Departures 01: Kelong E63 (2026)
23 — 25 Oct 2026, Presented At Golden Mile Tower, Art Experience
What can the remains of a kelong tell us about Singapore today?
Kelong E63 was once one of Singapore's last working kelongs. For more than two decades, the late Uncle Timothy Ng and his wife Maureen operated the kelong and adjoining floating fish farm before it ceased operations in 2025.
For Departures 01, artist Daniel Chong responds to the kelong's remains, alongside a seafood dining experience by Kenny Lek of Pasarfish. Over two hours, trace the journey from kelongs and wild catch to fish farms and the seafood we eat today, and how Singapore's changing relationship with the sea continues to shape our waters and food.
A taste of the menu
The meal unfolds across a starter, communal grazing table and dessert, featuring dishes such as:
- Tilapia and laksa Siglap canapé
-
Teochew-style nasi goreng
-
Hybrid grouper ribs
-
Seaweed and anchovy salad
- Asian sea bass and red snapper
Dates & Times
Friday, 23 October 2026, 7.00pm - 9.00pm [Sold Out]
Saturday, 24 October 2026, 7.00pm - 9.00pm
Sunday, 25 October 2026, 12.00pm - 2.00pm [Sold Out]
Venue
6001 Beach Road, #22-06
Golden Mile Tower, Singapore 199589
Admission
$108 per person
$176 per pair
Please note: Fish and seafood are central to the dining experience and unfortunately cannot be substituted. Food is not halal-certified but will be prepared without pork or lard. Please let us know of any food allergies.
Curator: Alan Oei
Artist: Daniel Chong
Dining Expereince: Pasarfish
Associate Artist Programme
(Punggol; 2026/27 Cycle)
OH! Open House’s Associate Artist Programme (AAP) supports artists to explore site-specific practices through long-term immersion in a neighbourhood.
Artists may work shifts at a local minimart, stay with residents, or collaborate with local organisations before producing any public work. These encounters allow ideas to emerge from lived experience rather than predetermined outcomes.
By taking artists beyond conventional studio and exhibition contexts, AAP creates space for sustained attention to people and place, thus generating new ways of surfacing alternative histories and overlooked perspectives.
AAP also brings artists into close collaboration with residents, making contemporary art relevant to everyday life while building new connections across the neighbourhood. By sharing experiences and knowledge, residents and artists shape how the neighbourhood's story is told together.
AAP (2026/27) is organised in collaboration with co-presenting partner, Art Outreach Singapore.
Artists may work shifts at a local minimart, stay with residents, or collaborate with local organisations before producing any public work. These encounters allow ideas to emerge from lived experience rather than predetermined outcomes.
By taking artists beyond conventional studio and exhibition contexts, AAP creates space for sustained attention to people and place, thus generating new ways of surfacing alternative histories and overlooked perspectives.
AAP also brings artists into close collaboration with residents, making contemporary art relevant to everyday life while building new connections across the neighbourhood. By sharing experiences and knowledge, residents and artists shape how the neighbourhood's story is told together.
AAP (2026/27) is organised in collaboration with co-presenting partner, Art Outreach Singapore.
Bridget Tay
(b.1989, Singapore) is an artist whose practice spans painting, spatial installation and social encounters. Across these forms, she explores how people inhabit environments, how attention circulates, and how meaning emerges through shared presence rather than spectacle.
Genevieve Ang
(b.1992, Singapore) is an artist and designer interested in unveiling the invisible architecture that underpins material culture and its systems. Exploring clay as the primary subject, she seeks to engage the material's diverse uses and intricate processes.
Rizman Putra(b.1978, Singapore) is a multidisciplinary artist from Singapore, working across performance, visual art, music, theatre and education. His practice explores identity, memory, ritual and popular culture through physical presence, humour and theatricality. As Tiramisu’s frontman, a member of NADA and a theatre performer, he creates eccentric, deeply human work.
Woong Soak Teng
(b.1994, Singapore) explores human control over the natural world. Her current research considers the body as nature, focusing on female reproductive autonomy and the modern dilemma of child-bearing. She holds a BFA in Photography and Digital Imaging from NTU’s School of Art, Design and Media.
International Artists
Goldie Poblador
(b.1987, Philippines) is a Filipina visual artist who creates multi-sensory installations that merge glass scent, sound and performance that address themes of ecology and decolonization as it relates to the emancipation of the female body. Her work has been exhibited internationally and she is the first Filipino artist to be acquired by the Corning Museum of Glass.
Wantanee Siripattananuntakul (b. 1974, Thailand) is a Thai artist working across video, sound, installation, sculpture and archival forms. Emerging from political histories, personal archives and a long interspecies life with Beuys, an African grey parrot, her practice asks how other lives disturb the human terms through which history, knowledge and value become visible.
Artist Selection Process
Associate Artists are selected through a nomination process led by curator, John Tung. Applications are then reviewed by an independent Advisory Committee comprising this year of:
Applicants were assessed based on their artistic practice, interest in site-responsive work, and openness to working closely with communities.
The final cohort is selected for the diversity of artistic approaches and perspectives they bring to the programme, creating opportunities for dialogue, peer learning and collaboration throughout the residency.
Associate Artists are selected through a nomination process led by curator, John Tung. Applications are then reviewed by an independent Advisory Committee comprising this year of:
- Mae Anderson, Chairperson, Art Outreach
- Shabbir Hussain Mustafa, Chief Curator, Singapore Art Museum
- Alecia Neo, Artist
- Ang Song Nian, Artist
Applicants were assessed based on their artistic practice, interest in site-responsive work, and openness to working closely with communities.
The final cohort is selected for the diversity of artistic approaches and perspectives they bring to the programme, creating opportunities for dialogue, peer learning and collaboration throughout the residency.
Programme
Curatorial Intensive (July 2026)
The programme begins with a two-week intensive, where artists are introduced to Punggol through talks, site visits and conversations with residents, businesses and community partners. Artists identify research interests and develop the focus of their residency.
Residency (August 2026 – January 2027)
Over six months, artists undertake independent research while building relationships within the neighbourhood. This includes neighbourhood immersions such as homestays or apprenticeships with local residents and businesses, regular curatorial mentoring, and public sharing sessions that invite feedback and dialogue throughout the process.
Public Presentation (March 2027)
The AAP culminates in a new site-responsive work or public programme developed through the residency. Artists also take part in public conversations reflecting on their research, process and experiences in the neighbourhood.
The programme begins with a two-week intensive, where artists are introduced to Punggol through talks, site visits and conversations with residents, businesses and community partners. Artists identify research interests and develop the focus of their residency.
Residency (August 2026 – January 2027)
Over six months, artists undertake independent research while building relationships within the neighbourhood. This includes neighbourhood immersions such as homestays or apprenticeships with local residents and businesses, regular curatorial mentoring, and public sharing sessions that invite feedback and dialogue throughout the process.
Public Presentation (March 2027)
The AAP culminates in a new site-responsive work or public programme developed through the residency. Artists also take part in public conversations reflecting on their research, process and experiences in the neighbourhood.
HERITAGE ACTIVATION NODE AT PUNGGOL
(HAN@Punggol)
In a rapidly changing city, neighbourhoods are often built faster than the stories that give them meaning. HAN@Punggol creates space for residents to shape those stories together.
As an extension of OH! Open House's mission to tell alternative stories through art, HAN@Punggol is a three-year community, art, and heritage initiative that empowers residents to become active storytellers of the place they call home.
Through artist-led research, site-specific artworks, and co-created programmes, residents and artists collaboratively create new cultural touchpoints that reveal the neighbourhood's evolving identity.
Over three years, the initiative aims to build a community that is aware of and actively involved in shaping the historical, social, and cultural life of their neighbourhood.
HAN@Punggol is a collaborative effort between the National Heritage Board and OH! Open House.
The project runs from June 2026 to March 2028.
