FESTIVAL GUIDE 20 MAY – 5 JUN
ABOUT ARTS HOUSE LIMITED (AHL) Arts House Limited (AHL) is a not-for-profit organisation committed to enriching lives through the arts. AHL is the cultural place manager of Singapore’s Civic District. It manages two key national monuments – The Arts House, a multidisciplinary arts centre with a focus on literary programming, and the Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall, a heritage building that is home to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. It also runs performing arts space Drama Centre as well as three creative enclaves for artists, arts groups and creative businesses – the Goodman Arts Centre, Aliwal Arts Centre and Stamford Arts Centre. AHL organises the Singapore International Festival of Arts – an annual pinnacle performing arts festival; as well as the Singapore Writers Festival – a multilingual festival presenting the world’s leading literary talents. In addition, AHL manages Our Cultural Medallion Story – the showcase on Singapore’s Cultural Medallion recipients at The Arts House. AHL was set up in 11 December 2002 as a public company limited by guarantee under the National Arts Council and was officially renamed Arts House Limited on 19 March 2014. For more information, visit artshouselimited.sg.
ABOUT SIFA As Singapore’s annual pinnacle performing arts festival, the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) presents captivating and diverse works across theatre, music, dance, film and visual arts. First launched as the Singapore Festival of Arts in 1977, the festival has gone through several evolutions and inspired generations of arts lovers and practitioners. Under the helm of Festival Director Natalie Hennedige from 2022 to 2024, SIFA will focus on performance and creation in the physical and online space, around the theme The Anatomy of Performance, accompanied by a changing subtitle. Today, the highly anticipated festival is a high point on Singapore’s arts and cultural calendar. SIFA continues its festival mission to champion the creation and presentation of Singaporean and international works.
CONTENTS
FESTIVAL CALENDAR 8 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 12 FESTIVAL DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 14 CREATION 16 MEPAAN 18 By Singapore Chinese Orchestra (Singapore) and Tuyang Initiative (Sarawak, Borneo – Malaysia)
HOLLY HERNDON: PROTO 20 (United States)
CEREMONIAL ENACTMENTS 22 By MAX.TAN (Singapore), Nadi Singapura (Singapore) and Bhaskar’s Arts Academy (Singapore)
REMOTES X QUANTUM 24 By John Torres (The Philippines) and Eleanor Wong (Singapore)
ubin 26 By Drama Box (Singapore)
project SALOME 28 By Ong Keng Sen / T:>Works (Singapore)
THE NEON HIEROGLYPH 30 By Tai Shani (United Kingdom)
BANGSAWAN GEMALA MALAM 32 By Teater Ekamatra (Singapore)
DEVIL’S CHERRY 34 By Kaylene Tan and Paul Rae (Singapore/Australia)
THE ONCE AND FUTURE 36 By Yeo Siew Hua (Singapore) featuring members of the Berliner Philharmoniker (Germany)
SIFA On Demand 38 SIFA X 40 Wilder performance offerings
ONEIRISM 42 Curated by Andy Chia (Singapore)
LIFE PROFUSION 46 SIFA’s virtual platform
+DREAM 48 Delicate Spells of Mind by Lucy McRae (Australia)
+EAT 50 Curated by Syndicate (Singapore)
+READ 54 Curated by Hong Xinyi (Singapore)
+GROW 56 Artist insights and learning resources
+DISCUSS 57 A series of artist talks
VENUES 58 TICKET HOLDER PRIVILEGES 60 TICKETING 62 SMM GUIDELINES & FOLLOW US #SIFA2022 63 SIFA SHOP 64 PARTNER WITH US 66
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Festival Sponsors
Official Hotel
Official Logistics Partner
Official Technical Sponsor of Pasir Panjang Power Station Programmes
Official Airline
Official Outdoor Media Partner
Festival Donors
Jeremy Lee Mr & Mrs Victor & Michelle Sassoon
Organised By
Commissioned By
Supported By
Matched By
FESTIVAL CALENDAR FROM MAY 2022
DELICATE SPELLS OF MIND
+DREAM
SIFA X
DELICATE SPELLS OF MIND
oneirism – Ceremony
21 & 28 May, Sat & Sat, Performance (Free with registration) 21 – 28 May, Sat – Sat Exhibition (Free to view) Goodman Arts Centre
By Lucy McRae (AU) 20 May – 10 Jul, Fri – Sun Online: sifa.sg/life-profusion
+DISCUSS
Between 20 May – 5 Jun (Free to view) Online: sifa.sg/life-profusion
oneirism – Ritual
27 May & 4 Jun, Fri & Sat Performance (Free to view) 27 May – 4 Jun, Fri – Sat Exhibition (Free to view) Aliwal Arts Centre
+GROW
From May (Free to view) Online: sifa.sg/life-profusion
EMPTINESS – AN EXHIBITION BY SEAN LEE 20 May – 5 Jun, Fri – Sun The Arts House
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ONEIRISM
20 – 22 MAY, FRI – SUN HOLLY HERNDON: PROTO
HOLLY HERNDON: PROTO (USA) 20 & 21 May, Fri & Sat, 8pm Victoria Theatre
MEPAAN
By Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SG) and Tuyang Initiative (SWK) 20 – 22 May, Fri – Sun, 8pm Pasir Panjang Power Station
CEREMONIAL ENACTMENTS By MAX.TAN, Nadi Singapura and Bhaskar’s Arts Academy (SG) 21 & 22 May, Sat & Sun, 7.30pm Esplanade Theatre Image Credit: Vera Marmelo
MEPAAN Image Credit: Sean Lee
25 – 29 MAY, WED – SUN REMOTES X QUANTUM
By John Torres (PH) and Eleanor Wong (SG) 25 – 27 May, Wed – Fri, 8pm 28 & 29 May, Sat & Sun, 4pm & 8pm The Arts House
REMOTES X QUANTUM
ubin
By Drama Box (SG) 25 – 29 May, Wed – Sun, 6.15pm Meeting Point: Changi Point Ferry Terminal
project SALOME
THE NEON HIEROGLYPH By Tai Shani (UK) 27 – 29 May, Fri – Sun, 8pm Pasir Panjang Power Station THE NEON HIEROGLYPH
Image Credit: Ceren Saner
project SALOME
Image Credit: Aisha Causing
By Ong Keng Sen / T:>Works (SG) 27 May, Fri, 8pm 28 May, Sat, 2pm & 8pm Victoria Theatre 9
1 – 5 JUN, WED – SUN DEVIL’S CHERRY
DEVIL’S CHERRY
By Kaylene Tan and Paul Rae (SG/AU) 3 – 5 Jun, Fri – Sun, 7.30pm Pasir Panjang Power Station
THE ONCE AND FUTURE
ubin ubin
ubin
By Drama Box (SG) 1 – 5 Jun, Wed – Sun, 6.15pm Meeting Point: Changi Point Ferry Terminal
BANGSAWAN GEMALA MALAM By Teater Ekamatra (SG) 2 – 4 Jun, Thu – Sat, 8pm Victoria Theatre
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By Yeo Siew Hua (SG) featuring members of the Berliner Philharmoniker (DE) 3 Jun, Fri, 8pm 4 Jun, Sat, 2pm & 8pm 5 Jun, Sun, 2pm Esplanade Theatre THE ONCE AND FUTURE
20 JUN – 10 JUL (SIFA ON DEMAND) BANGSAWAN GEMALA MALAM
CEREMONIAL ENACTMENTS DELICATE SPELLS OF MIND
DELICATE SPELLS OF MIND By Lucy McRae (AU)
BANGSAWAN GEMALA MALAM By Teater Ekamatra (SG)
MEPAAN
By Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SG) and Tuyang Initiative (SWK)
CEREMONIAL ENACTMENTS By MAX.TAN, Nadi Singapura and Bhaskar’s Arts Academy (SG)
ONGOING
LIFE PROFUSION SIFA’S VIRTUAL VENUE AND CREATION PLATFORM
SIFA.SG/LIFE-PROFUSION
+DREAM
Digital commission featuring Lucy McRae (AU)
+EAT
Bite sized virtual art curated by Syndicate (SG)
+READ
Written responses curated by Hong Xinyi (SG)
+GROW
Artist insights and learning resources
+DISCUSS A series of artist talks
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE It seems almost obvious that in the face of the incredible uncertainty of this current moment – that reclaiming and reaffirming the rituals of our daily lives has become ever more important as a bulwark against the shifting sands of contemporary existence. The constancy, history and repetitiveness of social rituals seem almost a comfort and source of solace. For many of us, the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) is an annual ritual we all look forward to. This year, celebrate a long-awaited return to whatever new normal awaits us, as the SIFA team deliver bold new artistic experiences for everyone to enjoy safely, of course. Arts House Limited (AHL) as the festival organiser is proud to have with us Natalie Hennedige to helm SIFA as Festival Director from 2022 to 2024. As a recipient of the National Arts Council Young Artist Award in 2007 and the JCCI Singapore Foundation Culture Award in 2010, Natalie is known for presenting progressive, cross-disciplinary work exploring contemporary issues. Anchoring the national arts calendar from 20 May to 5 June, SIFA 2022 will enter a thrilling new chapter. SIFA 2022’s visual palette of red, green and blue core is built on the original SIFA colours from the 1977 festival. As a homage to the Festival’s genesis, these colours, rekindled in 2022, have now taken on saturated hues as a sign of SIFA’s embrace of the new digital of performance and the arts. This is but a small reflection of how, as organisers, we are embracing the future trajectories of art while acknowledging the rich legacy of the festival.
