands. An assemblage of furniture upcycled by local carpentry firm Roger & Sons out of trees that were cut down for urban re-development, the installation was conceived to give fresh purpose to discarded materials.
What's more , the furniture will be donated to Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation and Children's Wishing Well when this initiative comes to a close. Visitors can also expect bottles of fresh cold-pressed juices that will be offered in store (till supplies run out) as part of a partnership with value-grocer UglyDuck Cafe, using leftover fruits upcycled into juices, in an effort to break the food waste cycle.
On now till July 9, 10.30am - 10pm, at Aesop MBS, #B2-90A The Shoppes at Marina Bay, 2 Bayfront Avenue