OH! Moonstone: Everything Changes, Everything Stays the Same (2026)
18 – 25 Jan 2026, Moonstone Lane, Art Walk
Click on image to view in full size.
In Singapore, change is a way of life. Buildings are demolished and rebuilt, warehouses converted into residences, schools repurposed, shrines displaced, factories dissolved into memory.
The 12th edition of OH!’s flagship art walks, OH! Moonstone, explores the theme: Everything Changes, Everything Stays the Same in and around the defiant neighbourhood of Moonstone Lane Estate.
Four artworks are tucked into unique spaces that emerge amidst a neighbourhood zoned as residential on paper: a decomissioned factory, a 1950s home, a carpentry studio and a die-cast car shop. As they trace the quiet persistence of memory amid shifting architectures, these site-specific works reveal a neighbourhood caught between transformation and continuity.
Through this journey, OH! Moonstone reminds us that even in a city where everything changes, some things — the spectres of memory, texture, atmosphere — still remain.
Learn more about the artists and artworks here.
The 12th edition of OH!’s flagship art walks, OH! Moonstone, explores the theme: Everything Changes, Everything Stays the Same in and around the defiant neighbourhood of Moonstone Lane Estate.
Four artworks are tucked into unique spaces that emerge amidst a neighbourhood zoned as residential on paper: a decomissioned factory, a 1950s home, a carpentry studio and a die-cast car shop. As they trace the quiet persistence of memory amid shifting architectures, these site-specific works reveal a neighbourhood caught between transformation and continuity.
Through this journey, OH! Moonstone reminds us that even in a city where everything changes, some things — the spectres of memory, texture, atmosphere — still remain.
Learn more about the artists and artworks here.
Curator
John Tung
Artists
Ang Song Nian [SG]
Jarupatcha Achavasmit [TH]
Milenko Prvački [SG]
Robert Zhao Renhui [SG]
Hosts
Daily Diecast Singapore
MuYi Creation
Sidhu Home
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Eye and The Tiger (2025)
12 – 19 Jan 2025, 7 Adam Park, Art Walk
Click on image to view in full size.
This show is about tigers—but not really.
Rather, it is about ways of looking: at tigers, at animals, at land and nature. Specifically it’s about how looking is constructed through the colonial gaze, and how the figure of the tiger refuses this unequal power afforded by the gaze.
Set in a black and white bungalow, The Eye and The Tiger invited reflection on how colonial gaze has shaped our relationship to land and nature, and how tigers have haunted us at every step.
Uncover more here.
Rather, it is about ways of looking: at tigers, at animals, at land and nature. Specifically it’s about how looking is constructed through the colonial gaze, and how the figure of the tiger refuses this unequal power afforded by the gaze.
Set in a black and white bungalow, The Eye and The Tiger invited reflection on how colonial gaze has shaped our relationship to land and nature, and how tigers have haunted us at every step.
Uncover more here.
Curator
Alan Oei
Artists
Agan Harahap [ID]
Alan Oei [SG]
Anthony Chin [SG]
Cheong See Min [MY]
Chong Kim Chiew [MY]
Ezzam Rahman [SG]
Alan Oei [SG]
Anthony Chin [SG]
Cheong See Min [MY]
Chong Kim Chiew [MY]
Ezzam Rahman [SG]
Ho Tzu Nyen [SG]
Jarupatcha Achavasmit [TH]
Kayleigh Goh [MY]
Kemaledezine [ID]
Maryanto [ID]
Mit Jai Inn [TH]
Jarupatcha Achavasmit [TH]
Kayleigh Goh [MY]
Kemaledezine [ID]
Maryanto [ID]
Mit Jai Inn [TH]
Pangrok Sulap [MY]
Robert Zhao [SG]
Tayeba Begum Lipi [BD]
Yee I-Lan [MY]
Zimbiri [BT]
Robert Zhao [SG]
Tayeba Begum Lipi [BD]
Yee I-Lan [MY]
Zimbiri [BT]
PAST PROGRAMMES
Reinterpreting Colonial Spaces: Bridging History, Heritage and the Present
Date: 19 January 2025, Sunday
Time: 10:30am - 12pm
Venue: 7 Adam Park
Admission: Free
We explored how colonial-era spaces—bungalows, gardens, and estates—are being reimagined and repurposed today, balancing historical authenticity, environmental responsibility, and contemporary cultural needs. The discussion addressed the intersection of architecture, environmental history, and heritage conservation in shaping these spaces for modern communities.
Organised in partnership with Singapore Heritage Society
Moderator
Fauzy Ismail (President, Singapore Heritage Society)
Speakers
Chang Jiat-Hwee (Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore)
Jerome Lim (Author, The Long and Winding Road)
Melissa Luki (Associate Director, Cistri)
Reinterpreting Colonial Spaces: Bridging History, Heritage and the Present
Date: 19 January 2025, Sunday
Time: 10:30am - 12pm
Venue: 7 Adam Park
Admission: Free
We explored how colonial-era spaces—bungalows, gardens, and estates—are being reimagined and repurposed today, balancing historical authenticity, environmental responsibility, and contemporary cultural needs. The discussion addressed the intersection of architecture, environmental history, and heritage conservation in shaping these spaces for modern communities.
Organised in partnership with Singapore Heritage Society
Moderator
Fauzy Ismail (President, Singapore Heritage Society)
Speakers
Chang Jiat-Hwee (Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore)
Jerome Lim (Author, The Long and Winding Road)
Melissa Luki (Associate Director, Cistri)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
OH! Kampong Gelam: Palimpsest (2024)
30 Mar – 12 May 2024, Kampong Gelam, Art Walk
Click on image to view in full size.
In 1824, two roads halve the Sultan’s compound.
In 1966, the precinct is emptied out.
In 2023, the boundaries are redrawn once again.
Through 12 site-specific art installations that unearth stories within this neighbourhood, we explore how maps have constantly rewritten the story of Kampong Gelam.
Lines and boundaries, scraped and scratched into the surface over and over, until they blend into a palimpsest of fickle lines and faithless memories. For each road drawn, each building gazetted, each heritage plaque erected, there is a missing story that speaks of fractured spaces and displaced communities. This neighbourhood still holds its scars, scrapes and scratches, its dreams and tragedies.
Click here for a virtual walk-through.
In 1966, the precinct is emptied out.
In 2023, the boundaries are redrawn once again.
Through 12 site-specific art installations that unearth stories within this neighbourhood, we explore how maps have constantly rewritten the story of Kampong Gelam.
Lines and boundaries, scraped and scratched into the surface over and over, until they blend into a palimpsest of fickle lines and faithless memories. For each road drawn, each building gazetted, each heritage plaque erected, there is a missing story that speaks of fractured spaces and displaced communities. This neighbourhood still holds its scars, scrapes and scratches, its dreams and tragedies.
Click here for a virtual walk-through.
$20
This field kit, beautifully designed by FACTORY, documents the stories of the residents and features an essay on Kampong Gelam by local writer Alfian Sa’at.
Contact hello@ohopenhouse.org to get a copy.
Curator
Alan Oei
Artists
Anthony Chin [SG]
Chok Si Xuan [SG]
Ezzam Rahman [SG]
Hothouse [SG] (with Kerem Ozan Bayraktar [TR], Rafi Abdullah, Ruby Jayaseelan, Safuan Johari [SG])
Chok Si Xuan [SG]
Ezzam Rahman [SG]
Hothouse [SG] (with Kerem Ozan Bayraktar [TR], Rafi Abdullah, Ruby Jayaseelan, Safuan Johari [SG])
Isabella Ong [SG]
Jane Lee [SG]
Latiff Mohidin [MY] (with Syed Muhd Hafiz [SG])
NEO_ARTEFACTS [SG
Jane Lee [SG]
Latiff Mohidin [MY] (with Syed Muhd Hafiz [SG])
NEO_ARTEFACTS [SG
nor [SG]
Pangrok Sulap [MY]
Ruangsak Anuwatwimon [TH]
Wantanee Siripattananuntakul [TH]
Pangrok Sulap [MY]
Ruangsak Anuwatwimon [TH]
Wantanee Siripattananuntakul [TH]
PAST PROGRAMMES
Tanah Air: Kampong Gelam by Another Name
Date: 2 March 2024, Saturday
Time: 10am - 11:30am
Venue: 45 Sultan Gate S(198492) Level 2
Admission: Free
Tanah – land. Air – water. Tanah air – homeland.
