19 March 2016    Issue Seven 
 
 
 
 
the avenue 
for creative arts 
  
 
     
Visual Arts: Every Week is Art Week 
Art Week is well and truly over - or is it? - when visitors and residents alike enjoyed what was featured in Singapore in January. Not to detract, of course, from the explosive Art Stage event at Marina Bay Sands, which sets the gold standard for arts events, bringing together world class works and connecting with buyers local and foreign. But Singapore is rapidly becoming a global arts capital, with quality art experiences - art gallery openings, exhibitions, lifestyle events and public art walks/tours, discussions/workshops on art and culture  - happening every week.  Look what there is now for arts afficinados in the weeks and months ahead:

Golden Harvest at Raffles Hotel gallery
A Lady of Timeless Elegance is 103 year old Toko Shinoda, who has a selection of her works on show at Kato Art Duo gallery at Raffles Hotel currently until 16th April.  Demonstrating simplicity and poise in her creations, the lady described as Japan's most important artist, has an incredible flair that is unique and inimitable. Toko creates bold brushworks which produce exquisite art pieces, like Golden Harvest - at right - which she produced two years ago in 2014, when she was a mere 101 years old! Go here for more about the artist and her show.


A Taste of Honey at The Private Museum
Ye Shufang has opened her latest show - with a difference and a taste of honey!  You have to see for yourself and absorb the fascinating work. Images here don't do it justice. The Loss Index II follows her previous Happiness Index (2011) and Loss Index (2013). The show is on so get to The Private Museum in Waterloo Street any time as the exhibition runs until 15 May. The Artist talk will be held Saturday 16 April at 3pm. For more go to The Private Museum
 
Round Island Sculpture Tour with Anthony Poon
It started in January's Art Week and finished 10 March, but the sculptures and works of the late and great Anthony Poon live on. You can find them in dozens of Singapore locations - like outside the St Regis Hotel,Tanglin, in the courtyard of the Old Hill Street Police Station and inside Republic Plaza, Raffles Place - and the tours were organised in January and March to coincide with an exhibition at Private Gallery. Maquettes were arrayed along with photographs large and small to show the extensive collection of Singapore's best known sculptor who died in 2006. Hence the 10th anniversary commemorative show. Go to The Private Museum. 

The Afghan Girl at the Sundaram Tagore Gallery
One of the most distinctive and mysterious portraits to ever see the light of day and it was the work of National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry. Best known for his evocative colour images, the American photographer specially selected fifty-three photographs for this exhibition. You might have missed the documentary film of Steve's quest to find the Afghan Girl, but his memorable images remain on show at


Between Declarations and Dreams at the National Gallery
There is so much to see and do in the wonderful new/old gallery which occupies the former City Hall and Supreme Court in the historic civic district. But let's just take one  - the UOB South East Asia Gallery - which we visited recently to see the collection "Between Declarations and Dreams". Take your time to explore the timeless collection of around 400 works spanning the 19th century history of a region, which has seen wars, colonial occupations and cultures in change. To see the treasures and exhibits at the National Gallery, visit in person but check out the website for more information on what's current and what's coming up. National Gallery

Swedish Artist Ingela Johansson in Action
Based in Asia, Swedish artist Ingela Johansson, is best known for her Singapore motifs. At this first weekend art pop up event, her new series will feature abstract collage mixed media works incorporating unusual material such as resin. She will also showcase her hand-knotted Nordic-inspired carpet line. Reception: 8 April, 4 - 8pm and Live Painting:  9 April, 4 pm. 188-6 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore. Di Ligno Gallery 


Advance Notice: Art aplenty at the American Club in Singapore, but starting 6 May is a wonderful new collection.. Look out for Pop Art. Watch for an eclectic selection of international art from Asia and further afield. Art to buy. Art being demonstrated. Art to talk about. Presented by the Wetterling Teo Gallerty in association with The Private Museum.
Meet on the Esplanade 

Screening Benedict Cumerbatch as "Hamlet" and more
No, not in person at the Esplanade, but in one of the National Theatre Live productions being screened at The Esplanade during the month of April. Besides Hamlet (being shown 23,24 April), there's A View from the Bridge, Skylight, Man & Superman. Go to
the Esplanade and National Theatre Live here to book and view. 

Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Les Misérables 
opens at the Esplanade Theatre, Singapore in May for a strictly limited season.  Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, Les Misérables (fondly referred to as Les Mis) is the unforgettable story of heartbreak, passion and the resilience of the human spirit that has become one of the world's most popular musicals.  Playing the iconic role of Jean Valjean is established actor and musical theatre star, Simon Gleeson who recently picked up the Australian Helpmann Award for the role. More on Les Miz is here!
 
