Arts

Spoiler Alert: If you have not watched Avengers: Infinity War, get out of here and read our “Before You Watch” guide here. The Avengers: Infinity War ending title card slowly faded away, taking a part of me with it. Although it was the second time that I am witnessing it, its effect was equally as profound as the first time. It is almost unheard of that a movie with such a huge global impact could leave such a strong impression on a personal level. Although most of us have been mere spectators in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), we became…

The theme of Artificial Intelligence (AI) was thoroughly explored with two ingenious exhibitions – A-DROYX and Human Version – which were exhibited for the Voilah! French Festival Singapore 2018. A-DROYX by Mathieu Briand was an exhibit that showcased his assembly of androids in his laboratory studio. It is a testament to the fact that the story behind creation can be more interesting than the final product itself. To call the space in A-DROYX messy would be an understatement – the circuits, tools, and makeshift limbs strewn all over were an immediate indication to viewers of the nature of the undertaking.…

The human mind continuously seeks self-expression: this is an enduring desire that has only strengthened in tandem with the evolution of technology as new forms of self-expression are invented. Visual mediums, in particular, catch on especially fast and the invention of photography has seen its meteoric rise towards occupying an integral part of everyday life in the 21st century. Most of us would likely assume that fawning over celebrity Instagram Stories and be making duck faces in our selfies are relatively modern phenomena, gaining recognition as cultural cornerstones with the prevalence of youth culture in the modern global society. The…

Debuting to a sell-out run at the 2017 Singapore International Festival of Arts, Pangdemonium’s Dragonflies once again returns with a potent and renewed relevance in the political climate of today. Bringing to life a dystopian world set in 2021 against a backdrop of seething xenophobia, racism, fearmongering and the worst of humanity’s darker nature, Dragonflies explores the resultant trials and tribulations of an everyman — Leslie Chen and his family as they try to navigate the turbulence thrust upon their lives. This is not a play that expects audiences to stay happily muted in their seats. Right from the start…

“Interactive = Incomplete”, the phrase shone on the pitch-black screen like a lone star in the night sky. Founder of Blast Theory, Matt Adams, began his presentation at Lasalle, College of the Arts with the curious claim. He then dove into an explanation of his company’s expertise: interactive art. Based in Portslade, England, Blast Theory is an artist collective that combines elements of theatre, film, video games, and many more for an ultra-unique take to art. What makes their pieces special – besides varying themes and mediums – is the inclusion of audience members’ participation. It is hence that the…

Welcome to the sanctuary for everyone who has not witnessed what might be the biggest movie event of all time: Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War. Yet. The rest of the world must seem like a scary place; dodging spoilers and ducking from Avengers references at every turn. Whether you are a fan who has not had the chance to catch a screening yet or someone who just wants to find out what all the fuss is about, there is no more need to worry, for we have prepared a guide to navigate the chaos. Background The Avengers series depicts a world where an extravagant…

The beauty of nature is inspiring for both artists and chefs alike. In this collaboration, Singaporean botanical artist Lucinda Law creates a series of piquant artworks to bring out the colours, shapes, and forms of edible plants. The paintings are co-curated by Executive Chef Vijayakant Shanmugam of Hilton Singapore, and feature some of Lucinda’s favourite botanical subjects such as pineapples, torch ginger flowers, bananas, and avocados. Dubbed Edible Beauty, the exhibition is a meaningful collaboration between three parties – Lucinda Law, Hilton Singapore’s Verde Kitchen, and non-profit charity organisation Food from the Heart – and will run for two months,…

“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.” – C.S. Lewis There’s this famous French song by Édith Piaf titled “La Vie en Rose”, which translates to “life through rose-tinted glasses”. The singer croons about how falling in love has made everything around her seem beautiful. Singapore-based French artist Claire Deniau’s new exhibited work, Senses and Lenses, is poetically entwined with the plight of the modern painter. She has incorporated flawless mineral glass pieces that act as lenses in her paintings: looking…

Heads up! Hotel G’s latest art installations are enclosed just beneath, or rather, above your noses! When we first visited Hotel G, we were initially unable to find the gallery. After some clueless wandering, we were amazed – and mollified –to find the exhibition right before our eyes the entire time – up on the walls, hidden in plain sight. Perhaps it was the heat of a Saturday afternoon, or the fact that the gallery seemed to fit in with the hotel’s aesthetic so well that caused us to miss it. Either way, it was difficult for us to stop…

I could feel this production right before I watch it – from the entrance of Fort Canning Green, we were invited to enter the picnic spaces through “The Capitol” stage and have a sense of how it feels to navigate through the multi-dimensional set like the actors would. It was at this moment that I admired how the team’s Production Designer, Richard Kent, managed to utilise the stage not just to add more layers to the storytelling, but to make the play’s audiences feel a tad more special, as if telling us that we are not mere spectators of the…