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One of the questions we asked ourselves, as organisers
I am confident that this year’s line-up across the various
of SIFA at Arts House Limited, is how do we position the
art forms, platforms and venues, will have something for
Festival in this brave new post-COVID world? Firstly, we
everyone to enjoy. I invite you to come and savour the new
believe in putting artists, especially local artists, at the
sensations and expressions of the new iteration of SIFA.
centre, as originators, creators and thinkers about the
We look forward to seeing you at SIFA 2022!
issues and questions of our time. Secondly, we see the need to embrace the intersectionality of global artistic practices as an international festival that matters. The old disciplinary silos are being
Tan Boon Hui
challenged and disrupted. Beyond the silos of physical
Executive Director
versus digital, local versus global, Asia versus Non-Asian, contemporary performance globally is being informed and transformed by its encounters with other genres and creative disciplines. Thirdly, the digital and the virtual is no longer an option. We aim to conceive of the digital as a stage in itself, an act of creation and a generative engine, not just an archive or post production documentation of a physical event. Putting together this year’s festival would not be possible if not for the hard work of the SIFA team, our local and international artists, performers and crew, and other partners in the arts community. We would like to also thank our sponsors, Singapore Tourism Board, JCDecaux, The Show Company and Agility Fairs & Events, as well as our festival donors, Mr Jeremy Lee and Mr & Mrs Victor & Michelle Sassoon.
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FESTIVAL DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE SIFA 2022 reflects a dissolution of categories or labels; to invite, instead, and adopt artistically fluid collaborations and collaborators, gathering within individual creations a range of artistic disciplines, practices and perspectives. The festival invites practitioners of vivid cultural hues from different walks of life to embrace a blending of genres, artistic disciplines and internationality – in performances made by artists with strong and unique perspectives – in the poly-dynamic and universal language of art. This echoes the ways in which contemporary performance is being made in the world. Also, importantly, it reflects how our dialogue with each other on a human level requires nuance because we live in systems of such complexity, within a world having gone through serious bouts of illness and faced with pertinent social and political movements that continue to test our passions and challenge us. The performing arts, therefore, needs to be upheld as space for reflection, openness and nuanced creative articulation to be freely expressed. It was important for me too that SIFA be a platform for originality, propelling artists and performance creation coming from Singapore, while imagining what a meaningful international dynamic looks like within our city’s pinnacle performing arts festival. The next three editions of SIFA will see a recurring title The Anatomy of Performance, accompanied by a changing subtitle. 2022’s is Ritual. Ritual can be distilled into the conditions of time, artefact and gesture. In performance, we adhere to these conditions. Time (is duration), artefact (is costume, installation and prop) and gesture (is expressive movement and charged stillness). Rituals are evolving.
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They relate to our shifting perspectives. They relate to
Life Profusion is SIFA’s virtual platform; a portal for
our beliefs and life’s philosophy. We can define our own
creation, discovery and exchange. Creation begins with an
rituals to effect transformation in our lives and immediate
empty stage. Virtually, you can also define an empty stage
surroundings, as well as to create powerful performance.
as a portal for inspired artistic creation. For me, it was about essentialising a new imagination for SIFA’s online
SIFA 2022 is forging a deepened relationship with some
presence, mining the digital space creatively because the
of Singapore’s most prolific artists to engineer dynamic
possibilities are almost as vast as the physical universe.
design possibility. Wong Chee Wai, Andy Lim, Philip Tan, Brian Gothong Tan, Randy Chan and Max Tan create
Finally, SIFA X, a (micro) festival within the festival, injects
for multiple commissions. Notably, Wong Chee Wai
transformational energy within Goodman Arts Centre and
creates a set designed for two commissions within the
Aliwal Arts Centre with music, dance and installation.
Pasir Panjang Power Station, his imaginative dexterity discovering transformative design strategies in relation to
CREATION, Life Profusion and SIFA X in unison explore and
this magnificent space. Architect Randy Chan dynamises
expand notions of Ritual and contemporary performance
the Esplanade’s proscenium theatre for three festival
practice in unending and nuanced dimensions.
commissions woven into a singular experience, with festival attendees positioned on stage as well as in the
I want to thank Arts House Limited’s (AHL) Executive
auditorium, offering unique perspectives and engagement
Director Tan Boon Hui and the AHL team including Ken
with the work depending on where you are seated.
Tan, Mervyn Quek, Hoo Kuan Cien, Christie Chua, Fezhah Maznan and Ye Junmin whose constancy and creative
Situating commissions within the historic premises of
dynamism ground and propel this festival.
Pasir Panjang Power Station, idyllic remote locations such as Pulau Ubin, and a newly imagined virtual venue defined
The world changes rapidly and erratically. We can’t
by SIFA’s Life Profusion, highlights SIFA’s intent to treat
tell where it is going or what tomorrow brings. Like
audiences with the experience of the unusual excursion
a protagonist in an epic narrative, the world stands
where the venue or destination holds as much charm and
perpetually at a turning point of crisis struggling in a
creative vitality as the actual performance.
crucible of trial and testing, flawed and awesome at once. Yet, Art carries a kind of prophetic quality: it can embody
The curatorial strategy is comprised of three layers:
and reveal things about the past, present and future, moving us to think and feel, reminding us that we all have
CREATION or prime offerings
a place and a say in this strange and beautiful world.
Life Profusion or digital offerings SIFA X or wilder offerings
Welcome to SIFA 2022. May we all in precious fleeting moments be moved by the beauty and power of art.
CREATION is a platform for SIFA’s prime offerings encompassing new commissions, fresh iterations of works and the presentation of outstanding works from around the world to capture the imagination and inspire. Natalie Hennedige Festival Director
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CREATION is a platform for SIFA’s prime offerings encompassing new commissions, fresh iterations of works and the presentation of outstanding works from around the world to capture the imagination and inspire.
