CURIOCITY: RAFFLES PLACE
Tucked into a corner of the National Library's ground floor lobby is a booth with a charming little exhibition combining archival footage, National Archives recordings and books.
Curiocity: Raffles Place offers video, 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 Singaporeans who grew up in the area. Mr Ng Joo Kee's memories of the 1972 fire at Robinsons are very vivid.
The books on display include poet Boey Kim Cheng's After The Fire: New And Selected Poems, open to the page with his poem Change Alley.
If this show piques your interest, there is more to explore online as this is a showpiece to introduce the National Library Board's new online portal Curiocity. This digital storytelling site reorganises the library and the archives' rich collection of materials into a click-bait friendly site. Currently, the focus is on Raffles Place and Kallang, and there is a section devoted to the bridges of Singapore River.
WHERE: Level 1, National Library Building, 1000 Victoria Street WHEN: Till March 22 next year MRT: Bugis ADMISSION: Free INFO: curiocity.nlb.gov.sg
ONE MACHINE, ONE STITCH, ONE MAN
The art of sulam (embroidery, left) worked on a treadle sewing machine is the focus of this small show which opens next Wednesday at The Arts House. Designer Heath Yeo will show 20 handcrafted kebayas (left below) and gowns created using this technique. The 48-year-old designer says he was encouraged by friends to put on this show: "This form of embroidery is an art form and not many are practising it. This inspired me to share the beauty of the craft."
He will also be giving two talks about how the treadle sewing machine led to the development of this technique of creating delicate lace-like embroidery as well as demonstrating the process.
WHERE: Gallery II, The Arts House at The Old Parliament, 1 Old Parliament Lane WHEN: Wednesday to Oct 5, 10am to 8pm, Oct 6, 10am to 6pm. Artist talk and demonstration: Oct 5 and 6, 2.30pm MRT: City Hall/ Raffles Place ADMISSION: Exhibition, free. $5 for artist talk and demonstration. To register, e-mail dkpocollective@gmail.com INFO: str.sg/JoHh
BEING MRS GANDHI
Home-grown theatre group HuM has produced a play (right) to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. He is seen here through the eyes of his wife, Kasturba, who was just 14 when she married the then-13-year-old Gandhi in an arranged marriage. His odd sexual proclivities have drawn some controversy in recent years and actress Daisy Irani says: "The play does cover the fact that he was a very sexually passionate husband who, at 35, suddenly decides to abrogate sex for a life of celibacy. Perhaps this was the genesis of his alleged peculiar sleeping practices that have generated so much hype."
While she does not think he was a misogynist, she says "the play draws attention to his patriarchal arrogance and sense of entitlement".
She notes that Gandhi's wife also had an impact on his politics, adding that Kasturba "convinced him that the passive resistance of women could be weaponised effectively against the forces of oppression".
WHERE: KC Arts Centre - Home of SRT, 20 Merbau Road WHEN: Oct 4 to 12, 7.30pm MRT: Fort Canning ADMISSION: $55 to $85 INFO: str.sg/JoH7
