This weekend Chippendale’s vibrant Kensington Street precinct will be hosting various works from a diverse group of artists, chefs, designers, filmmakers and photographers from Singapore. Singapore: Inside Out, a multi-sensory creative showcase which has seen enormous success in cities like New York and Tokyo, will be stretched across three days, kicking off tonight with a loaded program that welcomes guests into a dynamic, immersive environment that serves to highlight how these creatives have grappled with the theme of “movement” through their chosen craft, presenting engaging works that will transform this small slice of Chippendale in intriguing ways.
The eclectic creative showcase was first conceptualised as part of Singapore’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2015, travelling the world and reaching over 67,000 people across Bejing, London and New York. The 2017 iteration of this nomadic artist collective kicked off in Tokyo earlier this year, with Sydney its second stop.
Various Australian creatives will also be involved over the weekend, collaborating with Singaporean artists for unique and exclusive works like Video Car: VJ Co-Op, a partnership between Urich Lau of Singapore and Australian performance artist Stelarc. That particular interactive work involves a functional car where the windscreen is a display for moving images, controlled by the audience via a VJ console in the boot.
Other installations to look out for over the weekend include: Motion Theory, a kinetic installation which transforms the streetscape with fluid forms and visual projections; a photography work called Puddles in the City, where street performers around the world are captured when they are no longer performing; various short film showcases spread across the three days; and an interesting interactive structure by Ong Kian Peng and Zarch Collaboratives that will be displayed near the lobby the The Old Clare Hotel, where visitors are invited to place miniature magnetic figures on a steel structure made up of 11 modules representing a tree and a ladder.
Bound to be divisive is a work shaped into one of the rooms at The Old Clare Hotel, where artist Ezzam Rahman will display a number of encased flowers created using the dead skin off the soles of his feet. That same artist will also be involved in a durational performance using talcum powder to leave marks and traces of his absence, and at the same time presence.
In addition to unique Singaporean restaurant New Ubin Seafood taking over Alex Lee Kitchen at Spice Alley to serve some special dishes (think ribeye beef with “heart attack fried rice” and chilli crab rillette with deep fried mantou), renowned Michelin starred chef Malcolm Lee (of the acclaimed Candlenut) will be showcasing various Peranakan canapes for those who have the good sense to show up early. Famed Singaporean chocolatier Demochoco will be collaborating with Kakawa Chocolates on Kensington Street (get the salted egg praline), and award-winning bartender Peter Chua will be hosting a series of cocktail showcases somewhere within The Old Clare Hotel. There’s a bunch of other food and drink partnerships going on throughout Kensington Street as well, so keep your eyes peeled while you weave in and out of those art spaces.
There will be a few fashion pop-ups as well, including a Singapore Designers’ Showcase which features 12 Singaporean brands/designers handpicked to showcase the store of the same name which will be opening on Singapore’s Orchard Street late next year. Yep, that means the fashion-hungry of Sydney get over a year head start on one of Singapore’s most anticipated retail stores.
It all kicks off today, Friday 3rd November and will wrap up on Sunday evening. For more information and a full program of events click HERE.
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