D6 life happenings | THE STRAITS TIMES | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2019 | Ong Sor Fern Senior Culture Correspondent recommends Picks Arts CURIOCITY: RAFFLES PLACE PHOTOS: MINISTRY Tucked into a corner of the National OF INFORMATION Library’s ground floor lobby is a booth AND THE ARTS with a charming little exhibition COLLECTION, combining archival footage, National NATIONAL ARCHIVES Archives recordings and books. OF SINGAPORE, HUM Curiocity: Raffles Place offers video, THEATRE, D KPO sound and literary glimpses into a city centre that has changed completely from its beginnings as Commercial Square in 1822 to its current form as a train station surrounded by skyscrapers. One of the most engaging clips is footage of pedestrians using the underpass from the underground carpark at Raffles Place to the Robinsons department store. The carpark boasted a rooftop garden with two fountains as well as a flower clock donated by Japanese watch company Seiko. Make time to listen to the audio files, which has interviews with ONE MACHINE, ONE STITCH, BEING MRS GANDHI Singaporeans who grew up in the ONE MAN Home-grown theatre group HuM has area. Mr Ng Joo Kee’s memories of the The art of sulam (embroidery, left) produced a play (right) to mark the 1972 fire at Robinsons are very vivid. worked on a treadle sewing machine 150th birth anniversary of Indian The books on display include poet is the focus of this small show which leader Mahatma Gandhi. He is seen Boey Kim Cheng’s After The Fire: New opens next Wednesday at The Arts here through the eyes of his wife, And Selected Poems, open to the House. Designer Heath Yeo will show Kasturba, who was just 14 when she page with his poem Change Alley. 20 handcrafted kebayas (left below) married the then-13-year-old Gandhi If this show piques your interest, and gowns created using this in an arranged marriage. His odd there is more to explore online as this technique. The 48-year-old designer sexual proclivities have drawn some is a showpiece to introduce the says he was encouraged by friends to controversy in recent years and National Library Board’s new online put on this show: “This form of actress Daisy Irani says: “The play portal Curiocity. This digital embroidery is an art form and not does cover the fact that he was a very storytelling site reorganises the many are practising it. This inspired sexually passionate husband who, at library and the archives’ rich me to share the beauty of the craft.” 35, suddenly decides to abrogate sex collection of materials into a He will also be giving two talks for a life of celibacy. Perhaps this was click-bait friendly site. Currently, the about how the treadle sewing the genesis of his alleged peculiar focus is on Raffles Place and Kallang, machine led to the development of sleeping practices that have and there is a section devoted to the this technique of creating delicate generated so much hype.” bridges of Singapore River. lace-like embroidery as well as While she does not think he was a WHERE: Level 1, National Library demonstrating the process. misogynist, she says “the play draws Building, 1000 Victoria Street WHERE: Gallery II, The Arts House at attention to his patriarchal arrogance WHEN: Till March 22 next year The Old Parliament, 1 Old Parliament and sense of entitlement”. MRT: Bugis ADMISSION: Free Lane WHEN: Wednesday to Oct 5, She notes that Gandhi’s wife also INFO: curiocity.nlb.gov.sg 10am to 8pm, Oct 6, 10am to 6pm. had an impact on his politics, adding WHERE: KC Arts Centre – Home of Artist talk and demonstration: Oct 5 that Kasturba “convinced him that SRT, 20 Merbau Road WHEN: Oct 4 and 6, 2.30pm MRT: City Hall/ the passive resistance of women to 12, 7.30pm MRT: Fort Canning Raffles Place ADMISSION: Exhibition, could be weaponised effectively ADMISSION: $55 to $85 free. $5 for artist talk and against the forces of oppression”. INFO: str.sg/JoH7 demonstration. To register, e-mail [email protected] INFO: str.sg/JoHh ARTS traditional melodies and rhythmic formed the band in 1991. Growing up outcome is hard to control and WHERE: The Merry Lion, Level 3, 8b patterns with aspects of the Western surrounded by the tradition of Latin irreversible. Quirks and abnormalities Circular Road MRT: Clarke Quay BOOKS classical tradition was established by music, both have incorporated their inevitably arise from the process of WHEN: Tomorrow, 10.30pm composers such as Komitas and formal classical training and construction and are often seen as ADMISSION: $20 TEL: 6348-5555 Babajanyan. knowledge of modern harmony in defects. This photography exhibition INFO: www.sistic.com.sg Book Sharing Session: WHERE: Gallery II, The Arts House at their music. contemplates the perception of such On Air: Untold Stories From The Old Parliament, 1 Old Parliament WHERE: Esplanade Outdoor Theatre, imperfections. Part of Archifest 