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Festival Commission
MEPAAN
By Singapore Chinese Orchestra (Singapore) and Tuyang Initiative (Sarawak, Borneo – Malaysia) –
20 – 22 May, Fri – Sun 8pm Pasir Panjang Power Station 1h 15m, No Intermission Rating to be determined Recommended for audiences age 13 and above Helmed by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra in
Tickets: $58*
collaboration with Tuyang Initiative – a Sarawak-based
*Limited concessions available for students,
creative agency focused on Borneo indigenous cultural
NSFs and seniors
heritage – MEPAAN delves into dynamic new dimensions with astounding design interventions.
Also available on SIFA On Demand $15 per show $25 for bundle of 4 (U.P $60)
Local fashion designer Max Tan creates the costumes, weaving the ethereal with the earth connecting bodies in rapt musical and physical expression, with fabric and design that vertically connects the natural with the eternal.
From the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and Tuyang
Singaporean Sean Lee’s photography and Sarawak-based
Initiative comes a magnificent performance evoking the
indigenous film-maker Harry Frederick capture through
sublime rituals of Southeast Asia and its native people,
their unique individual lens and artistic approaches the
brought to life by an electrifying team of creatives.
anatomical landscape and cultural history embodied in indigenous bodies and lived spaces.
MEPAAN – meaning always in the Kayan language of the indigenous Kayan people of Borneo – is a sonic and visual
The imagination of set designer Wong Chee Wai and
trip into the wellspring of spiritual and cultural nuance
lighting designer Andy Lim collectively evoke the surreal
embedded in Southeast Asian native culture.
grandeur of the work set within the cavernous halls of Pasir Panjang Power Station, as multimedia artist
In a breathtaking performance, stirring strains of
Brian Gothong Tan takes the entire experience into
indigenous music and vocal tradition from Southeast
transcendence with his visual treatment.
Asia’s island nations are woven into a fabric of powerful orchestral compositions, evoking grand ritual
Directed by Natalie Hennedige, MEPAAN is set to
and ceremony to transport the mind into the pristine
thrill audiences in an arresting evening of music,
rainforests of Southeast Asia.
beauty and transcendence.
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Image Credit: Sean Lee
EMPTINESS
An exhibition by Sean Lee –
20 May – 5 Jun, Fri – Sun 10am – 7pm daily The Arts House Free Admission In tandem with SIFA 2022’s opening performance, MEPAAN, acclaimed Singaporean photographer Sean Lee showcases a selection of his works depicting of a kaleidoscopic universe of flora and fauna. Originally captured and featured in festival commission MEPAAN at the Pasir Panjang Power Station, this companion photographic exhibition offers an alternative encounter with Lee’s sensuous nature imagery.
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HOLLY HERNDON: PROTO (United States) –
20 & 21 May, Fri & Sat 8pm Victoria Theatre 1h, No Intermission Rating to be determined Recommended for audiences age 13 and above
Tickets: $38*, $48 *Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors
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Image Credit: Vera Marmelo
One of the most intelligent, disruptive musical voices of our age, experimental musician Holly Herndon dazzles in her first concert in Asia at SIFA 2022. Billed as “shaping the future of A.I.” by CNN, Holly Herndon navigates the nexus of technological evolution and musical catharsis through elevated live performances with her vocal ensemble. Operating at the edge of electronic and avant-garde
PROTO is a thrilling engagement with one of today’s
pop music, her work involves augmentation of her voice
greatest cultural shifts – the “protocol era” – where
and image, facilitated by critical research in Artificial
rapidly surfacing ideological battles over the future of A.I.
Intelligence and decentralised infrastructure.
protocols, centralised and decentralised internet protocols, and personal and political protocols are emerging.
On her most recent full-length album, PROTO (released in 2019 via 4AD), Herndon fronts and conducts an electronic
The sounds synthesised on stage by Herndon, her A.I.
pop choir, comprised of both human and A.I. voices, over a
“baby” Spawn, and the ensemble combine elements from
musical palette that encompasses everything from synths
Herndon’s dynamic and idiosyncratic personal journey:
to Sacred Harp stylings.
the timeless folk traditions of her childhood experiences in church-going East Tennessee (particularly the prismatic layered practice of Sacred Harp singing); the avantgarde music she explored while at Mills College; and the radical club culture of Berlin; all enhanced by her recent PhD composition studies researching machine learning and music. Euphoric, dynamic and eye-opening, Holly Herndon: PROTO promises to be an exhilarating concert from a musician at the forefront of today’s technological revolutions.
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Festival Commission
CEREMONIAL ENACTMENTS
By MAX.TAN (Singapore), Nadi Singapura (Singapore) and Bhaskar’s Arts Academy (Singapore) –
21 & 22 May, Sat & Sun 7.30pm Esplanade Theatre 2h, No Intermission Rating to be determined Recommended for audiences age 6 and above
Tickets: $38*, $48*, $58 *Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors
Also available on SIFA On Demand $15 per show $25 for bundle of 4 (U.P $60)
In Ceremonial Enactments, three Singaporean companies imagine a resplendent tapestry of local customary rituals, told with a contemporary twist. Drawing from customs and rites within Singapore’s diverse cultures, Ceremonial Enactments features three festival commissions, woven into one seamless performance experience. Held at the Esplanade Theatre, Ceremonial Enactments flips conventional notions of staging and the audienceto-performance relationship within a traditional proscenium theatre. In Act I, designer powerhouse and label MAX.TAN opens the evening with ANG, a fashion performance inspired by Chinese and Southeast Asian birth rituals. Conceived as a sartorial love letter to designer Max Tan’s mother, Tan constructs and weaves garments of ethereal beauty, layered with ideas of birth, re-birth and Samsara. In Act II, percussion ensemble Nadi Singapura, led by Artistic Director Riduan Zalani, presents one of the grandest ceremonies within the Malay community – the wedding or the majlis persandingan. 293NW elegantly weaves dance and narrative, along with Nadi Singapura’s
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signature style of traditional Malay percussion rhythms.
In Act III, Bhaskar’s Art Academy presents Yantra Mantra,
Brian Gothong Tan, Andy Lim and Philip Tan designing
an enactment of an ancient dance ritual performed in
multimedia, light and music respectively, Gino Babagay
Hindu temples. Choreographed by Cultural Medallion
lending choreographic unity along with fashion designer
recipient the late Mrs Santha Bhaskar and Meenakshy
Max Tan conceiving costumes for the entire work.
Bhaskar, the creation draws from compositions by the Indian classical composer Sri Muthuswamy Dhikshitar
Grand and gorgeously realised, Ceremonial Enactments is
and poetry by the 18th century Tanjore Quartet, where
a sensorial awakening celebrating customary rituals in a
dancers pay obeisance to the nine celestial custodians
highly contemporary performance.
that guard the eight directions and the centre of the earth. Ceremonial Enactments features a stellar team of creatives, including Randy Chan of Zarch Collaboratives Architectural Studios conceiving the startling set design,
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Festival Commission
From playwright Eleanor Wong and filmmaker John
REMOTES X QUANTUM
Torres comes a gripping multi-disciplinary work, reimagining life in Singapore and the Philippines on the
By John Torres (The Philippines) and Eleanor Wong (Singapore)
brink of a dystopian world order.
–
A leading artistic force in New Philippine Cinema,
25 – 27 May, Wed – Fri, 8pm 28 – 29 May, Sat – Sun, 4pm & 8pm The Arts House
independent auteur John Torres’s poetic sensibility and
1h 20m, No Intermission Rating to be determined Recommended for audiences age 13 and above
Tickets: $35*
anthropological eye fuse to create films utterly his own. Matched by acclaimed Singaporean poet and playwright Eleanor Wong – known for her wit and dramatic range – Remotes x Quantum is a thrilling collaboration between two seminal artists, marrying themes from Torres’ futuristic film The Remotes and Wong’s recent text, The Quantum of Space.