Kampong Gelam today is a patchwork of bars and cafes, souvenir stores and capsule hotels. It is where indie crowds and tourists flock to eat and shop in the day; at night, hotel guests remain. But this was not always the case – entire communities used to live here for centuries. Despite attempts to transform Kampong Gelam, what personal histories remain and what community memories defy erasure?
Join our speakers as they discuss their respective research, reflections, and lived experiences of Kampong Gelam – the land of a former thriving Malay port town and the waters of early riverine settlements. Learn to call Kampong Gelam by its other name: home.
Moderator
Syafiqah Jaaffar (Curator, Writer, Researcher)
Speakers
Faizah Jamal (Resident of Kampong Gelam)
Dr Imran Tajudeen (Senior Lecturer, National University of Singapore)
Sara Lau (Cultural Worker)
Date: 2 March 2024, Saturday
Time: 10am - 11:30am
Venue: 45 Sultan Gate S(198492) Level 2
Admission: Free
Tanah – land. Air – water. Tanah air – homeland.
Kampong Gelam today is a patchwork of bars and cafes, souvenir stores and capsule hotels. It is where indie crowds and tourists flock to eat and shop in the day; at night, hotel guests remain. But this was not always the case – entire communities used to live here for centuries. Despite attempts to transform Kampong Gelam, what personal histories remain and what community memories defy erasure?
Join our speakers as they discuss their respective research, reflections, and lived experiences of Kampong Gelam – the land of a former thriving Malay port town and the waters of early riverine settlements. Learn to call Kampong Gelam by its other name: home.
Moderator
Syafiqah Jaaffar (Curator, Writer, Researcher)
Speakers
Faizah Jamal (Resident of Kampong Gelam)
Dr Imran Tajudeen (Senior Lecturer, National University of Singapore)
Sara Lau (Cultural Worker)
Food, Fashion, Faith: The Faces of Women Leadership in Kampong Gelam
Date: 9 March 2024, Saturday
Time: 10am - 11:30am
Venue: 45 Sultan Gate S(198492) Level 2
Admission: Free
The first local mosque to be named after a woman. The first magazine for Malay women in the region.
Kampong Gelam is historically a centre of enterprise in Singapore and the Malay world. It is also a place of many firsts for women. From Hajjah Fatimah to Saleha Mohd Shah, women pioneers made a name for themselves and paved new paths for their communities. Their legacy continues to inspire new generations of trailblazing Malay women in an increasing number of fields.
Join us for a conversation with Kampong Gelam entrepreneurs in the fields of food, faith, and fashion.
Moderator
Oniatta Effendi (Founder, Galeri Tokokita)
Speakers
Maria Didih (Second-Generation Owner, Hjh Maimunah Restaurant)
Ustazah Liyana Musfirah (CEO and Founder, Hayaa’ Network)
Zahra Aljunied (Third-Generation Representative, Toko Aljunied)
Date: 9 March 2024, Saturday
Time: 10am - 11:30am
Venue: 45 Sultan Gate S(198492) Level 2
Admission: Free
The first local mosque to be named after a woman. The first magazine for Malay women in the region.
Kampong Gelam is historically a centre of enterprise in Singapore and the Malay world. It is also a place of many firsts for women. From Hajjah Fatimah to Saleha Mohd Shah, women pioneers made a name for themselves and paved new paths for their communities. Their legacy continues to inspire new generations of trailblazing Malay women in an increasing number of fields.
Join us for a conversation with Kampong Gelam entrepreneurs in the fields of food, faith, and fashion.
Moderator
Oniatta Effendi (Founder, Galeri Tokokita)
Speakers
Maria Didih (Second-Generation Owner, Hjh Maimunah Restaurant)
Ustazah Liyana Musfirah (CEO and Founder, Hayaa’ Network)
Zahra Aljunied (Third-Generation Representative, Toko Aljunied)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
OH! Fundraising Gala
Our Fundraising Gala brings together new and long-time patrons, donors, and collectors for a night of celebration and contribution to OH!'s work — nurturing artists, strengthening community connections, and creating experiences that help people see their neighbourhoods with fresh eyes. The gala features a curated dining experience and an auction of artworks by local and international artists. All funds raised will go towards supporting OH!'s year-round programmes and artists commissions.
PAST EDITIONS
Patrons’ Night 2026
Patrons’ Night 2026 marked the opening of OH!’s 12th art walk, OH! Moonstone. Presented in getai style, the evening paid tribute to the shared roots of live stage performance and Moonstone in Singapore’s 1950s golden age and temple culture.
Guests were welcomed into a two-part gala experience. Act One invited them to roam Moonstone's streets and encounter artworks ahead of the public art walk. In Act Two, everyone came together for a warm communal dinner, three fabulous drag performances and an auction featuring 24 artworks.
The evening raised over $383,000, with a fundraising efficiency ratio of 30% — a tremendous show of support for OH!’s work and the artists and communities we work with.
Venue: Moonstone Lane; 49 Whampoa South
Date: 17 January 2026
Time: 6pm–10pm
Dress code: Getai Bling
Learn more about OH! Moonstone here.
Participating Auction Artists
Alvin Ong [SG]
Boo Sze Yang [SG]
Daniel Chong [SG]
David Chan [SG]
Hor Kwok Kin [MY]
Ian Tee [SG]
Ivan David Ng [SG]
Jimmy Ong [SG]
Marcos Kueh [MY]
Ruangsak Anuwatwimon [TH]
Shen Jiaqi [SG]
Tam Kwan Yuen [SG]
Ang Song Nian [SG]
Anthony Chin [SG]
Berny Tan [SG]
Chok Si Xuan [SG]
Ezzam Rahman [SG]
Jarupatcha Achavasmit [TH]
Milenko Prvački [SG]
Ong Kian Peng [SG]
Robert Zhao Renhui [SG]
Roy Wang [SG]
Yen Phang [SG]
Acknowledgments
Donor
![]()
Official Gastronomy Partner
![]()
Official Creative Partner
![]()
Fabrication & Build Partner
![]()
Patrons’ Night 2025
Patrons’ Night 2025 marked the opening of OH!’s 11th art walk, The Eye and The Tiger. The evening drew on the art walk’s exploration of the colonial gaze, land and memory, bringing these themes into a celebratory gala experience.
Guided by The Gentleman in Stripes, guests embarked on a tour of the art walk before experiencing a live performance of and this is what i was told, and this is what i heard by artist Ezzam Rahman. The evening continued over a boozy BBQ dinner, before concluding with an auction featuring 13 artworks.
The event raised over $327,000, with a fundraising efficiency ratio of 30% — bringing patrons, artists and supporters together to sustain OH!’s work.
Venue: 7 Adam Park
Date: 11 January 2025
Time: 6pm–10pm
Dress code: Tropical Fever
Learn more about The Eye and The Tiger here.
Participating Auction Artists
Agan Harahap [ID]
Alan Oei [SG]
Cheong See Min [MY]
Chong Kim Chiew [MY]
Ezzam Rahman [SG]
Kayleigh Goh [MY]
Kemaledezine [ID]
Jarupatcha Achavasmit [TH]
Maryanto [ID]
Mit Jai Inn [TH]
Pangrok Sulap [MY]
Robert Zhao [SG]
Zimbiri [BT]
View the auction catalogue here.
Acknowledgments
Official Creative Partner
![]()
Official Hospitality Partner
![]()
Official Culinary Partner
![]()
OH! Benefit Gala 2023: Back to School
Click on image to view in full size.
