The neighbourhoods of Little India and Katong-Joo Chiat have become more vibrant with 15 artworks and the creative inspirations of local artists on display.
It is in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary public art festival ARTWALK 2024 held during Singapore Art Week which runs until 28 January.
This is the tenth year that LASALLE College of the Arts and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have collaborated on the ARTWALK project with the support of the Little India Shop Owners and Heritage Association (LISHA).
Under the theme "Decennial", ARTWALK features works that create a multi-sensory experience through works of art such as musical performances, wall paintings or murals and workshops.
Dueting couple Hazel & Haziq are the opening acts of ARTWALK 2024
The dueting couple Hazel & Haziq was chosen for the opening night of ARTWALK.
They sang songs from various genres such as Pop, Jazz and R&B.
Among the songs they performed was Stevie Wonder's evergreen classic, 'Isn't she lovely '.
Guitar player, Muhammad NurHaziq Abdul Hadim, 26 years old, told journalist Nurfazirah Azman that he was excited to be among the line-up of artists in this year's event.
"I'm a little nervous because I haven't performed for a long time in public but I'm also happy to be able to do something that I really enjoy. I promise to do my best to give the best performance for the public," shares Mr Haziq.
To attract the interest and attention of the public, the dueting pair sang popular songs.
"The songs we played are from artists like Coldplay, Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande and many more. The set list is varied and will change but the singers are all well known. We mixed Chinese and Malay songs and we tried to make the performances varied," shared Mr Haziq.
To create uniqueness, they gave the songs their own touch.
"In terms of the songs, we are inspired by acapella to modify the arrangement of the song and present a performance that people might like. We tried to use unique harmonies that people might not have heard of before online or from other performances out there," said Mr Haziq.
He hopes members of the public can come out and support ARTWALK 2024 this year.
"My hope is that the public will give opportunities to artists in Singapore. ARTWALK 2024 is a platform that shines a light on local Singaporean art talents," he said.
The walking experience 'Led Me Here '
The performance 'Led Me Here' took visitors on a 'walk' together through the Katong-Joo Chiat district.
It offers a unique experience where participants have the opportunity to listen to stories spanning several decades, set against the backdrop of the shophouses, architecture and murals in the area.
It is suitable for teenagers aged 12 and above.
The performance was organised by playwright and performer Shaifulbahri Mohamad, 38 years old and director, Adeeb Fazah.
"Actually it all started with a walking experience I curated last September titled, 'Tampines Boy". Due to that I was invited to create a unique experience for the ARTWALK festival. And I was given a challenge to curate something for the Katong-Joo Chiat district," shares Mr. Shaifulbahri.
Participants of the event will be taken to areas and alleys in the Katong-Joo Chiat district that are not known to many.
He hopes the participants will see the Katong-Joo Chiat area through different lenses and perspectives.
"I took "Led Me Here", which took me back to the Katong-Joo Chiat area for inspiration. I wanted to create something from the perspective of a millennial about gentrification, about the heritage buildings that may have been lost and the changes that have happened to the Katong-Joo chiat district," says Mr. Shaifulbahri.
He adds that one of the challenges he faced was the safety of the participants.
"The challenge was to find an interesting path that we could take with an audience. However, we also had to think about the long distance from one destination to another and at the same time also safety. As there are no traffic lights in that area, we had to be careful when crossing and so on," explains Mr Shaifulbahri.
There are many more experiences, exhibitions, works of art and interesting activities that the whole family can enjoy at ARTWALK 2024.
Watch the interview on BERITAmediacorp.
