features

TEXT BY EDWIN TAM

IMAGES COURTESY OF Night & Day, Lasalle College of the arts, P-10, Edwin Tam, Air Division AND OSAGE

. Once, the only true designer haunt in the Selegie area was Peace Centre, the destination a la mode for local art
students for reliable quality printing. These days, the area is seeing a burgeoning of bohemian bars, art schools
and art galleries. iSh guides you through Selegie’s new artsy corners.

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I used to frequent Selegie area during my student days.
Back then – perhaps 15 years ago – the area felt passed-over; even the many old
buildings seemed to droop in acknowledgment.
Despite the pervasive aura of disrepair, it attracted a rough-and-tumble student
crowd: surly ah-bengs (male gangsters) hung out with bored, pregnant ah-lians
(female gangsters) next to large video game machines; the smoky, basement
pool halls were filled with secondary school students in frumpled uniforms; eats
were provided by cheap, dingy coffeeshops located in the corners, nooks and
crannies along the smaller roads.
Now.
The students remain, albeit tottering around with big, black bags of art supplies.
The old buildings are overshadowed by high-rises. And the area is slowly rein-
venting itself into an unorthodox but creative neighbourhood, as if it were react-
ing to the artsy, designer types that the art schools are churning out and the
over-abundance of overly-polished places.
Here’s a guide to unconventional Selegie. Head down before it gets crowded out
by too many creative types/wannabes. Oh, and the pool halls smell better now.
WITHIN a one-KiloMetre RADIUS OF EPICENTRE – JUNCTION OF
SELEGIE ROAD AND MIDDLE ROAD
EMILY HILL
11 Upper Wilkie Road, Singapore 228120; www.emilyhill.org
This beautifully restored house on top of a secluded hillock once served as
a Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts campus but now it is home to several arts
groups, a gallery and a bar. So it’s just a venue? Not quite. The entire setup is
a bridge between the arts and businesses by helping each side feed off each
other without undermining either; an enterprising philosophy that fits in well
with drinks under the sunset.
Emily Hill Tenets:
Monsoonasia Gallery
Opening Hours: 3pm to 9pm (Tuesdays to Sundays); Tel: (65) 6225 2236;
www.monsoonasia.com
Long and quirky gallery; you can also buy the furniture propping up the art
pieces. They’re also hosting the Singapore debut of The Blue Room exhibition
(17 th November to 2 nd December), a contemporary glass design exhibition by
Bombay Sapphire.
Solideas/Tan Sock Fong
Tel: (65) 6883 1091
The first glass studio in Singapore with facilities for hot, warm and cold glass
techniques. Co-founded by resident glass artist Tan Sock Fong, trophy designer
for the Singapore Green Plan 2012 Award. Interested parties can learn how to
create textures and patterns on glass tiles during her Art Glass Design work-
shop (8 th December).
Sun Yu-li Sculptures
Tel: (65) 6336 7188; www.sunyuli.com
You’ve probably seen his works adorn Singapore’s major buildings: Suntec City,
UE Square, to name a few. Get to know him and his works during his Open
House (3 rd November to 8 th December).
Theatre Training & Research Programme
Tel: (65) 6338 5133; www.ttrp.edu.sg
Unusual curriculum immersing students in Asian theatre forms (Noh, Kutiyattam
and Beijing Opera) and contemporary training. Founded by T. Sasitharan, co-
founder of The Substation.

Night & Day Gallery

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 Lasalle College of The Arts
Osage Gallery
Wild Oats
Opening Hours: 6pm to 12pm (Tuesdays to Sundays); Tel: (65) 6336 5413;
www.wildrocket.com.sg
The bar that complements Wild Rocket. Great place to watch the sun while
downing their very unusual strawberry cheesecake shot. Sun Yu-li’s sculp-
tures and Tan Sock Fong’s glass pieces will be showcased (28 th November to 8 th
December) here.
OLD SCHOOL
11B Mt Sophia Rd, Singapore 228461; Tel: (65) 6338 7682; www.oldschool.sg
They’ve converted the old Methodist Girls’ School into a venue for numerous ad
agencies and studios. Apart from office-hopping, those who make it up here can
visit Osage Gallery (Blk 11B, #01-12; Opening Hours: 12pm to 8pm (Tuesdays
to Sundays); Tel: (65) 63376 9909; www.osagegallery.com) housed in the old
auditorium; the entire space is dedicated to the production and presentation
of contemporary Asian art. Comme des Garçons fans: mark down January
2008 on your calendars – Work Werkz is re-opening CdG Guerilla Store +65
at the former bookshop (Blk 11, #01-02; Tel: (65) 6323 3202; www.workwerk.
com). Cityspace (Blk 11A, #01-05; Tel: (65) 6226 3533; www.cityspace.sg) has
set up a showroom showcasing Pinoy designer furniture – expect lots of rat-
tan woven into contemporary designs. There’s food to be had at Recess (Blk
11A, #01-05; Opening Hours: 8am to 10pm (Mondays to Fridays), 10am to 10pm
(Saturdays), 10am to 3pm (Sundays); Tel: (65) 6338 0800), a quick-eats bistro
with an attached florist; and Bistro Gaga (Blk 11, #01-03; Tel: (65) 6883 2120), a
mod-ish red and white European eatery.
NIGHT & DAY – BAR+GALLERY+FRIENDS
139 A/C Selegie Rd, Singapore 188309; Bar opening hours: 6pm to 12am (daily);
Gallery opening hours: 12pm to 12am (by appointment); Tel: (65) 6884 5523;
www.nightandday.sg
A gallery, bar and architecture studio rolled into a 1950s Art Deco building. Apart
from strong drinks and graphic art exhibitions – Andy Yang and mindflyer a.k.a
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Night & Day Bar
Michael Ng (29 th November to 29 th December) – the multi-purpose space is a
conservationist’s and historical buff’s idea of heaven. Check out the many pre-
served relics interspersed throughout the building – from the grate-covered
elevator shaft in the middle of the bar to the antediluvian wooden frames in
the gallery.
AIR SOPHIA
28 Wilkie Rd, #01-01 Sophia Flat, Singapore 228051; Opening Hours: 12pm to 10pm
(Mondays to Fridays), 10am to 10pm (Saturdays and Sundays); Tel: (65) 6336 0662;
www.weloveair.com
Air Division’s new flagship store showcases the very best of lifestyle furniture
– Plankliving, Royce and Funktion – as well as high-end imports like Tacchini and
Pedrali. The interior feels surprisingly breezy and open despite the profusion of
furniture; plenty of natural lighting, suspended timber steps and floor-to-ceiling
wood-clad French doors. It’s near the entrance of Mount Sophia; a stone’s throw
away from the Cold Storage at Peace Centre.
FARM
213A Selegie Rd, Singapore 188336; Tel: (65) 6336 1706; www.farm.sg; farmers@farm.sg
FARM is neither a shop nor a gallery; it is a collective of cool guys who nur-
ture local creative talent via their Local Creative Director y (a director y of
local creatives websites) or systems: LOBANG – listings of classifieds;
FARMWORK – the architectural arm of FARM; WORM – the publishing
unit which produces visually stunning and critically arresting art-architec-
ture - design books; ROJAK – a yearly sharing session featuring works by
ten local creatives. Catch this year’s ROJAK 10 – The Collaborative Edition
(1st December). Check their website for more information.
LASALLE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS
1 McNally St, Singapore 187940; Tel: (65) 6496 5000; www.lasalle.edu.sg
You can’t miss it. From far, it resembles a big black box. On closer inspection,
it looks like coal cracked open to reveal a diamond in the making. This rather