The 2023 Benefit Gala was themed around Gillman Barracks’ history as a former grammar school, evoking a sense of nostalgia and memories of school days.
The evening began with a series of art x food experiences — a collaboration between eight artists and chefs, who created four experiential art installations and hors d'oeuvre inspired by familiar school haunts. This multi-sensory prelude then led into the main dinner and an auction featuring more than 20 artworks, bringing the total funds raised to over $358k.
Venue: Gillman Barracks, 9 Lock Road
Date: 9 September 2023
Time: 6:30pm–9:30pm
Dress code: Tuckshop Glam
The evening began with a series of art x food experiences — a collaboration between eight artists and chefs, who created four experiential art installations and hors d'oeuvre inspired by familiar school haunts. This multi-sensory prelude then led into the main dinner and an auction featuring more than 20 artworks, bringing the total funds raised to over $358k.
Venue: Gillman Barracks, 9 Lock Road
Date: 9 September 2023
Time: 6:30pm–9:30pm
Dress code: Tuckshop Glam
Art x Food Experiences Artists and Chefs
i feel much better when you are around
Ezzam Rahman x INCH Chua (Spectre)
These Children are Dead
Huang wei x Samuel Quan (Eclipse)
The Owl in Daylight
Robert Zhao x Law Jia-Jun (Province)
Soul StainING
Marla Bendini x Nithiya Laila (Brunch Bandits)
i feel much better when you are around
Ezzam Rahman x INCH Chua (Spectre)
These Children are Dead
Huang wei x Samuel Quan (Eclipse)
The Owl in Daylight
Robert Zhao x Law Jia-Jun (Province)
Soul StainING
Marla Bendini x Nithiya Laila (Brunch Bandits)
Participating Auction Artists
Alvin Ong [SG]
Anthony Chin [SG]
Dusadee Huntrakul [TH]
Erzan Adam [SG]
Ezzam Rahman [SG]
Jimmy Ong [SG]
Kanchana Gupta [SG/IN]
Kayleigh Goh [SG]
Koh Hong Teng [SG]
Marla Bendini [SG]
Melissa Tan [SG]
Mit Jai Inn [TH]
Pangrok Sulap [MY]
Robert Zhao [SG]
Shen Jiaqi [SG]
Alvin Ong [SG]
Anthony Chin [SG]
Dusadee Huntrakul [TH]
Erzan Adam [SG]
Ezzam Rahman [SG]
Jimmy Ong [SG]
Kanchana Gupta [SG/IN]
Kayleigh Goh [SG]
Koh Hong Teng [SG]
Marla Bendini [SG]
Melissa Tan [SG]
Mit Jai Inn [TH]
Pangrok Sulap [MY]
Robert Zhao [SG]
Shen Jiaqi [SG]
View the auction catalogue here.
Acknowledgments
Official Creative Partner
![]()
Official Media Partner
![]()
Official Event Partner
![]()
Marking Matters?
2023-2024
Click on image to view in full size.
Marking Matters? is a socially-engaged project first commissioned during Singapore Art Week 2023. It is a bold attempt by OH! in collaboration with Mit Jai Inn, a leading figure of Thai contemporary art to initiate social change through art.
A suite of 32 papier-mâché sculptures mirroring the forms of objects such as home ornaments, stools, and lamps have been finished in Mit Jai Inn’s iconic colourways. The assortment of sculptures make reference to bai sema: boundary stones used to demarcate the ordination halls of Thai Buddhist temples. In a similar vein, the placing of Mit’s “markers” are also a signifier of the artist’s presence, operating on a principle not dissimilar to the planting of a flag (or capturing of an enemy’s) to lay claim to spaces.
With a strong desire to have audiences think more deeply about the value and function of art within our cultural landscape, the artist has proposed a unique mechanism for the dissemination of these works: rather than outright purchases, individuals would have to volunteer their time to a charity or non-profit of their choice in exchange for the opportunity to collect one of them.
Marking Matters? was originally commissioned as part of For/Against the House: The Museum is Dead, curated by John Tung; it was premiered on the same occasion at Tanglin Shopping Centre during Singapore Art Week 2023.
A suite of 32 papier-mâché sculptures mirroring the forms of objects such as home ornaments, stools, and lamps have been finished in Mit Jai Inn’s iconic colourways. The assortment of sculptures make reference to bai sema: boundary stones used to demarcate the ordination halls of Thai Buddhist temples. In a similar vein, the placing of Mit’s “markers” are also a signifier of the artist’s presence, operating on a principle not dissimilar to the planting of a flag (or capturing of an enemy’s) to lay claim to spaces.
With a strong desire to have audiences think more deeply about the value and function of art within our cultural landscape, the artist has proposed a unique mechanism for the dissemination of these works: rather than outright purchases, individuals would have to volunteer their time to a charity or non-profit of their choice in exchange for the opportunity to collect one of them.
Marking Matters? was originally commissioned as part of For/Against the House: The Museum is Dead, curated by John Tung; it was premiered on the same occasion at Tanglin Shopping Centre during Singapore Art Week 2023.
Mit Jai Inn (b.1960, Chiangmai, Thailand) is a leading figure of contemporary art in Thailand. He is known for his colourful artworks that merge painting and sculpture.
IMPACT
His collaboration with us sparked over 10,000 community hours, with participants volunteering for a diverse range of meaningful causes from soap recyling to caring for community cats. The project not only inspired individuals to give back to the community in greater capacity, but also encouraged many to take their first steps in volunteering.
“I was drawn to Marking Matters? because it’s finally valuing something other than money. Things like your time or your service to the community are more intangible but still valuable.“
Khai, participant, 276 hours
Cause: volunteer firefighting
Khai, participant, 276 hours
Cause: volunteer firefighting
“I find the driving principle really meaningful. It’s simple, but radical. It makes art accessible to all, and the effort you put in creates ripple effects across the communities.“
Shindee, participant, 197 hours
Cause: Arts & culture, befriending
Shindee, participant, 197 hours
Cause: Arts & culture, befriending
“We’ve always wanted to volunteer but never got around to it. So this project is a good motivator to spur us to start.”
Daphne, participant, 197 hours
Cause: Environment/nature
Daphne, participant, 197 hours
Cause: Environment/nature
THE JOURNEY
The project began in November 2023, as participants pledged their chosen artworks and the causes they wanted to support. The number of hours tied to each work ranged from 197 to 276, and they had 10 months to achieve their goals. This marked the start of a commitment made by the 24 individuals:
Angelo
Daphne
Dino
Drishti
Hao Yang
Jo
Daphne
Dino
Drishti
Hao Yang
Jo
Katrina
Khai
Kirti
Koon Yen
LC
Lenny A
Khai
Kirti
Koon Yen
LC
Lenny A
Meena
Michelle
Minitio
Momo
Nicholas
Sam
Michelle
Minitio
Momo
Nicholas
Sam
Samantha
Shindee
Siok
Vincent
Zheng Yan
Shindee
Siok
Vincent
Zheng Yan
Throught the duration of the project, participants also engaged gatherings, leading up to the final presentation.
November 2023: Mit-the-Artist
To kickstart the project, participants had the opportunity to meet Mit Jai Inn and shared the causes they planned to contribute to.
June 2024: Volunteer Get-together
Participants came together to get to know one another, enagaged in activities, and exchanged updates on their progress, offering encouragement and support as fellow volunteers.
November 2023 - September 2024
Participants dedicated their time and effort to causes that deeply mattered to them.
September 2024:
Final Presentation
To conclude the project, Mit flew in from Thailand to present the works to the participants. Participants also shared their volunteering experiences and reflected on the impact of their contributions.
Together, they proved that art can inspire care and positive change within our community.