*Limited concessions available for students,
In Remotes x Quantum, two countries collide in their
NSFs and seniors.
contrasting realities. In the Philippines, ordinary people sell the control of their bodies to become avatars purely to survive. While in Singapore, an island ladened with first-world preoccupations, people struggle to find new meaning in the face of existential challenges. Blending film, poetry, theatre and sound in a swirling multi-disciplinary live installation, Remotes x Quantum is a searing examination of the state of possession, both as noun and verb. Wong and Torres conjure a dream language, set against their home cities on the brink of a dystopian world order, to meditate on the physicality, spirituality, and politics of human bodies limboed in varied states of possession. In a universe where our moral codes and human desires drive the need to possess, are there other roads to nirvana?
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Image Credit: Aisha Causing
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ubin
Festival Commission
ubin
By Drama Box (Singapore)
Part theatre, part collective experience, ubin by
–
Singapore theatre company Drama Box invites you to an
25 – 29 May, Wed – Sun 1 – 5 Jun, Wed – Sun 6.15pm
immersive walking tour uncovering the stories and sites
Please arrive by 6pm to allow for pre-registration. Due to the nature of the performance, latecomers will not be admitted. This is a shine-only event. Participants are recommended to come dressed comfortably for walking.
Meeting Point: Changi Point Ferry Terminal
of Pulau Ubin – and share in a moment to reimagine the island’s future. There is another reality alongside ours – one where nature, community and a slower rhythm quietly stand against the march of urbanisation. This is Pulau Ubin: an island mere 15 minutes away from the main island of Singapore. Ubin, which means “squared stone” in Javanese, was once a thriving kampong with a bustling economy. With records of inhabitants tracing back to the 1800s, today its native islanders number at a hundred; come nightfall, only around 30 remain.
Approx 4h, No Intermission Rating to be determined
As the population on Pulau Ubin ages and dwindles, what
Recommended for audiences age 13 and above
will happen to life and culture on the island? Who will safeguard its rustic beauty and cultural relevance? Will
Multilingual with English translations
there be new inhabitants and how will they sustain the island’s vibrancy? How will the living, the spiritual and the
Tickets: $58* *Ticket price is inclusive of round-trip boat transfers to Pulau Ubin. Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors.
embedded continue to exist in the future? Billed for its socially-engaged productions, Singapore theatre company Drama Box invites you to this extraordinary three-hour journey through the sites and scenes of Ubin. From the forests to the birds to the islanders and the iconic granite quarries, leave behind the bustle of the city and immerse yourself in the stories of the island, as you meet stakeholders of the land and join in the re-imagining of its future. A reflective intimate journey through one of Singapore’s most rustic sites, ubin promises to be an unforgettable evening of history, nature and culture.
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Festival Commission
project SALOME
By Ong Keng Sen / T:>Works (Singapore) –
27 May, Fri, 8pm 28 May, Sat, 2pm & 8pm Victoria Theatre 1h 15m, No Intermission Rating to be determined Admission only for audiences age 18 and above Performed in English and Arabic with English surtitles
Tickets: $48*, $58 *Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors
A T:>Works (Singapore) production. Conceived, Written and Directed by Ong Keng Sen (Singapore) In collaboration with Camille Lacadee (Berlin), Elizabeth Mak (Singapore), Heman Chong (Singapore), Janice Koh (Singapore), Kaffe Matthews (Berlin), Michael(a) Daoud (Berlin) and Shahrzad Rahmani (Berlin)
From internationally acclaimed Singapore director Ong Keng Sen, comes an arresting evocation of the enigmatic character Salome from Oscar Wilde’s renowned play. Ong joins the ranks of towering artists throughout history who have re-imagined famous classics to make ground-breaking art. In project SALOME, Ong unveils the rituals of projecting – via social media and creative documentary film-making – to finally recast the idiom “heads will roll”.
With the text of Oscar Wilde “How do we express ourselves, and remain free, during the challenging restrictions of the pandemic? As our bodies are locked down, can we find the imaginative freedom to roam the wildest fantasies in our apartment? This was the beginning of the project to transform my apartment in Berlin into the world of SALOME. Two, juxtapose that with a live performer in Singapore. Three, harness social media as the site of performance which have long superseded our theatre buildings. It’s necessary to assert performance with the limited resources available, as we become debilitated by regulations and
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our theatres continue to be under threat. The rest as they
Image Credit: Ceren Saner
say is history. We know we are now in a new world of
to occupy social media with a love at all costs. Set in
reimposed barriers, in a precarious future where we are
an unexpected installation by Heman Chong with the
struggling to regain our imagination of the possible.”
energising rhythms of composer Kaffe Matthews,
Ong Keng Sen
they jointly contemplate the SALOME complex from diverse directions.
Salome is a larger-than-life character who has from time immemorial horrified and fascinated all. Who is SALOME
In an intriguing pre-performance on social media,
in our contemporary times, who attempts to transform
The SALOME Complex is performed, even before the
their position of no-power into some kind of power?
audience enters the theatre. Koh embodies her character Seah Loh Mei on Instagram @thesalomecomplex from
Based on English playwright Oscar Wilde’s symbolist play
now till 26 May 2022.
from 1891, SALOME fights to be free from the systems of morality and patriarchal power which have imprisoned
Meanwhile, Daoud performs their mesmerising auto-
them. Salome stoked both controversy and acclaim
biography on film from Berlin, recounting their perilous
when it was first performed – and today, Ong’s SALOME
journey into the European Union fortress and the shedding
strikes a provocative and ferocious double portrait of
of different selves in order to survive en route to freedom.
individuals unafraid to pursue their deepest instincts to become emancipated.
A meditation on the rituals of projecting, transitioning, becoming and self-mythologising, project SALOME
Ong collaborates with Berlin-based performance
is a startling performance from one of Asia’s most
artist Michael(a) Daoud, to navigate the edges of
accomplished directors.
documentary film, and Singapore actress Janice Koh,
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THE NEON HIEROGLYPH By Tai Shani (United Kingdom) –
27 – 29 May, Fri – Sun 8pm Pasir Panjang Power Station
Take a trip into the unconventional mind of Turner Prize award-winning artist, Tai Shani, in this exciting new iteration of her film The Neon Hieroglyph, created for SIFA 2022. With her singular ability to build worlds of arresting and mythic beauty, British artist and the 2019 Turner Prize award winner Tai Shani draws inspiration from forgotten
1h, No Intermission Rating: General Recommended for audiences age 16 and above
Tickets: $35* *Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors
sources, fictional stories and collective fantasies. The Neon Hieroglyph is a filmic performance that takes audiences into a hallucinatory universe, where Shani unleashes her artistic imagination to an unlikely subject: a speculative history of ergot, a fungus that grows on common grains, linked to mass hallucinations in Europe. Shani weaves a series of psychedelic vignettes around ergot that encompass a historical narrative between myth and reality, including references to a continuous 450-year outbreak of ergot poisoning in Alicudi, one of seven islands that make up Italy’s Aeolian islands. With scenes set in ‘impossible places’, The Neon Hieroglyph segues from the cellular to the planetary, from ice cream sundaes to Palaeolithic caves, dancing plagues to communist witches, as Shani weaves her subtle commentaries on altered states, communality and speculative futures. In the register of the fantastical, immaterial and mystical, Shani casts well-known Malaysian actress Jo Kukathas in the role of narrator for this new exciting iteration of The Neon Hieroglyph, created for SIFA 2022. Astonishing, iconoclastic and full of surprise, The Neon Hieroglyph is a spectacular filmic performance not to be missed. The film series The Neon Hieroglyph was commissioned and produced by Manchester International Festival. The project is also commissioned by The British Art Show, and is developed in collaboration with Serpentine’s
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Back to Earth project.
