Arts

Provoking its audience to pay closer attention to childhood issues affecting or arising from contemporary society, Traces, a research-informed and art therapy practice-based art exhibition, aims to make such issues and concerns more accessible to achieve greater public awareness. Emylia Safian, the academic lead of the exhibition and a registered art therapist, added: “Such research material would otherwise be confined to academic journals. This has also encouraged the art therapists to become agents of social change, using art as a platform.” Created by final year MA Art Therapy (MAAT) students at LASALLE College of the Arts, Traces is a first-of-its-kind…

“You can’t fit a square peg in a round hole, and you can’t fit a round peg in a square hole”. Directed by Gilles Lellouche, the premise of Sink or Swim (French title: Le Grand Bain) attempts to falsify the above-mentioned statement. Sink or Swim is a comedy film about a ragtag bunch of “losers” who form an unlikely team of male synchronized swimmers. Viewers who are well-versed with French cinema will notice that the majority of the main cast are prominent actors in French cinema, some of whom even have directorial and filmmaking experience.  The plot starts with Bertrand (Mathieu Amalric), an unemployed father of…

Back with his third solo exhibition titled ‘Capturing the Spirit’, contemporary Scottish artist Ronnie Ford portrays his artworks on travels and experiences through ‘texturescaping‘. About the Artist Ford believes in the saying: “Anyone can paint a picture, but only a master can capture its spirit.” Born in Dunoon, Scotland, Ford’s passion for art started when he was 16. Acrylic paint back in the day was too sticky and he wanted to combine his love for painting and sculpting. Thus, Ronnie Ford became the pioneer artist to adopt what is now known as ‘texturescaping‘. Growing up, he had many role models…

Founded in 1987, the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is the largest and longest-running film event in Singapore. This year, the 29th edition of SGIFF aims to showcase both emerging and established film talents, focusing on the regional while expanding out to the global. From highly anticipated film screenings to programs and masterclasses led by experts in the film industry, there is something in store for all. Festival Opening & Special Presentation Films Cities of Last Things (2018) SGIFF will be opening with Malaysian-born director Ho Wi Ding’s Cities of Last Things, where we are introduced to Zhang, a retired…

Guards at the Taj is a personal story of a friendship challenged under dictatorship. Two long-term friends, Humayun and Babur, stand guard at the Taj Mahal hours before it is unveiled at dawn. They are forbidden to look at the monument, speak, or lower their swords. The play reaches a turning point as the guards are ordered to do an unimaginably violent act and their friendship is changed forever. I leave the Singapore Repertory Theatre after Guards at the Taj with mixed feelings. For a start, I am impressed by the actors’ performance, especially since the whole play only runs…

The eventful Singapore Writers Festival (SWF), organised by the National Arts Council to champion and cultivate an appreciation for literary arts and culture was held from 2 to 11 November 2018. There is a concerted effort to expose the general public to global literature beyond those written originally in the English language. This is a welcome change as Singapore’s education system is often very centralized on English literature, limiting the perception of what literature can be and what different languages can offer. While I find the programs to be generally illuminating and enjoyable, I also see the potentialities in further…

Guards at the Taj, written by award-winning playwright and winner of the best new play in the 2016 Obie awards, Rajiv Joseph, will be performed in KC Arts Centre from 14 November 2018 to 1 December 2018. Set in 1648, Guards at the Taj is a dark comedy based on a myth about Taj Mahal, a mausoleum commissioned by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. In the play, the majestic beauty of the Taj Mahal is a deliberate contrast to the ordinary guards who are placed in charge of the mausoleum the day before its unveiling.…

Last performed in Singapore in 2014, with iconic ABBA hits from the 70s, the musical Mamma Mia! once again proves its broad appeal with its latest production at the Sands Theatre. The audience was going wild in every scene, with non-stop laughter, applause, and even tears. The playful sexual innuendos, heartwarming family scenes, and lively rendering of the catchy oldies are the highlights of the night. One of the scenes that have made the deepest impressions is where leading lady Sophie’s mother, Donna Sheridan, met her three ex-lovers for the first time since decades. It is also the moment when…

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 3’s Diva, Shangela, will be making her debut in Singapore with her brand new show ‘Shangela is Shook’ next month on 12 December, 2018! The drag performer is known for being the only contestant to compete on three separate seasons of the Emmy-award winning reality series RuPaul’s Drag Race – Seasons 2, 3, and All Stars 3). A native of Paris, Texas, the performer graduated with honours from Southern Methodist University and currently resides in Los Angeles. Shangela – otherwise known as D.J. Pierce – has also guest starred as an actor on television shows…