You can learn more about the participants’ individual volunteering stories here.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Venue Partner:
![]()
Supported by: Shi’ai Liang
Special thanks to:
John Tung
Valerie Nikolay
Pacific Eagle Real Estate
Projector X Team
All participants, friends & families
Special thanks to:
John Tung
Valerie Nikolay
Pacific Eagle Real Estate
Projector X Team
All participants, friends & families
For the House; Against the House: _____ is Dead
5 - 15 January 2023, Tanglin Shopping Centre,Art Experience
Click on image to view in full size.
“We must forget in order to remain present, forget in order not to die, forget in order to remain faithful.”- Marc Augé, Oblivion
For the House; Against the House returned for the Singapore Art Week 2023 with two new motions up for debate. Through a unique debate format where art illustrates the arguments, OH! worked with collectors to present selected works from their collections alongside new commissions from Singapore and international artists.
Set to _____ is Dead, the third iteration of the show presented a double bill explored the mortality of two cherished concepts The Museum is Dead and Desire is Dead conceptualised by Singaporean curators John Tung and Adele Tan respectively. Taking place within Tanglin Shopping Centre – a mall scheduled for enbloc – the exhibitions’ manifestation at the site went beyond their topics of inquiry, revealing the entanglements between Singapore’s ubiquitous shopping malls and our cultural identity.
In an epoch defined by excesses of time, space, and individuality, we are also barraged with obsolescence and erasure: it must be gone for us to remember; must it die so as to live forever?
What do desires and the museum have to do with Tanglin Shopping Centre? Take a read here to find out.
For the House; Against the House returned for the Singapore Art Week 2023 with two new motions up for debate. Through a unique debate format where art illustrates the arguments, OH! worked with collectors to present selected works from their collections alongside new commissions from Singapore and international artists.
Set to _____ is Dead, the third iteration of the show presented a double bill explored the mortality of two cherished concepts The Museum is Dead and Desire is Dead conceptualised by Singaporean curators John Tung and Adele Tan respectively. Taking place within Tanglin Shopping Centre – a mall scheduled for enbloc – the exhibitions’ manifestation at the site went beyond their topics of inquiry, revealing the entanglements between Singapore’s ubiquitous shopping malls and our cultural identity.
In an epoch defined by excesses of time, space, and individuality, we are also barraged with obsolescence and erasure: it must be gone for us to remember; must it die so as to live forever?
What do desires and the museum have to do with Tanglin Shopping Centre? Take a read here to find out.
S$20
The publication comes with a white ticker, hinting at Tanglin Shopping Centre’s complex, ever-changing identity.
Contact hello@ohopenhouse.org to get a copy.
This edition of For the House; Against the House had two motions up for debate. Click on each motion to learn more about the debate and its artists and works behind them.
THE MUSEUM IS DEAD
Curated by John TungCommissions
- Joanne Lim (Singapore)
- Michael Lee (Singapore)
- Miguel Aquilizan (Philippines)
- Mit Jai Inn (Thailand)
- Thitibodee Rungteerawattananon (Thailand)
- Wantanee Siripattananuntakul (Thailand)
Jim Amberson
- Gaston Damag (Philippines)
- Priyageetha Dia (Singapore)
- Moe Satt (Myanmar)
Michelangelo & Lourdes Samson Collection
- Annie Cabigting (Philippines)
-
Geraldine Javier (Philippines)
- Grace Tan (Singapore)
DESIRE IS DEAD
Curated by Adele TanCommissions
- Joshua Kon (Singapore)
- Kray Chen (Singapore)
- Liana Yang (Singapore)
- Marla Bendini (Singapore)
Shi’ai Liang Collection
- Irene Chou (China)
- Jimmy Ong (Singapore)
- Kara Inez (Singapore, courtesy of Ken-Hin Teo)
- Natisa Jones (Indonesia)
The Yan Collection
-
Guo-Liang Tan (Singapore)
- Khairullah Rahim (Singapore)
- Zulkhairi Zulkiflee (Singapore)
Artist/Curator Loans
- Kray Chen (Singapore)
- Susie Wong (Singapore)
Programmes
Panel Discussions
The Museum is Dead
Moderated by John Tung with featured curators including Berny Tan, Michelle Ho and Syed Muhd Hafiz.
Desire is Dead
Moderated by Adele Tan with invited speakers Yanyun Chen and Zulkhairi Zulkiflee.
Curator Tours
The Museum is Dead
Led by curator John Tung, audiences were guided through the exhibition where they were prompted to rethink purpose of the museum in today’s context.
Desire is Dead
Led by curator Adele Tan, audiences were guided through the exhibition in exploring the playful juxtaposition of the presented works and unspoken pulse of desire.
Volunteer-led Tours
The Museum is Dead
Led by OH! Volunteers - Hao Yang, Koon Yen and Shin Dee.
Desire is Dead Led by OH! Volunteers - Hao Yang, Koon Yen and Shin Dee.
For more details on the programmes, learn more here.
Associate Artist Programme
(2022/23 Cycle)
OH! Open House is Singapore's leading art institution that develops curatorial programmes on site-specificity centred around the neighbourhood - people, places, stories - as the unit of exhibition and representation.
A group of artists selected by our Advisory Committee will take part in our inaugural Associate Artist Programme (AAP) over a one-year period (1 Sep 2022 to 31 Aug 2023). The programme immerses artists within the next art walk neighbourhood, Kampong Gelam and connects artists to local communities, businesses and historical places.
This programme serves as an alternative model and offers neighbourhood immersion, curatorial support, peer-to-peer dialogues and engagements with communities. It does not expect any exhibitional outcome beyond a public-facing work-in-progress presentations or sharing sessions.
A group of artists selected by our Advisory Committee will take part in our inaugural Associate Artist Programme (AAP) over a one-year period (1 Sep 2022 to 31 Aug 2023). The programme immerses artists within the next art walk neighbourhood, Kampong Gelam and connects artists to local communities, businesses and historical places.
This programme serves as an alternative model and offers neighbourhood immersion, curatorial support, peer-to-peer dialogues and engagements with communities. It does not expect any exhibitional outcome beyond a public-facing work-in-progress presentations or sharing sessions.
Singapore Artists & Collaborators
Erzan Adam (b.1976, Singapore) is an artist and arts educator at LASALLE College of the Arts (Fine Art).
Erzan plans to work with the invisible communities of Kampong Gelam, where research and conversations with the communities will shape the projects he'd like to develop.
Learn more
Farhan Idris (b.1987, Singapore) is an arts educator/critic, philosopher and a curatorial writer. Through the lens of dynamics of translation, Farhan will look into how the transmission and translation of Wayang Parsi as a cosmopolitan and intercultural encounter in Kampong Gelam.
Learn more
Jimmy Ong (b.1964, Singapore) works on objects, installations as well as relational work about minority communities.Together with his research-collaborator, Kelvin Soh, Jimmy will facilitate test kitchens that situate bakeries past and present to relate with each other around Singapore's colonial history.
Learn more
Kelvin Soh (b.1980, Singappore) (collaborator of Jimmy Ong) comes from a Hainanese family of bakers. He used to run a cafe with his father on Kandahar Street featuring his family's traditional recipes.He looks forward to connecting food culture and colonial history in a neighbourhood he has grown fond of.
Learn more
Kanchana Gupta (b.1974, India) investigates the framework of femininity and the narrative of sexualised presentations of the female body.
Kanchana will explore the origins, economics and market forces of textile shops in Kampong Gelam, and build on her research of femininity through the lens of textiles and fashion.
Learn more
nor (b.1993, Singapore)’s artistic practice is rooted in self-portraiture. nor will explore the theme of ikatan ("temporary ties" in Malay) through ropes as a device that ties the boat of migrants on the land; maritime trade; as well as interpretations of what "ties" could mean in all permutations of the future.
Learn more
International Artists
Mit Jai Inn (b.1960, Chiangmai, Thailand) is a leading figure of contemporary art in Thailand. He is known for his colourful artworks that merge painting and sculpture.
Mit will return to his early social-activism work, and initiate a series of art activations with local businesses.