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Festival Commission
BANGSAWAN GEMALA MALAM By Teater Ekamatra (Singapore) –
2 – 4 Jun, Thu – Sat 8pm Victoria Theatre 2h, No Intermission Rating to be determined Recommended for audiences age 6 and above Performed in Malay with English surtitles
Tickets: $38*, $48 *Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors
Also available on SIFA On Demand $15 per show $25 for bundle of 4 (U.P $60)
In a merry night of theatre, Singapore ethnic minority theatre company Teater Ekamatra remakes Shakespeare’s classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream, inspired by the splendour of Bangsawan opera and Nusantara. In its heyday in Singapore in the 1930s and 40s, Bangsawan, a form of Malay operatic theatre, would regale audiences with its fantastical characters, and its mix of drama, music, and dance. Now, Singapore ethnic minority theatre company Teater Ekamatra presents a lush, contemporary take on Bangsawan, in its highly-original adaption of one of Shakespeare’s beloved plays, A Midsummer Night‘s Dream. Promising to be the most whimsical of love stories, this comic tale follows four lovers as they escape to the forest, only to be bewitched by fairies in a deceptive game of love and fantasy. Now set against the exuberance of Nusantara, Bangsawan Gemala Malam revisits Shakespeare’s magicinfused world with music, set and costumes celebrating the region’s cultural vibrancy. Conceived by Artistic Director Mohd Fared Jainal and directed by Aidli Alin Mosbit, Bangsawan Gemala Malam stars Aisyah Aziz, Rizman Putra, Munah Bagharib, Fir Rahman, and Vanda Miss Joaquim, amongst many other brilliant talents, along with costumes by local fashion designer, Max Tan. Don’t miss this delightful evening of theatre, as Bangsawan Gemala Malam invites you to revel in the world’s perennial obsessions: love, jealousy and magic.
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Festival Commission
Two lost Singapore souls cross the Devil’s path in
DEVIL’S CHERRY
Australia. As they reckon with personal demons and the
By Kaylene Tan and Paul Rae (Singapore/Australia)
ghosts of the landscape, will they be an easy catch, or has the Devil met his match?
–
3 – 5 Jun, Fri – Sun 7.30pm Pasir Panjang Power Station 1h 10m, No Intermission Rating to be determined Recommended for audiences age 16 and above
Tickets: $48* *Limited concessions available for students,
Set where urban life meets the Australian Bush, Devil’s Cherry is a fantastical tale of ordinary desire, the escape it promises, and the dreams it damns. Debbie and Mo are a couple in search of themselves and on the run from each other. Lured by the Singapore dream of Australia’s wide open spaces, they’ve been on the road for months now. When these lost souls stumble across the Devil’s path, they seem like an easy catch. But maybe this time he has met his match, and it’s the Devil’s cherry that’s ripe for the picking.
NSFs and seniors In Devil’s Cherry, SIFA is proud to announce the return of Kaylene Tan and Paul Rae, formerly of cult Singapore performance company spell#7. Bringing their trademark everyday poetry and bare-bones theatricality to the atmospheric environment of Pasir Panjang Power Station, they will stage a hallucinatory collision of beauty, banality and terror. Featuring some of Singapore’s most charismatic actors – Lim Kay Siu, Neo Swee Lin and enigmatic new-generation actor Elizabeth Sergeant Tan – and mohiniyattam-trained Indian-Australian queer dancer Raina Peterson, the experience blends striking visuals by Andy Lim and Wong Chee Wai with immersive spatial audio by Darius Kedros and the gothic Outback blues of fabled Australian songsmith, C.W. Stoneking. As personal demons collide with the ghosts of the landscape, Devil’s Cherry is an intimate epic about our careworn past, uneasy present, and necessary future.
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Festival Commission
THE ONCE AND FUTURE
By Yeo Siew Hua (Singapore) featuring members of the Berliner Philharmoniker (Germany) –
3 Jun, Fri, 8pm 4 Jun, Sat, 2pm & 8pm 5 Jun, Sun, 2pm Esplanade Theatre 1h 15m, No Intermission Rating to be determined Recommended for audiences age 18 and above The filmic aspects of the work feature mature themes.
Tickets: $58*, $68*, $88 *Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors
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Experience a coming together of film, laser display and live musical performance in The Once and Future, as awardwinning director Yeo Siew Hua’s cinematic exploration of voyages is brought to life by live music from members of the Berliner Philharmoniker, librettist Anandi Bhattacharya and a mesmerising choreography of lights and lasers. “In terms of a sensorial experience it goes well beyond the boundaries of what you’ll normally experience in cinema.” – Stanley Dodds Set in the Esplanade Theatre, The Once and Future opens to a new work of speculative fiction by acclaimed Singaporean filmmaker Yeo Siew Hua. Shot entirely in Argentina during the pandemic, Yeo’s film is a searching exploration of our humanity, the future of our Earth, and the voyages we may have to make. Breathing life to the film is an arresting musical score of original compositions by leading contemporary composer Eugene Birman, described as a composer of “high drama” and “intense emotion” (BBC). Eugene’s music will be performed live by the ZeMu! Ensemble Berlin, the latest ensemble coming out of the world renowned Berliner Philharmoniker and conducted by the esteemed Stanley Dodds, which will make their premiere at The Once and Future. Joining the orchestra is acclaimed Indian librettist and vocal soloist Anandi Bhattacharya, celebrated for her ‘golden voice’ and prowess in classical Indian music alongside world music and pop. She will play the Artificial Intelligence in The Once and Future, guiding the audience through song on this sensorial journey. Complementing the filmic and live performance is an intricate dance of lasers, choreographed to the majestic orchestral soundscape. Journeying from monumental landscapes to intimate everyday moments, The Once and Future is a daring cinematic experience about the borders of land, body and love, to discover what separates and binds us, and ultimately, what makes us truly human. Co-commissioned by the New Vision Arts Festival, Hong Kong
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SIFA On Demand
Image Credit: Sean Lee
For latest viewing period, please refer to sifa.sg SIFA On Demand features three SIFA 2022 Creations through the lens of filmmaker Tang Kang Sheng. Our festival commission film Delicate Spells of Mind will also be available on SIFA On Demand. $15 per show $25 for a bundle of 4 (U.P $60)
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MEPAAN By Singapore Chinese Orchestra (Singapore) and Tuyang Initiative (Sarawak, Borneo – Malaysia) From the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and Tuyang Initiative comes a magnificent performance evoking the sublime rituals of Southeast Asia and its native people, brought to life by an electrifying team of creatives.
Ceremonial Enactments By MAX.TAN, Nadi Singapura and Bhaskar’s Arts Academy (Singapore) Three Singaporean companies imagine a resplendent tapestry of local customary rituals, told with a contemporary twist.
Bangsawan Gemala Malam By Teater Ekamatra (Singapore) Singapore ethnic minority theatre company Teater Ekamatra remakes Shakespeare’s classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream, inspired by the splendour of Bangsawan opera and the Nusantara region.
Delicate Spells of Mind By Lucy McRae (Australia) Raw and ambitious, Delicate Spells of Mind is an intriguing performance film the dissects the operating system of the mind – where a seeker contends with ego, the inherited artificial intelligence.
For more information, visit sifa.sg/vod
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SIFA X marks the spot for wilder performance offerings, injecting fierce transformational energy within the compounds of two iconic arts spaces, Goodman Arts Centre and Aliwal Arts Centre, as diverse multidisciplinary artists band together to collectively drum up a fantastic performance experience.