2019. Freddy Quinne Caldecott Hill Lane MRT: Raffles Place WHEN: Today, 1 Esplanade Drive MRT: Esplanade WHERE: The URA Centre, 45 Maxwell The Lancashire-born and On Air: Untold Stories From Caldecott 7.30 - 9pm ADMISSION: $20 WHEN: Today, 7.30 - 8.15pm, 8.45 - Road MRT: Telok Ayer WHEN: Today - Manchester-based comedian started Hill captures the breadth and depth INFO: www.theartshouse.sg 9.45pm ADMISSION: Free Oct 9, 9am - 7pm daily his journey in comedy in 2010. Armed of broadcasting history over 82 years INFO: www.esplanade.com ADMISSION: Free with an affable charm and a unique on the Hill – from the founding of the The Arts Place – Bicentennial INFO: www.archifest.sg brand of cheeky, blokey comedy, British Malayan Broadcasting Tribute Gala Concert Quinne has entertained audiences Corporation in 1936, to Radio and EXHIBITIONS (GALLERIES) International and local singers come from Edinburgh to Liverpool. Television Singapore, Singapore THEATRE together for an evening of classical WHERE: The Merry Lion, Level 3, Broadcasting Corporation and, finally, To Have And Not To Hold Western opera excerpts from the 8b Circular Road MRT: Clarke Quay Mediacorp. Illustrated with rare This solo exhibition features a series likes of Bizet’s Carmen, Verdi’s Aida The Golden Record 3.0 WHEN: Today & tomorrow, 8pm archival photographs, this of charcoal and acrylic works by and Donizetti’s Don Pasquale to a As Singapore marks its Bicentennial ADMISSION: $20 TEL: 6348-5555 publication is the first of its kind that Singapore artist Henry Lee. The series selection of popular Chinese songs by year, the question of how INFO: www.sistic.com.sg gives an insight into the development adapts still-life studies as a narrative local composers. The soloists will Singaporeans see themselves as a of broadcasting in Singapore. form to examine the intimate nation is brought to the fore. perform popular operatic tunes such The Try Guys Legend Of The WHERE: Kinokuniya Singapore Main relationships people have with Completing a trilogy of plays inspired as O Patria Mia, Cruda Sorte and Di Internet Tour 2019 Store, Level 4 Takashimaya Shopping cherished objects. by the 1977 Voyagers launch that Provenza, along with nostalgic vocal The Try Guys – comprising Keith, Ned, Centre, 269 Orchard Road WHERE: Mulan Gallery, 36 Armenian carried two golden records deep into works by local composers Quek Yong Zach and Eugene – will bring their Street MRT: City Hall WHEN: Oct 5 - 26, space, The Golden Record 3.0 builds MRT: Orchard WHEN: Tomorrow , 2pm Siew, Nelson Kwei and Tan Kah Beng. iconic brand of “trying everything and Tue - Sat, 11.30am - 6.30pm. Closed on on the many Singaporean voices that anything” on stage. ADMISSION: Free Accompanied by Braddell Heights Mon, Sun & public holidays contributed to the previous iteration, INFO: kinokuniya.com.sg Symphony Orchestra, Aloysius Fong WHERE: The Star Theatre, 04-01 ADMISSION: Free TEL: 6738-0810 focusing on the ideas of identity, time, The Star Performing Arts Centre, on piano and guest performer INFO: www.mulangallery.com.sg art and faith. With Cultural Medallion 1 Vista Exchange Green MiniCon @ Books Kinokuniya, NUSChoir. recipient Santha Bhaskar’s words MRT: Buona Vista WHEN: Tomorrow, Brought To Us By Mr. Kiasu WHERE: Victoria Concert Hall, Creator Johnny Lau & Team! WoodMetalStone etched on the NUS Centre for 8pm ADMISSION: $79 - $158 9 Empress Place MRT: Raffles Place Quantum Technologies’ latest Mr. Kiasu creator Johnny Lau will talk This solo exhibition features TEL: 6348-5555 WHEN: Oct 6, 7.30pm ADMISSION: $38 satellite, SpooQY-1, award-winning about his publications, which include paintings and found object art by INFO: www.sistic.com.sg - $68 TEL: 6348-5555 theatre writer and director Edith Mr. Kiasu In Singapore History and the Singaporean artist Alpana Vij. INFO: www.sistic.com.sg Podesta, together with NUS Stage, Roti Kaya And Guyu series, and Through her art practice, she reflects presents this new piece of theatre OTHER ARTS EVENTS present AXP – a comics paper that is on the ephemerality and The Voice Of Mexico interconnection of our lives. She is celebrating Singapore’s diversity. put together by a group of budding New Guided Art Tour For Boleros grew out of the trova also inspired by the Japanese WHERE: University Cultural Centre student comic artists from Club Singapore’s First Outdoor Art tradition of the Cuban style of music concept of wabi sabi, which embraces Theatre, National University of Comix AX @ Singapore Polytechnic. Gallery, The Gelam Gallery by travelling musicians who earned an idea of beauty that is imperfect, Singapore, 50 Kent Ridge Crescent WHERE: Kinokuniya Singapore Main The back lanes of Kampong Glam their living by singing and playing the impermanent and incomplete. MRT: Clementi WHEN: Oct 18, 7.30pm Store, Level 4 Takashimaya Shopping have been converted from a dirty bin guitar.