Learn more
Pangrok Sulap (est. 2010, Sabah, Malaysia) confronts socio-political issues surrounding the marginalised communities in Sabah. The artist group has consistently fought against censorship, spreading awareness of Sabah’s endangered rainforests. They will be developing a series of woodcut workshops in collaboration with the communities of Kampong Gelam.
Learn more
Ruangsak Anuwatwimon (b.1975, Bangkok, Thailand) investigates the relationship between mankind and the natural world. More recently, he's focusing his practice on the idea of spirituality and superstitions as a set of rules and governing power.For this residency, he will look into the origins of the well-loved medicinal product, Tiger Balm — the gelam tree.
Learn more
Programmes
NEIGHBOURHOOD IMMERSION (SEP 2022 - FEB 2023)
- 30 Sep - 2 Oct 2022: Artists will take part in a 3-day bootcamp (talks, meetings with the communities of Kampong Gelam)
- Oct 2022 - Feb 2023: Participate in a residency/attachment based on their programme (e.g. a homestay, apprenticeship with a business)
WORK-IN-PROGRESS PRESENTATION (MAR 2023)
- A public-facing sharing on artist’s process and explorations
ONGOING RESEARCH (APR - AUG 2023)
- Engage in research based on the research proposal submitted
- Establish dialogue with residents, businesses in Kampong Gelam, with the support and facilitation of OH!
CLOSING PRESENTATIONS (30 SEP - 7 OCT)
Learn more
Learn more
- A series of public-facing site-specific programme (in the form of a walk, work-in-progress sharing, presentation or workshops in a format they’d like to propose)
Advisory Committee
Artists are nominated by the committee based on the merit of their artistic practice. A further selection took place with an interview round where artists are assessed based on their research interests, openness to engaging and working with the community, as well as their ability to commit to this programme.
Seng Yu Jin (Chairperson)
Senior Curator and Deputy Director (Curatorial Research), National Gallery Singapore
Linda Neo
Co-Founder, Primz Gallery
Shabbir Hussain Mustafa
Senior Curator, National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum
Tan Boon Hui (1968-2022)
Former Executive Director, Arts House Limited
Tan Guo-Liang
Artist, writer, curator
Learn more about our advisory committee here.
Seng Yu Jin (Chairperson)
Senior Curator and Deputy Director (Curatorial Research), National Gallery Singapore
Linda Neo
Co-Founder, Primz Gallery
Shabbir Hussain Mustafa
Senior Curator, National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum
Tan Boon Hui (1968-2022)
Former Executive Director, Arts House Limited
Tan Guo-Liang
Artist, writer, curator
Learn more about our advisory committee here.
[Media Release] OH! Open House launches its inaugural artist residency — Associate Artist Programme
20 September 2022, Singapore — OH! Open House launches its inaugural artist residency, the Associate Artist Programme (AAP). Centred around the neighbourhood — people, places, and stories — the first edition takes place in Kampong Gelam over a one-year period with five local and three international artists...
Learn more
Supporters
Patrons
We would like to thank the generosity of our patrons. Your support allow us to continue supporting artists in developing their practices and new body of works and facilitate exchange of ideas and art practices between local and international artists.
Supported by
Organised by
OH! Open House
OH! Open House
Patrons
We would like to thank the generosity of our patrons. Your support allow us to continue supporting artists in developing their practices and new body of works and facilitate exchange of ideas and art practices between local and international artists.
Platinum
Gergana Stoyanova
Lisa Robins and Hervé Pauze
Liang Shi’ai
The Gouws
Gergana Stoyanova
Lisa Robins and Hervé Pauze
Liang Shi’ai
The Gouws
Gold
Anonymous
Anonymous
Special Thanks
FACTORY
FACTORY
Supported by
National Arts Council
(Under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026)
(Under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026)
Tote Board Arts Fund
Designers: FACTORY
Erzan Adam (b.1976, Singapore) is an artist and arts educator at LASALLE College of the Arts (Fine Art).
Erzan plans to work with the invisible communities of Kampong Gelam, where research and conversations with the communities will shape the projects he'd like to develop.
Learn more
Farhan Idris (b.1987, Singapore) is an arts educator/critic and philosopher.
Farhan will be working on the political and historical trajectories of Persian Nights through its translation in Urdu and Malay. Drawing relations to Wayang Parsi, the trope and imagery of Bakawali/曇花 used in such performances will also be explored.
Learn more
Jimmy Ong (b.1964, Singapore) works on objects, installations as well as relational work about minority communities. Together with his research-collaborator, Kelvin Soh, Jimmy will facilitate test kitchens that situate bakeries past and present to relate with each other around Singapore's colonial history.
Learn more
Kelvin Soh (b.1980, Singappore) comes from a Hainanese family of bakers and used to run a cafe with his father on Kandahar Street featuring his family's traditional recipes.
As a research-collaborator with Jimmy Ong, he looks forward to connecting food culture and colonial history in a neighbourhood he has grown fond of.
Learn more
Kanchana Gupta (b.1974, India) investigates the framework of femininity and the narrative of sexualised presentations of the female body.
Kanchana will explore the origins, economics and market forces of textile shops in Kampong Gelam, and build on her research of femininity through the lens of textiles and fashion.
Learn more
nor (b.1993, Singapore)’s artistic practice is rooted in self-portraiture. nor will explore the theme of ikatan ("temporary ties" in Malay) through ropes as a device that ties the boat of migrants on the land; maritime trade; as well as interpretations of what "ties" could mean in all permutations of the future.
Learn more
International Artists
Mit Jai Inn (b.1960, Chiangmai, Thailand) is a leading figure of contemporary art in Thailand. He is known for his colourful artworks that merge painting and sculpture.
Mit will return to his early social-activism work, and initiate a series of art activations with local businesses.
Learn more
Pangrok Sulap (est. 2010, Sabah, Malaysia) confronts socio-political issues surrounding the marginalised communities in Sabah. The artist group has consistently fought against censorship, spreading awareness of Sabah’s endangered rainforests. They will be developing a series of woodcut workshops in collaboration with the communities of Kampong Gelam.
Learn more
Ruangsak Anuwatwimon (b.1975, Bangkok, Thailand) investigates the relationship between mankind and the natural world. More recently, he's focusing his practice on the idea of spirituality and superstitions as a set of rules and governing power. For this residency, he will look into the origins of the well-loved medicinal product, Tiger Balm — the gelam tree.
Learn more
NEIGHBOURHOOD IMMERSION (SEP 2022 - FEB 2023)
WORK-IN-PROGRESS PRESENTATION (MAR 2023)
ONGOING RESEARCH (APR - JUL 2023)
PUBLIC PROGRAMMES (AUG 2023)
- 30 Sep - 2 Oct 2022: Artists will take part in a 3-day workshop (talks, meetings with the communities of Kampong Gelam)
- Oct 2022 - Feb 2023: Participate in a residency/attachment based on their programme (e.g. a homestay, apprenticeship with a business)
WORK-IN-PROGRESS PRESENTATION (MAR 2023)
- A series of public-facing site-specific programme (in the form of a walk, work-in-progress sharing, presentation or workshops in a format they’d like to propose)
ONGOING RESEARCH (APR - JUL 2023)
- Engage in research based on the research proposal submitted
- Establish dialogue with residents, businesses in Kampong Gelam, with the support and facilitation of OH!
PUBLIC PROGRAMMES (AUG 2023)
- Artists roundtable/discussion
Organised by
OH! Open House
OH! Open House
Patrons
We would like to thank the generosity of our patrons. Your support allow us to continue supporting artists in developing their practices and new body of works and facilitate exchange of ideas and art practices between local and international artists.