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2022’s SIFA X is helmed by Andy Chia, SAtheCollective’s artistic director whose vision of oneirism takes us on a trip with heady music and a rush of surreal performance reflecting dreamlike illusions of ritual and ceremony.
SAtheCollective presents oneirism [ō-nī′rĭz′əm], a chance to access an irregular state of consciousness, in which dreamlike illusions are experienced – all while wide awake. Discover the enchanting duality of oneirism at Ceremony, Goodman Arts Centre, as well as Rituals, Aliwal Arts Centre, this May. Join us for a journey into the third space at twilight (彼は誰時 “kawatare-doki”), a time in which our reality overlaps with the spirit realm, and encounters with supernatural occurrences become possible - where the transformation and hybridisation of identities and cultures
ONEIRISM – oneirism – Ceremony 21 & 28 May, Sat & Sat Performance (Free with registration) 21 – 28 May, Sat – Sat Exhibition (Free to view) Goodman Arts Centre
are encouraged and explored, freed from the shackles of hierarchy and the politics of polarity. oneirism Ceremony imbues Goodman Arts Centre with transformative energy and life, inviting creatures of the third realm into our reality for one special, unforgettable experience of merrymaking. Where has your body been? Where has it walked, what has it touched, what has it experienced? We shed a cumulative of 200 million skin cells everyday, leaving invisible yet tangible footprints of our DNA throughout the material world. These worn clothes and used chairs, carrying trace elements of all the people that have ever
oneirism – Ritual 27 May & 4 Jun, Fri & Sat Performance (Free to view) 27 May – 4 Jun, Fri – Sat Exhibition (Free to view) Aliwal Arts Centre
inhabited them, is what sets the stage for our twilight festival. oneirism Rituals awakens energy and life in Aliwal Arts Centre by gathering up these forgotten pieces and celebrating the things oft taken for granted. A magical sum of two parts, oneirism Ceremony at Goodman Arts Centre and oneirism Rituals at Aliwal Arts Centre is imbued with the richness of contemporary live performance expression, evoking the ceremonies
Performances at Goodman Arts Centre
and rituals drawn from Southeast Asian culture, and
Free with registration, with a refundable deposit of
inspiring us all to rediscover the magic hidden in
$10 per ticket
everyday mundanity.
Audience members are advised to arrive no later
Curated by Andy Chia and produced by SAtheCollective,
than 15 minutes after the programme begins
features SAtheCollective (SA), Tiramisu, deførmed, NADA, Randolf Arriola, Mohamed Noor, Stylish Nonsense,
Unclaimed seats will be given to walk-in patrons
P7:1SMA, Ezzam Rahman, Andy Yang, Ashley Chiam, Bright Ong, and UTB (Under The Bridge) Collective led by Sufri Juwahir.
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oneirism Ceremony @ Goodman Arts Centre 21 May*
28 May* Opening Ceremony
Tiramisu (Singapore)
deførmed (Singapore)
SAtheCollective (SA) (Singapore)
Randolf Arriola & Mohamed Noor (Singapore)
Stylish Nonsense (Thailand)
NADA (Singapore)
Roving Performances:
Bright Ong, Under The Bridge, P7:1SMA (Singapore) 21 – 28 May:
Exhibition: Yellow Box by Ashley Chiam (Singapore) 44
oneirism Rituals @ Aliwal Arts Centre 27 May*
4 Jun*
Opening and Closing Performances
Andy Chia (Singapore)
Andy Yang (Singapore)
Ezzam Rahman (Singapore)
27 May – 4 Jun:
Exhibition: Rituals
*The start times for both performances at Goodman Arts Centre and Aliwal Arts Centre will vary from day to day to observe civil twilight timings. Please refer to the SIFA website for the latest timings.
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LIFE PROFUSION
sifa.sg/life-profusion
Life Profusion is SIFA’s virtual platform running parallel to the festival’s liveness. Make your way through five unique content portals: +DREAM, +EAT, +READ, +GROW and +DISCUSS, designed to expand, organise and deepen the profusion of ideas and artistry radiating from each festival edition’s line of thought.
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1 VIRTUAL DESTINATION 5 CONTENT CATEGORIES OVER 50 ARTISTS +DREAM Premiering on +DREAM is Lucy McRae’s astounding performance film Delicate Spells of Mind, marking SIFA’s foray into high-profile commissioning in the digital arena and emphasising SIFA’s commitment to the virtual space as a stage for inspired artistic creation. +EAT Bite-sized virtual art and multidisciplinary performance pieces featuring local and international artists. Curated by Syndicate. +READ A series of written articles and creative responses exploring the artistry and ideas explored in SIFA. Curated by Hong Xinyi. +GROW Insight into individual artists’ creative stances, strategies and perspectives. +DISCUSS A series of artist talks that lend insight to the creative process, moderated by Alfonse Chiu and Chong Gua Khee.
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Raw and ambitious, Delicate Spells of Mind is an intriguing performance film by Lucy McRae that dissects the operating system of the mind – where a Seeker contends with ego, the inherited artificial intelligence. SIFA commissions renowned British-born, Australian science fiction artist, body architect, film maker and TED fellow Lucy McRae to create a world premiering performance film for Life Profusion. Delicate Spells of Mind occupies two worlds: that of a ‘Seeker’ and ‘Other’. The Seeker’s self-invented ‘practice’, appearing as acts of care and game, are her sincere attempts to flee from pain and error. With a dashboard of gadgets and controllers to calculate outcome, the Seeker attempts to pre-meditate the best outcome – anything to circumnavigate the incessant thoughts she doesn’t choose, but drives her. Simultaneously, the ‘Other’s’ world is populated with a procession of dancers costumed in inoperable mocap suits, a committee, an organism, traveling and prostrating in search. Switching between worlds, the Seeker and the Other are caught in a tug of war, grappling with a riddle of a rope – the ‘lifeline’ contraption. They eventually come to share the same plain of existence, emptying through movement, shape and ritual, to invite healing, where both Seeker and Other co-exist. Designed to invite multiple interpretations, Delicate Spells of Mind approaches the spectator as a malleable subject for change and self-reflection, allowing for higher states of consciousness, where humanity, science, ethics, technology shapeshift, integrate and unite. An existential voyage into psyche, Delicate Spells of Mind is an attempt to invite acceptance, belonging and learning to fit in as we are, rather than rooting out ego once and for all. Accompanying SIFA’s world premiere of Lucy McRae’s Delicate Spells of Mind is a companion video feature Delicate Spells of Mind ’s Map composed by Lucy and comprised of the artist taking us through the breadth of her artistic trajectory leading to her latest creation Delicate Spells of Mind - a gorgeous performance film reflecting futuristic and timeless notions of ritual.
TICKETED
sifa.sg/life-profusion 48
Premiering on +DREAM is Lucy McRae’s astounding performance film Delicate Spells of Mind, marking SIFA’s foray into high-profile commissioning in the digital arena and emphasising SIFA’s commitment to the virtual space as a stage for inspired artistic creation.
Festival Commission
DELICATE SPELLS OF MIND By Lucy McRae (Australia) –
5 Jun – 10 Jul Fri – Sun $15 Also available on SIFA On Demand $25 for bundle of 4 (UP: $60) 10m Rating to be determined
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+
EAT
+EAT features seasonal digital capsules of multidisciplinary art by local and international artists. Anise (SG) x Brandon Tay (SG) Cybercesspool (SG) x deførmed (SG) x Claude Glass (SG) Kiat (SG) x Strangeloop (US) Lenne Chai (SG) Yeule (SG) Phua Juan Yong (SG) x Weish (SG) Shelhiel (MY)
Curated by Syndicate – SYNDICATE presents new works in an exploration of fresh collaborations, experiments and pollination between artists, designers and creatives of various disciplines. What are the forms and narratives of a performance when the performer is removed from a traditional physical audience setting? Are there specific rituals that arise in the digital sphere? Explore a kaleidoscopic view of scenes that lie somewhere between utopia and dystopia.
