International artists are converging in Singapore to take up residencies, establishing the Little Red Dot as a true incubator for global creativity.
International artists are converging in Singapore to take up residencies, establishing the Little Red Dot as a true incubator for global creativity.
CHANTANA TIPRACHART AT OBJECTIFS
Artist in residence from 18 January to 27 February
Tiprachart’s films Status, Directionless and Goodnight saw her reach the finals of the annual Thai Short Film and Video Festival from 2012 to 2014. Tiprachart had been told by her peers in Thailand that not only was Objectifs—a not-for-profit visual arts centre for photography and film—extremely supportive of young filmmakers, it was a hub for the film industry in Asia. And they were right, as it was here she met award-winning Singapore filmmaker, Sun Koh. Tiprachart decided to work on her film The Otherness, which is subsidised by Thailand’s Ministry of Culture, over the course of her four-week residency. “As I come from a country where a fear of ghosts is rooted in the national psyche, I chose to create a horror film to help explore my chosen themes,” she explains. While she was in Singapore, Tiprachart worked on the structure of the film and added more international content. “I greatly benefited from the exchange of ideas with Singaporean filmmakers such as Sun Koh. This helped me develop my film so that it may be better understood internationally,” she says. In fact, Tiprachart was so inspired by Singapore’s world of art and culture, she decided to shoot more scenes here. “It excites me that the film is [still] evolving,” says Tiprachart. Visit objectifs.com.sg
YANG CHI CHUAN AT GREY PROJECTS
Artist in residence from 9 January to 13 February
In Yang’s own words, Singapore is a multiracial “microcosm of the world,” and that’s what attracted her here. “After the residency, when I returned to Taipei, I retained this sense of curiosity and energy,” she says. Living in an alien environment, Yang said the residency inspired her to experiment with juxtaposing objects and sounds. Yang wrote down her feelings and recorded them into a melancholic recital, which played in the background along with “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. By using sound to construct imagery, she influenced the viewer’s experience of her art installation, which was composed of Indian prayer garlands painted with images of violence, as well as street plants, bamboo clothes-drying rods and bamboo curtains. “It also reflected the sense of displacement and doubt I experience in a foreign place,” she explains. Visit greyprojects.org
GEORGIA MILL AT INSTINC
Artist in residence from 2 June to 29 July
The dynamic visual artist from Australia was awarded with a Master of Arts from RMIT University in Melbourne. In 2014, she exhibited a live work at the Melbourne Fringe Festival. The artist, who works in an array of different mediums, including live performance, drawing, ceramics and metalwork, jumped at the chance to take part in the residency programme at Instinc. “There is great energy here [in Singapore] because so many people and ideas come together in one place. It is a melting pot of different cultures, and allows me to experience so many different routines and patterns,” she says. “Most of the time, our lives are so busy and we are pulled in so many different directions. This residency has provided a space away from my usual environment to focus on creation,collaboration and reflection,” enthuses Mill. Visit instinc.com
PHOEBE D’ABO AT HÔTEL VAGABOND
Artist in residence at hôtel vagabond from 6 to 7 June
Like many Londoners, Phoebe naturally gravitates to warmer climates. And Singapore is just the place for sultry nights and balmy breezes. “My DJ sets are always heavily influenced by my environment. Nothing beats DJ-ing under the stars or by the sea!” she enthuses. Already in Singapore to spin at the inaugural BMW Singapore Beach Polo Championships, D’Abo subsequently accepted a two-day residency at hôtel vagabond to create a bespoke playlist for guests. Her playlist was inspired by the hotel’s luxurious colours, seductive scent, eclectic art collection and nomadic spirit. It included ’60s Mexican lounge music, cinematic dance, electro swing and jazz from iconic artists like Groove Armada and Parov Stelar. D’Abo also featured a track from French producer Onra, whose album Chinoiseries references Chinese and Vietnamese music discovered during his travels of Southeast Asia. “The vibe is exotic and alien, yet homely,” she explains. The celebrated house DJ for brands such as Swarovski, Porsche and London Fashion Week, says: “What I love about my job is that no set is ever the same. Clubs, beach parties, fashion shows... I love them all,” she says. Visit hotelvagabondsingapore.com