Platinum
Lisa Robins and Hervé Pauze
Liang Shi’ai
Gergana Stoyanova
The Gouws
Lisa Robins and Hervé Pauze
Liang Shi’ai
Gergana Stoyanova
The Gouws
Gold
Anonymous
Anonymous
Special Thanks
FACTORY
FACTORY
Supported by
National Arts Council
(Under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2023)
(Under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2023)
Tote Board Arts Fund
Artists are nominated by the committee based on the merit of their artistic practice. A further selection took place with an interview round where artists are assessed based on their research interests, openness to engaging and working with the community, as well as their ability to commit to this programme.
Seng Yu Jin (Chairperson)
Senior Curator and Deputy Director (Curatorial Research), National Gallery Singapore
Linda Neo
Co-Founder, Primz Gallery
Shabbir Hussain Mustafa
Senior Curator, National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum
Tan Boon Hui (1968-2022)
Former Executive Director, Arts House Limited
Tan Guo-Liang
Artist, writer, curator
Learn more about our advisory committee here.
Seng Yu Jin (Chairperson)
Senior Curator and Deputy Director (Curatorial Research), National Gallery Singapore
Linda Neo
Co-Founder, Primz Gallery
Shabbir Hussain Mustafa
Senior Curator, National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum
Tan Boon Hui (1968-2022)
Former Executive Director, Arts House Limited
Tan Guo-Liang
Artist, writer, curator
Learn more about our advisory committee here.
[Media Release] OH! Open House launches its inaugural artist residency — Associate Artist Programme
20 September 2022, Singapore — OH! Open House launches its inaugural artist residency, the Associate Artist Programme (AAP). Centred around the neighbourhood — people, places, and stories — the first edition takes place in Kampong Gelam over a one-year period with five local and three international artists...
Learn more
For the House; Against the House: Life Imitates Art
14 - 23 January 2022, Gillman Barracks, Art Experience
"Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life" — Oscar Wilde, “The Decay of Lying” (1889)
In the year 1959, Singapore had just gained full internal self-governance. The Ministry of Culture was then established to focus on the “creation of a sense of national identity”. How far have we come in achieving this goal today?
The common refrain art imitates life bears serious implications for the use of art in nation-building. If such a statement holds true, art would simply reflect the non-presence of a Singaporean identity. Art must introduce something into the realm of everyday life, one that is not already present in lived experiences, so as to effect a change. For art to have any impact on life itself, life must necessarily imitate art.
For the House; Against the House looks at the evolution of Singapore's arts and cultural landscape through a unique debate format where art illustrates the arguments. Let curator John Tung take you through the propositions and oppositions as artworks from private collections and new commissions chart Singapore’s path towards a "cultural renaissance". You get the final vote on the role art has had to play in shaping our national identity today.
This event was part of Singapore Art Week 2022 and supported by the National Arts Council (NAC).
The exhibition comprised of three sections. Click on the respective titles to learn more about the artists and their works!
In the year 1959, Singapore had just gained full internal self-governance. The Ministry of Culture was then established to focus on the “creation of a sense of national identity”. How far have we come in achieving this goal today?
The common refrain art imitates life bears serious implications for the use of art in nation-building. If such a statement holds true, art would simply reflect the non-presence of a Singaporean identity. Art must introduce something into the realm of everyday life, one that is not already present in lived experiences, so as to effect a change. For art to have any impact on life itself, life must necessarily imitate art.
For the House; Against the House looks at the evolution of Singapore's arts and cultural landscape through a unique debate format where art illustrates the arguments. Let curator John Tung take you through the propositions and oppositions as artworks from private collections and new commissions chart Singapore’s path towards a "cultural renaissance". You get the final vote on the role art has had to play in shaping our national identity today.
This event was part of Singapore Art Week 2022 and supported by the National Arts Council (NAC).
The exhibition comprised of three sections. Click on the respective titles to learn more about the artists and their works!
$20
Translating the exhibition experience and spatial design into this publication, this edition looks at how art influences the ways we remember, imagine, and inhabit our world—through the eyes of artists, collectors, and curators alike.
Low in stock! Contact hello@ohopenhouse.org for a copy.
Shaping the Ways of Seeing
Commissions
The Gouws Collection
Commissions
- Agan Harahap (Indonesia)
- Jimmy Ong (Singapore)
The Gouws Collection
- Eddy Susanto (Indonesia)
- Yee I-Lann (Malaysia)
A Divergence of Realities
Commissions
JH & KH Collection
Commissions
- Anthony Chin (Singapore)
- Dennis Tan (Singapore)
- Fyerool Darma (Singapore)
JH & KH Collection
- Chen Wen Hsi (Singapore)
- Chuah Thean Teng (Malaysia)
- Tew Nai Tong (Malaysia)
A Chronicle of Pasts and Vision of Futures
Commissions
The Gouws Collection
Commissions
- Dusadee Huntrakul (Thailand)
- Kentaro Hiroki (Japan/Thailand)
- Nila Choo (Singapore)
The Gouws Collection
- Ian Woo (Singapore)
- Kanchana Gupta (India/Singapore)
- Lavender Chang (Singapore)
JH & KH Collection
For Jan Hau and Katrina, the love for collecting has always been in them. Toys, stamps, seashells, and little trinkets are displayed alongside their apartment walls filled with artworks. “It’s like when you were a kid, you couldn’t afford to collect these things. So now, as an adult…,” Jan Hau related. The enjoyment stems from the desire to hold onto history and stories. Each artwork, and sometimes even the frame they come in, connects to Singapore and speaks of who we are. They would look out for modern works by local artists located overseas. “You wonder how they ended up there. There's so much to trace. There's so much to learn,” they shared.
For Jan Hau and Katrina, the love for collecting has always been in them. Toys, stamps, seashells, and little trinkets are displayed alongside their apartment walls filled with artworks. “It’s like when you were a kid, you couldn’t afford to collect these things. So now, as an adult…,” Jan Hau related. The enjoyment stems from the desire to hold onto history and stories. Each artwork, and sometimes even the frame they come in, connects to Singapore and speaks of who we are. They would look out for modern works by local artists located overseas. “You wonder how they ended up there. There's so much to trace. There's so much to learn,” they shared.
The Gouws Collection
The beginnings of the Gouws collection traces back to the very first art piece that the couple bought in their 20s — a set of Renoir coasters from the now defunct MPH books along Armenian Street. Despite not having the financial means to purchase artworks, that did not deter the Gouws from the love of collecting. They even went on to mount the coasters with a wooden frame, and proudly featured it in their first home. “Art should not serve a decorative purpose, but to live with and to teach,” they said. As a lover of the arts, the Gouws believe that every single piece of work acquired should be featured at some point in their home.
The beginnings of the Gouws collection traces back to the very first art piece that the couple bought in their 20s — a set of Renoir coasters from the now defunct MPH books along Armenian Street. Despite not having the financial means to purchase artworks, that did not deter the Gouws from the love of collecting. They even went on to mount the coasters with a wooden frame, and proudly featured it in their first home. “Art should not serve a decorative purpose, but to live with and to teach,” they said. As a lover of the arts, the Gouws believe that every single piece of work acquired should be featured at some point in their home.
John Tung (Curator)
John Tung is an independent curator and exhibition-maker. To date, he has overseen more than 50 artwork commissions and site-specific artwork adaptations ranging in scale from the minute to monumental. Three of the artwork commissions he curated have been finalists for the prestigious Benesse Prize, of which one was a winner.
John Tung is an independent curator and exhibition-maker. To date, he has overseen more than 50 artwork commissions and site-specific artwork adaptations ranging in scale from the minute to monumental. Three of the artwork commissions he curated have been finalists for the prestigious Benesse Prize, of which one was a winner.
OH! Jalan Besar (2021)
4 Sep – 31 Oct 2021, Jalan Besar, Art Walk
Click on image to view in full size.
Besar is big in Malay; its big-ness lies in complexity. Jalan is to walk.
OH! Jalan Besar: Refuge for Strangers is a guided mini art walk that grapples with the Other-ness of Jalan Besar.