FREE
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CAPSULE #1: MUSIC Release: From Feb 2022
Anise x Brandon Tay (Singapore) – Borrowing and subverting from her dark folk repertoire, Anise fragments her former identity with her new sonic palette. A cinematic blend of harsh glitchy beats cut through tender, shimmering vocals. Her new music is a portrait of the boundaries or lack thereof between the grotesque and beautiful.
Anise (SG)
Brandon Tay is a Singaporean artist working between the fields of installation and the moving image. His projects are concerned with how agency is defined – in culture, technology, and politically. Drawing parallels between these fields, he creates CGI films and projection-mapping installations that depict how similar principles in these disparate domains inform each other.
Brandon Tay (SG)
Artistic collaborators Amanda Lee Koe, Mervin Wong and Sonia Kwek
Cybercesspool x deførmed x Claude Glass (Singapore) – Cybercesspool is a Singapore-based visual artist. Her art consists of visually manic collages and occasionally mixed-media installations. Her practice navigates the nature of the Internet such as Cyberemotions, memes and how humanity embodies this space.
Claude Glass (SG)
Claude Glass is the solo musical project of songwriter Isa Ong. Experimenting with electronic and acoustic sources, he crafts songs that explore beauty in the tumultuous and the quiet – forming warped, surreal stories refracted from personal experience. deførmed (Abdul Hakiim) is an electronic based music producer. Described as “refreshing, wild, raw and highly imaginative”, he desires to bring forward a new identity of music in Singapore. His musical influences range from many styles such as electronic, traditional, acoustic, experimental and video game music.
Cybercesspool (SG)
deførmed (SG)
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+
EAT
CAPSULE #2: MOVEMENT Release: From Apr 2022
Kiat (Singapore) x Looop (United States) The adventurous themes in Kiat’s works are closely linked to the artist’s fascination with emotions and freedom. Known for his compositions that veer towards the leftfield boundaries of electronica, his tunes are sought after by international DJs, whilst receiving radio airplay on BBC Radio 1 and 1XTRA. A designer by trade, his creative approaches has led him to develop works crossing various mediums – from music for clubs to catwalks, and theatrical stages to site-specific art installations. His work has been featured by Peranakan Museum, Art Science Museum, Adidas, Dior, Selfridges, and SHOWstudio.
Kiat (SG)
David Wexler (aka Looop fka Strangeloop) is a Los Angeles based digital artist and director. He has created visual show design for acts such as Flying Lotus, The Weeknd, Bonobo, Erykah Badu, The Glitch Mob, and Skrillex. His work has been featured in the Amsterdam Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, and in the feature films Perfect and Kuso. He is also the co-founder of Strangeloop Studios, a visual content production company – and Spirit Bomb, the world’s first virtual artist label.
Looop (US)
Lenne Chai (Singapore) – Lenne Chai is a photographer and director who enjoys creating work inspired by her dystopian homeland of Singapore. Based between Singapore, New York and Los Angeles, Lenne got her start as a photographer in 2010, shooting for fashion publications and brands. In 2015, she began exploring mediums beyond photography – Lenne’s first exhibition was a karaoke-inspired video installation, and she went on to show Salvation Made Simple in 2018, an interactive mixed-media art installation exploring the conflations between religion and commerce. In 2019, A 377A Wedding, a photo series inspired by her experiences as a queer woman in Singapore, was shown at Objectifs and featured in BBC World News, Dazed, CNN, and more. She was more recently included in a lineup of modern and contemporary Singaporean artists for The Body as A Dream: A Singapore Art Story at Singapore Art Week 2020.
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Lenne Chai (SG)
CAPSULE #3: DIGITAL BEINGS Release: From May 2022 yeule (Singapore) – Nat Ćmiel is a non-binary, Singaporean painter, musician, performance artist and cyborg entity. In adolescence they found solace and comfort in an internet of niche online communities, MMORPG gaming, and tumblr. Their digital immersion from a young age led to an interest in augmented realities, the dystopian aesthete, and digital intimacy. yeule is a manifesto of Ćmiel’s own identity. They have access to multiple avatars, the freedom to change or contort at will, and a mutable, chameleon-like multiplicity.
Phua Juan Yong x Weish (Singapore) – Phua Juan Yong is an artist whose primary focus is image-making through 3D software. In recent years, his work has centred around pursuing the qualities of traditional paintings through digital means. That fascination has since evolved into an exploration of the broader relationship between the physical and the digital, be it in presentation, experience and consumption. weish is a composer, musician and writer. Her practice spans a diverse range of genres and disciplines – she forms part of dark pop duo .gif, experimental group sub:shaman, audiovisual collective Syndicate, and is also an associate artist at Checkpoint Theatre. In recent years, she has written both music and dramatic text for theatre and film, experimenting with divergent and formbending modes of storytelling. Her works have taken her around the globe – from Sundance Film Festival to the Golden Melody Awards.
Phua Juan Yong (SG)
Weish (SG)
Yeule (SG)
Shelhiel (Malaysia) – No stranger to the regional music scene, Shelhiel has toured across Southeast Asia, playing festivals and shows including Good Vibes Festival and Urbanscapes, while also opening for acts such as Hyukoh, FKJ and Crystal Castles. He has been lauded on publications including i-D, JUICE, Mulazine and Buro, and recently won the Malaysia PWH Music Award 馬來西亞娛協獎 (Yu Xie Jiang) award for best arrangement for one of his productions – Shio’s Extrication, which was also picked up by Netflix as a theme song for The Ghost Bride. Another one of his collaborative works - AAA with NYK, for which he cowrote and co-produced has also garnered over 40 million streams on Chinese music platforms to date since its release in March. His latest debut EP SUPERSTROBE was selected as NME’s “The 25 Best Asian Albums of 2020”.
Shelhiel (MY)
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Hong Xinyi
Ore Huiying
To curate this editorial project for +READ, writer, editor and producer Hong Xinyi reached out to creators from various disciplines, and with diverse areas of interests. They will respond to SIFA 2022’s line-up through essays, photography, soundscapes, and audio commentary that hope to provide context, generate insights, and spark conversations.
Little Histories of Big Topics Release: From Feb 2022 Ahead of the festival, check out a series of essays that bring contextual colour to SIFA 2022’s performance offerings.
Justin Zhuang, Sheere Ng
Authors include singer-songwriter Alena Murang, the first professional female Sape’ musician in Malaysia and Borneo; writer, researcher and curator Marcus Ng, who explores the natural and human histories of Singapore’s islands and shores; and the Malay Heritage Centre’s Jamal Mohamad, who will share more about the unique place of Bangsawan in Singapore’s performing arts.
Experiments in Reciprocations Release: From May 2022 These longform creative responses – including text, photo essays, soundscapes, digital illustrations and audio commentary – bring reflection and perspective to the performances and performance spaces of SIFA 2022.
Dana Lam
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Look out for striking images from documentary photographers Edwin Koo and Ore Huiying; soundscapes from sound designer Kenn Delbridge; a discussion on the creative process moderated by musician Samuel Wong; and insights from writers Dana Lam, Faris Joraimi, Justin Zhuang, Sheere Ng, Becca D’Bus, Sheryl Gwee, as well as emerging regional voices who have been published in PR&TA, a journal of creative praxis in Southeast Asia.