Museum of Shanghai Toys (MOST)
ingenious campus, dedicated to the arts, also houses a number of art and gal-
lery spaces: the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, the Earl Lu Gallery
and the McNally Gallery.
CURIOCITY GALLERY
38 Bencoolen St, NAFA Campus 2, Singapore 189654; Opening Hours: 11am to 6pm
(Mondays to Fridays), 11am to 1pm (Saturdays); Tel: (65) 6334 6022; service@sagesse7.com
On any one day, you might get a fashion show, an art exhibition or a work-
shop/photography session. Jay, the manager of the gallery, loves to experi-
ment with a diverse range of events and exhibitions where designers can
interact and showcase and sell their works. Eco-minded folks can check out
their Eco lifestyle and design products, located within the galler y’s open
work station. Their latest offering: Single & Multiple: New Jeweller y from
Tasmania (28 th November – 8 th December) is a contemporary jewellery exhi-
bition by ten Tasmanian jeweller y designers. While you’re at it, check out
NAFA’s other art galleries at Campus 1 (80 Bencoolen St, NAFA Campus 1;
Singapore 189655; Opening Hours: 10am to 7pm (Mondays to Saturdays);
Tel: (65) 6512 4043; www.nafa.edu.sg).
SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM
71 Bras Basah Rd, Singapore 189555; Opening Hours: 10am to 7pm (Saturdays to
Thursdays), 10am to 9pm (Fridays); Tel: (65) 6332 3222; www.nhb.gov.sg/SAM/Home;
guided tours available
What is there not to like about SAM? Extensive twentieth-century Southeast
Asian art collection beautifully restored historical building (the old St Joseph’s
Institution established in 1855) and surrounding, and if you time it right, admis-
sions are free! Ongoing exhibitions include The Big Picture Show (31st October
2007 – 23 rd March 2008) – a showcase of large paintings from the muse -
um’s collection, which stretch up to 13 metres, Re-Woven: Contemplation,
Remembrance and Reminiscence (16 th November 2007 – 22nd February 2008)
– a woven art exhibition of Lao textile creations, traditionally woven but in con-
temporary designs by noted local fashion designer Benny Ong.
AIR Sophia
Monsoonasia Gallery
PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF SINGAPORE
30 Selegie Rd, Selegie Arts Centre, Singapore 180030; Tel: (65) 6334 3361;
http://pss1950.org
Great place to pick up tips on photography. They have, on the third floor, a gal-
lery exhibition of photographs. Call for information on current exhibitions.
ALTERNATIVES
A number of independent art groups are setting up shop along Rowell Road
(Little India). Don’t be surprised if this turns out to be the new bohemian spot in
the near future.
MUSEUM OF SHANGHAI TOYS (MOST)
83 Rowell Rd, Singapore 208015; Tel: (65) 6294 7747; www.most.com.sg
Marvin’s quaint little museum showcases every imaginable toy ever made in
China – from Qing dynasty to the 1960s. Check out the third floor where a 1950s
Singaporean living room is reproduced with the attendant toys of that era.
POST MUSEUM
107/109 Rowell Rd, Singapore 208633; Tel: (65) 6294 0041; www.p-10.org
Independent arts group P-10’s new playground consists of a gallery and a vegan
café (Food #3) on the ground floor while the upstairs are studios for visiting
artists.
YOUR MOTHER GALLERY
91A Hindoo Rd, Singapore 209126; Tel: (65) 9787 7874; yourmothergallery@gmail.com;
by appointment only
This rather rude-sounding gallery features contemporary local artists in a liv-
ing room setting. The last we were there, Lee Wen, winner of the 2005 Cultural
Medallion, was on show.
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