The Fiction of Memory
Six plays by writers and directors based in Singapore make up the season at The Studios from 17 March until 1 May 2016. Not to be missed "Recalling Mother" by Checkpoint Theatre (24-27 March), "Dark Room" by Edith Podesta, "Raw: You are Here", "Raw: All about my Mother" and "Intrusions". But you have missed the first one, "Ophelia" staged by Cake Theatrical Productions. Check dates and book for those coming up at the Studios, the Esplanade
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The Sun Rises on Super Japan
For ten days in May you can sample the Super Japan Festival - 13 - 22 May - at The Esplanade, with dance, drama, jazz, puppet theatre and more music to appeal to the senses. Read all about it and book through the Esplanade for the Japan Festival of Arts


The Esplanade presents more arts programmes than anywhere else in Singapore - many of them free and practically every day and night. So check out what's coming up at The Esplanade Theatres on the Bay. 
Performances not to miss 


 
In Singapore, Shakespeare Lives on 400 Years after his Death!  

Shakespeare Lives in Film is a showcase of six classic adaptations of the Bard's work. at The Arts House (21 to 24 April 2016 onwards) . A Shakespeare film screening as part of the European Union Film Festival (EUFF) on 19 May 2016, 

4 April 2016: "Shakespeare and the Law" lecture at SMU by Professor Paul Raffield, Professor of Law at the University of Warwick.
  • The "Letters to Shakespeare" Exhibition will be travelling to the following libraries:
library@esplanade: 15 March - 15 May 
Central Public Library: 19 May - 19 June 
Marine Parade Public Library: 23 June - 23 July 
Clementi Public Library: 27 July - 29 August 
Woodlands Regional Library: 2 September - 29 September 
  • 23 April 2016, 2 p.m., library @esplanade: Insider Series "Adapting Shakespeare in Singapore" with thespians Natalie Hennedige and Noorlinah Mohamed.
23 April 2016, 2 p.m. Somerset@313: "Costa Coffee With Shakespeare". Exploring Shakespeare's influence on creative arts and modern culture, globally and in Singapore, featuring Singapore's most iconic Shakespearean thespian Adrian Pang, SRT Artistic Director Gaurav Kripalani and Roland Davies, Country Director of the British Council. The panel will be followed by a Shakespeare themed comedic skit. 
  • March 2016 to May 2017: Singapore Philatelic Museum "Shaking it with Shakespeare" exhibition featuring stamps, philatelic materials, interactive exhibits, 3D objects and other events and workshops.
  • 12 May 2016: "Literally speaking - What Should We Teach?" lecture at Select Centre. 
  • Select Centre's Literally Speaking series, join an engaging panel discussion where Professor Richard Angus Whitehead will share his concerns on the impacts on culture, linguistics and society if educators in Singapore ignore Shakespeare.
The Art of Travel and Travel for Art: 
Singapore for i Light Marina Bay
Record number of buildings and organisations pledged support for sustainability at i Light Marina Bay 2016
Now showing in Marina Bay until 27 March.
73 buildings and organisations participate in the festival's 'Switch Off, Turn Up' campaign, helping to 'power' the fourth edition of Asia's leading sustainable light art festival.
i Light Marina Bay, Asia's leading sustainable light art festival, opened by Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong, the three-week annual festival featured 25 innovative and interactive light art installations around the Bay. 
 For more on i Light Marina Bay.                                            
One of the most impressive sustainable light art installations was Lampshade, the work of Snøhetta, Norway. It brings together solar powered LED lights and a bamboo construction.
Made to be both socially and environmentally friendly, the lamps used in this installation will be donated to off-grid communities after its display while the bamboo structure and its light fixtures will be recycled as construction scaffolding. 
Supported by Bambooroo, Bright Products AS, Partnership for Change and Singapore University of Technology and Design.
Australia hosts the seventh Vivid Sydney
New Soutgh Wales Premier Mike Baird and Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres unveiled the programme for this year's Vivid Sydney festival as the city prepares for an extended 23-night spectacular from 27 May to 18 June. Mr Baird said the festival was the largest of its kind in the world and last year attracted a record 1.7 million domestic and international visitors to NSW. "Sydney shines on a grand scale during Vivid Sydney and this year's precincts will be expanded to include the Royal Botanic Garden and Taronga Zoo," Mr Baird said. 
"VividSydney is a platform for Australia's creative industries and, this year, visitors will have an extra five nights to explore our global city and enjoy the light art, musical performances and creative ideas that will delight this year's audiences." 
Performing Arts
All the world's a stage, past, present and future 