Jamal Mohamad
+READ explores the artistry and ideas driving the performance offerings in SIFA 2022, through text, images and sound. Becca D’Bus
Kenn Delbridge
Alena Murang
Faris Joraimi
Edwin Koo
Sheryl Gwee
Marcus Ng
Samuel Wong
FREE
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FREE
sifa.sg/life-profusion Release: From May 2022
+GROW is a set of learning resources comprising notes, reflections, sketches and exercises by artists participating in SIFA 2022. Offering a contemplative perspective into artists’ creative stances and strategies, the resources will be made freely available as downloadable files.
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Alfonse Chiu
Image Credit: Mike HJ Chang
Chong Gua Khee
Image Credit: Shirlene Loo
+DISCUSS is a series of artist talks lending insight to the creative processes governing SIFA 2022’s Creation works. Facilitating +DISCUSS is a cast of two select individuals – Alfonse Chiu and Chong Gua Khee – whose diverse interests and specialisations deepen and expand the conversation.
FREE
sifa.sg/life-profusion Release: Between 20 May – 5 Jun 2022
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VENUES SIFA VENUES
ALIWAL ARTS CENTRE 28 ALIWAL STREET, SINGAPORE 199918
ESPLANADE - THEATRES ON THE BAY 1 ESPLANADE DRIVE, SINGAPORE 038981
GOODMAN ARTS CENTRE 90 GOODMAN ROAD, SINGAPORE 439053
PASIR PANJANG POWER STATION 27 PASIR PANJANG ROAD, SINGAPORE 117537
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PULAU UBIN 51 LOR BEKUKONG, SINGAPORE 499172
THE ARTS HOUSE 1 OLD PARLIAMENT LANE, SINGAPORE 179429
GATHERING POINT:
CHANGI POINT FERRY TERMINAL
VICTORIA THEATRE & VICTORIA CONCERT HALL 9 EMPRESS PLACE, SINGAPORE 179556
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TICKET HOLDER PRIVILEGES – Flash your SIFA 2022 tickets to enjoy special deals at our partner outlets. All offers valid from 20 May to 10 July 2022
BQ Bar
39 Boat Quay, Singapore 049828 – 10% off all F&B items on menu • Not valid for promotional items
Café Melba @ Goodman Arts Centre
90 Goodman Road Block N #01-56, Goodman Arts Centre, Singapore 439053 – 10% off all F&B items – Special pre-show combo (priced at $35++) including a starter, main and a coffee. • Only applicable to selected mains and coffee. • Not valid for promotional items
First Grill
18 Pahang Street, Singapore 198615 – 15% of all F&B items on menu with free coffee or tea (non-free flow) • Valid for dine-in only
• Not valid for promotional items
First Grill Signature
2A Bukit Pasoh Rd, Singapore 089860 – 15% of all F&B items on menu with free coffee or tea (non-free flow) • Valid for dine-in only
• Not valid for promotional items
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Privé ACM
1 Empress Place, #01-02, Singapore 179555 – 10% off a la carte items
• Only valid for a la carte food and drink items only • Applicable for both dine-in and takeaways • Split bills are not allowed • Privé reserves the right to amend the terms and conditions from time to time and without prior notice
Molly Malone’s
56 Circular Road, Singapore 049411 – 10% off all F&B items on menu • Not valid for promotional items
The Exchange
8 Marina View, #01-05, Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960 – 10% off all F&B items on menu • Not valid for promotional items
The Fabulous Baker Boy
28 Aliwal St, #01-01, Singapore 199918 – 10% off all café menu items • Not valid for promotional items
Timbre X S.E.A. @ TAH
1 Old Parliament Lane, #01-04 The Arts House, Singapore 179429 – Twin Tiger Crystal Draught at $24 nett – Twin Rojak Gin & Tonic at $18 nett – Twin glasses of Red or White Wines at $18 nett
For more ticket holder privileges, please visit sifa.sg/ticketing/privileges Terms & Conditions Unless otherwise stated, all promotions are valid till 10 July 2022. Not applicable with other promotions, discounts, vouchers and offers by credit privilege cards. Management reserves the right to amend any promotional terms and conditions without prior notice. Merchants’ terms and conditions apply.
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TICKETING –
Tickets are available via online booking at sifa.sg and phone booking via Book My Show’s hotline at +65 65918871 (from Monday to Friday, 10am - 9pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10am - 6pm)
BOOK NOW! Ticketing Promotions
Bundle of 3 Till 5 Jun 2022 20% off ticket purchases** **Valid for purchase of 3 or more different SIFA programmes
SIFA On Demand Bundle of 4 Till 10 Jul 2022 $25 (U.P $60)***
***Valid for purchase of all 4 digital titles: Ceremonial Enactments,
Toteboard Arts Grant
For selected programmes, government schools may enjoy subsidies up to 50% of the ticket price. Applicable for Secondary Schools, Junior Colleges, Centralised Institute and Institute of Technical Educations (ITE) levels. Special Education Schools may use the Tote Board Arts Grant to subsidise up to 70% of the programme cost. For more details on school bookings or Tote Board Arts Grant, please email sifatickets@artshouse.sg.
MEPAAN, Bangsawan Gemala Malam and Delicate Spells of Mind **Applicable for selected programmes only
For corporate bookings, group bookings and ticket enquiries, please contact sifatickets@artshouse.sg.
Concessions
Do note that there will be a booking fee of $1 for tickets valued at $20 and below, $3 for tickets valued between $20.01-$40 and $4 for ticketed valued above $40.
SIFA offers 20%* off ticket purchases to local and international students, NSFs and seniors aged 55 and above (applicable to selected ticket categories). *Applicable to selected ticket categories
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SMM GUIDELINES – Arts House Limited (AHL) places the utmost importance on the safety and well-being of all patrons, staff and artists visiting our venues. Please be assured all our venues are SG Clean-certified and that Safe Management Measures (SMMs) have been implemented across all venues. For your health and safety, please observe the following when visiting any of our venues, including:
TraceTogether check-in and check-out required Mask to be worn at all times for indoor performances Ensure safe distancing of 1 metre for all mask-off settings As the COVID-19 situation in Singapore evolves, these measures will be updated in accordance to the latest advisories issued by the Singapore Government. For the latest advisories, please visit sifa.sg.
FOLLOW US #SIFA2022 – We can’t wait to welcome you at SIFA. Share with the world (and us!) what you are most excited to see at this year’s festival, or your photos and videos of your favourite SIFA festival moment.
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SIFA SHOP SHOP SHOP
SHOP FOR OUR EXCLUSIVE MERCHANDISE AT SIFA.SG
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SIFA 2022 TOTE A versatile, oversized
tote designed in heavier canvas for all occasions
SIFA 2022 x MAX TAN T-SHIRT A limited edition T-shirt designed by Singaporean designer Max Tan
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PARTNER US – Join us and support the arts!
...Sodade... by Cirque Rouages (France), 2018
At Arts House Limited (AHL), we count it as our mission to push artistic boundaries and present programmes that will nurture the love for the arts in Singapore. Through the commitment, generosity and vision of our passionate donors, AHL has been able to transform ideas into reality, present our signature programmes, from the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) to the Singapore’s Writer’s Festival, and nurture the vibrancy of Singapore’s Civic District. By supporting AHL, you’ll join a vibrant community of arts lovers helping to develop the next generation of Singaporean artists and audiences. Your contribution supports capability development, collaborations and presentations, as well as provides a network for support, exchange and engagement. Find out how a partnership can help you or your organisation play a key role in shaping Singapore’s arts and cultural scene. Every Corporate Partner or Donor will be provided with a unique sponsorship package, tailored to meet your objectives and maximise your return on investment. For partnerships and sponsorship opportunities and enquiries, please contact us at partnership@artshouse.sg
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SIFA.SG
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All information is correct at the time of print. SIFA reserves the right to make changes and modifications to the programme without prior notice. For updates, please visit our website at sifa.sg.
