Arts Picks: Kaya toast cinema performance, Red Dot Baroque, UOL x Art:Dis art prize

National Gallery Singapore’s Painting With Light

Can film be developed with organic materials such as pandan and instant coffee instead of chemicals? What happens when a film loop is marinated in mouldy kaya?

Singapore artist duo Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen’s We Are Toast literally takes apart the classic kaya toast breakfast in their expanded cinema performance, which will take place on Sept 14 at 8pm as part of National Gallery Singapore’s festival of international films on art. Actual organic and botanical materials will be used to treat films in this unique live performance.

The artists tell The Straits Times about their inspiration: “We were looking at posters, images, media of kaya toast – the perfectly prepared breakfast that is claimed to be the ‘breakfast of Singaporeans’.

“These images are so prevalent that they struck us as almost obsessive, like we were in a kopitiam daze. We wondered about what it means to idealise our breakfast in this way, and we felt we had to perform this image through cinema, to truly dive into the layers beneath it.”

More than 45 films will be presented at the festival.

French film-maker Agnes Varda’s classic 2000 documentary The Gleaners And I (Sept 14, 2pm) explores the practices of modern-day foragers across France. Right after, watch Palestinian film-maker Jumana Manna’s 2022 film Foragers (Sept 14, 4.30pm), which explores how Israeli laws affect Palestinian foragers.

Those fascinated by how

Nanyang artist Chen Wen Hsi’s last place of residence

at 5 Kingsmead Road has been given new life in a recent project will want to catch the documentary Home To He(art) on Sept 7 at 2pm.

Many of the films are programmed in dialogue with the ongoing exhibitions at National Gallery Singapore, so it is worth budgeting extra time to roam the museum.

Where: National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Road
MRT: City Hall
When: Sept 4 to 14, various timings
Admission: Free and ticketed
Info:

str.sg/Bnhn

Red Dot Baroque’s Bach Concertos Extravaganza!

Four of Johann Sebastian Bach’s beloved concertos anchor home-grown ensemble Red Dot Baroque’s upcoming concert, making it a treat for Baroque music lovers.

But expect to hear the Baroque renewed with contemporary sounds of the tropical rainforest.

The full debut of composer Chen Zhangyi’s Rainforest Refrains evokes the sounds of the gamelan as well as natural elements like the strangling fig, pangolin, squirrel and durian, reworking familiar Baroque musical devices.

Red Dot Baroque founder and artistic director Alan Choo says: “Zhangyi uses the ritornello form in a number of movements, a form that was employed in Baroque concertos featuring a musical theme that always ‘returns’ – like a refrain.

“He uses the form of a Baroque lamento, characterised by a descending bass line, as a poignant ode to the endangered pangolin.”

The group performed five of the nine movements in the piece at its European debut across north-east Italy in June. The piece is commissioned by Red Dot Baroque on the occasion of Singapore’s 60th birthday.

The afternoon recital will also feature Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2 In B Minor, Concerto For Oboe And Violin In C Minor, Harpsichord Concerto In A Major and Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor.

Where: Victoria Concert Hall, 11 Empress Place
MRT: City Hall
When: Sept 7, 3pm
Admission: $28 to $48
Info:

str.sg/rHzE

UOL x Art:Dis Art Prize 2025 Exhibition

Eighteen artworks by artists with disabilities are on show at Ion Art Gallery. The exhibition is part of the second edition of a biennial art competition jointly organised by property and hospitality group UOL Group and non-profit arts group Art:Dis.

Drawn from more than 570 submissions to the 2025 edition of the prize, the selected works on display include Christian Tan’s Red Plumbing Set and Gan Jun Huan’s Local Bites, Different Vibes.

The winner will receive $20,000 in cash and the chance to stage a solo exhibition.

Artist Fern Wong, the 2023 winner of the UOL x Art:Dis Art Prize, staged her first solo exhibition at Objectifs in 2024.

After showing at Ion Art Gallery, the exhibition will travel around Singapore to Kinex (Oct 6 to 12), Velocity@Novena Square (Nov 3 to 9), West Mall (Nov 17 to 23), Parkroyal on Beach Road (Dec 1 to 31), United Square (Jan 12 to 28, 2026) and Punggol Regional Library (April 1 to 30, 2026).

Where: Ion Art Gallery, Level 4 Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn
MRT: Orchard
When: Till Sept 14, 10am to 10pm
Admission: Free
Info:

str.sg/xmJu

The Philharmonic Chamber Choir’s Echoes Of Ancient Airs

The Philharmonic Chamber Choir (TPCC), conducted by Cultural Medallion recipient Lim Yau, returns in September for its first full concert since 2018. The 29-member chorus will present a cappella songs inspired by ancient poetry and texts.

One highlight of the evening’s repertoire is the Singapore premiere of Singaporean composer Zechariah Goh’s Abandoned Qin, which was written during the Covid-19 pandemic and set to a poem from Tang poet Bai Juyi.

The poem might be familiar, as it was set to music by English composer Benjamin Britten’s Songs From The Chinese (1957), but TPCC chair Hor Xinrong says: “In Abandoned Qin, he does not pander to the listener with something that sounds comfortable and familiar; elements of qin-playing techniques and sounds are evoked, but absent are all other Asian musical stereotypes.”

Other songs in the programme include three by Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu and Filipino composer Francisco Feliciano’s Si Yahweh Ang Aking Pastol (The Lord Is My Shepherd).

Where: Esplanade Recital Studio, 1 Esplanade Drive
MRT: City Hall/Esplanade
When: Sept 5, 7.30pm
Admission: $20 to $30; tickets are sold out
Info:

str.sg/xwhr