LASALLE College of the Arts
How wonderful to see the staging by experienced directors and the performances of youthful players when LASALLE brought Shakespeare's Cymbeline and Measure for Measure to life in the Singapore Airlines Theatre in February. Ably demonstrating the teaching and leadership skills of Aubrey Mellor (Cymbeline) and Adam Marple (Measure for Measure), the plays showcased very capable acting by the students, as well as the creative work of set designers, stage managers and musicians, which was exemplary. We wait with bated breath for Cabaret to be staged 27 to 30 April, with Adam directing. The talent is there to pull of a Broadway hit like this with panache.  Go here, for more of LASALLE's art events and activities. - Ken Hickson 


It's History Boys! 
Alan Bennett's play "The History Boys", which took the theatre world by storm when it was first performed at The National Theatre in 2004, is being performed in Singapore  by The Stage Club under the experienced directorship of Nick Perry. A huge hit in London's West End,  it subsequently moved to Broadway  to similar critical acclaim.  Set in the 1980s in an English grammar school, there is nevertheless a timeless feel to the piece as an improbable group of boys work towards the entrance exams in history for Oxford and Cambridge.   Bennett's writing is so full of wit and unabashed joy for the English language, it leaves most of the others in its shade. It's on from 4 to 7 May. Go to The Stage Club for more. 


Superstars Of Ballet features the top 12 principal ballet dancers in the world from Paris Opera Ballet, English National Ballet, American Ballet Theatre of New York. Some of the acclaimed dancers who will be performing include Daniil Simkin, Laurretta Summerscales, Dinu Tamazlacaru, Yonah Acosta, Karl Paquette, Laura Hecquet, Alexis Saramite and Sylvia Saint Martin. They will perform highlights from some of the most renowned French ballets in the world. 

Francophonie Festival
Francophonie celebrates French language and francophone cultures all over the world. Again this year, Alliance française opens its doors to its friends to celebrate together. Francophonie is not only about the language, but is first and foremost about the spirit. From Thursday, 10 March to Monday, 29 March 2016, Francophonie spreads across Singapore from Serangoon to Sentosa - with many events hosted at Alliance française.
Arts for Good - "Play Me, I'm Yours"
The Singapore International Foundation (SIF) partners with The Playtent and British artist Luke Jerram to bring global art installation "Play Me, I'm Yours" to Singapore, where 25 donated and decorated pianos are exhibited in public spaces across the island. A collaboration between 25 artists and 25 social enterprises and social welfare organisations to give 25 donated pianos a new lease of life for the enjoyment of the local community. SIF is also 25 this year! During the three-week showcase, there will be community events such as workshops and performances to raise awareness for the causes championed by these organisations. Chairman of the SIF's Arts for Good programme, Jennifer Lewis, had this to say at the launch: "This meaningful collaboration truly reflects the possibilities of what arts can do in bringing people and communities together to effect positive social change. It aims to foster inclusive communities by raising awareness and acceptance for people with disabilities, the aged and youth-at-risk; promoting sustainable urban living and enabling livelihood." More on Arts for Good and SIF.
The Art of Travel and Travel for Art - food and wine added
New Zealand Festival 2016 is at its glorious end. But if you're there in the weekend you gained from the best of what the country has to show and share in its capital city, Wellington. But chances are there's a spillover effect and much to continue to see and do. For all the Festival news and aftermath, go to the New Zealand Festival website and links to the continuing art scene. Festival officially ends 20 March, but you can still catch Kate De Goldi's play "The ACB" with Honora Lee, which runs at the Circa Theatre until 26 March. But there's no stopping getting a real taste of New Zealand. Always more festive food and wine to indulge in, including the best the adjacent Wairarapa region has to offer  - Martinborough Wines  - and the delights of Greytown with cafes, arts, antiques, fruits and vegetables.   
  
Literary Arts Scene:
Books, Booker and Booking in
Twitter like, we give readers, all book and magazine lovers, a quick overview, highlights of a literary kind with important links for more words and images, alphabetically of course:
a. ANZA Magazine, edited by Gerard Ward and designed by Rachel Macdonald, thrives in Singapore, introduced us to Assemble Papers from Australia, where Sara Savage (nee Lewis) operates as new editor. Also see Asia Books Blog by Rosie Milne, author of the recently launched "Olivia and Sophia". 
b. Booker Prize long list announced so see who's there and who's not. Four of the 13 chosen authors/books are from Asia Pacific. One of our favourite writers' haunts in Singapore, Booktique, needs more support to survive. Buy more books or launch your self-published efforts there.
c. Cereal, one of the independent print magazines taking the world by storm - tastefully and literally - so Editor Rosa Parks told us at the U-Symposium, ably supported by Singapore's Underscore Editor Justin Long and Offscreen founder Kai Brach, German born and Australian based.
d. Design Anthology, another of these wonderfully independent print journals, from Hong Kong and led by Suzy Annetta, originally from Australia, who we also met at U Symposium. 
e. "Emily of Emerald Hill", the play by Stella Hon, takes to the stage in Singapore in May as a musical by Desmond Moey. Another Editor of note, Jeremy Leslie,  is also founder/creative director, not only of Mag Culture, the online journal, but also London's first magazine-only shop. 
f. The Fiction of Memory is the theme of six plays at Esplanade (see above) and the Future Book is Twittering, also connected to the Bookseller, described as the heart of publishing since 1858. Frankfurt Book Fair has a new concept this October and the guest feature is Flanders & the Netherlands. 
g. Good news for writers of all shapes and sizes. A book proposal prize. Here's Guy Vincent, who started Publishizer in Singapore (originally based at The Hub), as a crowdfunding platform to getting published. 
h. Hemingway is a hero for many writers (this one included) and still much to gain from reading his interview in the Paris Review (Spring 1958!). Then there's the Hay Festival, 26 May-5 June 2016 in the United Kingdom, the best known and promoted literary event on earth.The Happy Reader rates a mention as editor Seb Emina was in Singapore and Penguin is to be congratulated for promoting books, writing and reading. 
i. Independent magazines distributed by MagPie, "a new independent retailer" based in Singapore. The only other "i" we can mention is i Light Marina Bay, while not necessarily a literary event it has generated a lot of words as well as light. We've written about it ourselves in the ANZA Magazine. 
j. Jane Seymour is coming to Singapore to star in Noel Coward's celebrated play "The Vortex" at Raffles Hotel's Jubilee Hall, while Josephine Chia  talks about writing fiction and non-fiction, organised by the National Library Board (20 March). 
k. Kumar, Satish needs a special mention as the editor of one of the best and longest running magazines in the world, Resurgence, celebrating its 50th year of publishing. 
l. Lucky Last - we will have to go from M to Z next time - is a sorry story about the Low reading rate in Singapore. The situation is being addressed by many programmes organised by the National Arts Council and National Book Development Council. Then there's Singapore writer Sonny Liew, with his book "The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye", published by Epigram and rated as an international best seller. 

Last Word: The Big Read 
DATE CHANGE FROM 30 MARCH TO 6 APRIL 2016 
Join Straits Times Senior Writer Cheong Suk Wai in the next session of The Big Read Meet, when she will lead a discussion based on books reviewed for her column  published in The Straits Times. 







 

 




 
W!LD RICE proudly presents the 2016 Singapore Theatre Festival, a thrilling theatrical event about a nation on the edge and the people who live, love and dream in it. At a time when Singapore is poised between its storied past and the uncertain future, dive into the eight hilarious, heartbreaking, witty and whimsical works that make up the Festival. Go to W!ld Rice for more on the festival.

PPoetry Inspired by Plants:
 Singapore's UNESCO World Heritage Listed Botanic Gardens is the place to go for a walk, nature therapy, art and appreciation of all things green. In January, we happily joined in on a poetry workshop with the Garden's Writer-in-Residence, Madeleine Lee and discovered the literary and botanical history of the place with Dr Nigel Taylor, Director of Singapore Botanic Gardens.There's always something for arts and nature lovers in the Gardens, so go to the website for advance notice of what's happening January to June 2016
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Inspire your imagination at Future World, the new permanent exhibition at ArtScience Museum. Explore a fully immersive 1500-square-metre digital universe, where 15 spectacular art installations are brought to life and evolve in real-time through visitor presence and participation. Be amazed as this stunning interactive world responds to your behavior, and changes according to your creative input!
the avenue for creative arts
Once again,  Singapore is dominating coverage in this issue, as previously. But we do want to clearly show the best of what's happening here and aboard. At the same time our message is: "the art of travel and travel for art!"
This issue is bursting at the seams and while we will continue to bring you a free e-newsletter for the arts in Asia Pacific, we are also exploring how we can also create a print magazine, inspired by the selection of well-designed and produced independent magazines from around the world, many of them mentioned in this issue. Your feedback, your support and your contributions always welcome. 

                                                                      Ken Hickson 
                                                                      managing editor, the avenue for creative arts