Scattered across secret spaces in Jalan Besar are the works of 4 artists. The artists' gaze is not only about Jalan Besar and its ever-evolving communities, but also the indeterminacy of meaning to say: we can never truly know Jalan Besar, because it is not ours. It's theirs, the transient workers, the fringes of society, the sunset trades and disappearing clans. And we can only begin to enter as outsiders to this underbelly: this refuge for strangers.
Learn more about the artists and their works here.
OH! Jalan Besar: Refuge for Strangers is a guided mini art walk that grapples with the Other-ness of Jalan Besar.
Scattered across secret spaces in Jalan Besar are the works of 4 artists. The artists' gaze is not only about Jalan Besar and its ever-evolving communities, but also the indeterminacy of meaning to say: we can never truly know Jalan Besar, because it is not ours. It's theirs, the transient workers, the fringes of society, the sunset trades and disappearing clans. And we can only begin to enter as outsiders to this underbelly: this refuge for strangers.
Learn more about the artists and their works here.
Artists
Alan Oei (b.1976, Singapore) is an artist-curator whose work and projects examine the intersection of art history and politics. He has a BA in Art History from Columbia University and a Diploma in Fine Arts from LASALLE College of the Arts. Oei is the artistic director of OH! Open House. He was formerly the artistic director of The Substation from 2016 to 2019 and Sculpture Square from 2012 to 2014. He was Associate Artist with The Substation from 2000 to 2005, and has exhibited in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Melbourne and New York.
Min-Wei Ting (b.1976, Singapore) is an artist-filmmaker. Working mainly on his own, his films are gestures in protracted observation and movement with the camera. He explores the landscape of streets, buildings and forests, as a way to speak of natural and man-made phenomena, human and non-human existence, or the complex tangle of people with the state and the land. His work has been presented in art spaces and film festivals such as The Substation, International Film Festival Rotterdam, and Singapore International Film Festival. In 2019, he was shortlisted for the Berlin Art Prize, and exhibited at The Institute for Endotic Research (TIER).
Nature Shankar (b.1996, Singapore) graduated with BA Honours at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, in partnership with Loughborough University. Her practice revolves around textiles and hand embroidery. Through her process-driven work, she investigates belonging and existence in its raw and often uncomfortable uncertainty by contextualising personal experiences and narratives. Her works have been exhibited at The Hive Gallery and Studios, USA (2018), Gajah Gallery, Indonesia (2018), C On temporary, Indonesia (2020) and Jendela Visual Arts Space, Singapore (2021). She has participated in residencies at ChaNorth by ChaShama, New York City, USA, OH! Open House, Singapore and Studio Batur in Bandung, Indonesia. She co-founded and runs the arts initiative Our Softest Hour.
Subhas (b.1992, Singapore) is a Tamil-Malayali independent rap/hip-hop artist who works to make his music obsolete; artefacts of a more oppressive, authoritarian times. He creates music to be the soundtrack to revolutionary change. Subhas recently released his two-part sophomore album, 'Tabula Rasa (Tak Boleh Rasa)' on Telegram and it was produced without state sponsorship or censorship.
Special thanks to:
Mr Phua (Wayman Enterprise)
Mr Mohsin (Editor, Banglar Kantha, Bangladesh Centre Singapore)
Design: @madebybeverley
OH! Stories: New World’s End
July 2021 - July 2024, Audio Immersive Experience
Click on image to view in full size.
New World’s End is an immersive audio experience set in the 1960s that tells the story of Kiran and Rosa as they fall in love at the defunct New World’s Amusement Park, where City Square Mall and City Square Residences now stand. In this tale of yearning, loss and regret, discover their old haunts and memories - glittering cabaret lights, a dingy apartment, a collapsed hotel room.
Put on a pair of headphones and listen to Kiran and Rosa’s story through 16 tracks in an MP3 player. By following the narration and directions in the story, be guided on a night walk through back alleys and hidden fantasy rooms. Experience Singapore’s Jalan Besar like never before.
![]()
Put on a pair of headphones and listen to Kiran and Rosa’s story through 16 tracks in an MP3 player. By following the narration and directions in the story, be guided on a night walk through back alleys and hidden fantasy rooms. Experience Singapore’s Jalan Besar like never before.
Cast and Collaborators
Director/Writer
Kaylene Tan
Actress
Moira Loh
Kaylene Tan
Actress
Moira Loh
Set Designer
Alan Oei
Actor
Salif Hardie
Alan Oei
Actor
Salif Hardie
Filmmaker
Brian Gothong Tan
Music Artists
NADA
Brian Gothong Tan
Music Artists
NADA
Dramaturg
Janice Koh
Janice Koh
For the House; Against the House
22 January 2021 - 31 January 2021, Art Experience
Click on image to view in full size.
For the House; Against the House looks at social issues in Singapore through a unique debate format where art establishes the arguments. In conjunction with the private art collections of Jo and the DUO Collection, curators John Tung and Syed Muhd Hafiz set propositions eliciting contemporary responses through new artwork commissions.
The propositions set forth by the curators were:
In both experiences, guests were guided through select artworks from the private collections and new commissions, before the experience culminates in a live debate.
In addition to the physical experiences, a free digital experience was also offered, consisting of two interactive text-based games inspired by the propositions. The digital experience saw players making choices to reach one of many outcomes. Players were encouraged to replay the many scenarios and experience all the branches that the experience had to offer.
This event is part of Singapore Art Week 2021.
The propositions set forth by the curators were:
- Passion Made Impossible: Should we have our own ambitions in Singapore? by John Tung
-
Judging Labels: Are they useful? by Syed Muhd Hafiz
In both experiences, guests were guided through select artworks from the private collections and new commissions, before the experience culminates in a live debate.
In addition to the physical experiences, a free digital experience was also offered, consisting of two interactive text-based games inspired by the propositions. The digital experience saw players making choices to reach one of many outcomes. Players were encouraged to replay the many scenarios and experience all the branches that the experience had to offer.
This event is part of Singapore Art Week 2021.
$5
Beyond the textured cover lie intimate encounters with collectors, and stories from the artists on how art shapes identity, memory, and the ways we see the world.
Contact hello@ohopenhouse.org for a copy.
Judging Labels
Artists from the Collection
Commissioned Artists
Artists from the Collection
- Choy Weng Yang
- Goh Beng Kwan
- Ho Ho Ying
- Teo Eng Seng
Commissioned Artists
- Aisha Rosli
- Faris Heizer
- Masuri Mazlan
- Shen Jiaqi
Passion Made Impossible
Artists from the Collection
Commissioned Artists
Artists from the Collection
-
Ali Esmaeilipour
-
Martin Constable
-
Nadiah Bamadhaj
-
Tang Da Wu
Commissioned Artists
-
Felicia Low
-
Nino Sarabutra
- Wong Lip Chin
Designers: Factory
Days — and counting
30 October 2020 - onwards, Online Art Experience
Click on image to view in full size.
Days — and counting is an on-going portrait of COVID-19 that captures the surreal and strange times we live in through the lens of art and artists. The programme unfolds in three seasons each taking the form of an immersive digital experience that explores our new reality under the pandemic.
The digital art walk takes the metaphor of a dream. The seasons mirror Singapore slowly awakening and having to adapt to new measures and an inescapable reality. These experiences unpack the effects of COVID-19 on a personal and collective level.
Season 1: Walls Crumble
Walls Crumble explores the idea of home during the circuit breaker as a teletext adventure, a now defunct service that allowed Singaporeans to get information such as news, stock prices and weather on the television. Audiences can traverse a surrealist narrative of a sleeping man’s dreamscape via multiple teletext channels, and encounter artworks by local artists:
The season debuted on 30 October 2020 and ended on 31 December 2020.
Season 2: The distance between us
The distance between us is the second season of OH!’s three-part digital art walk on the effects of COVID-19 on Singapore. The season investigates how we now experience ‘distance’ has changed, for example, how we maintain and find new relationships in a pandemic. Seven local artists respond to the way distance manifests in our current reality:
In this experience, audiences will continue to explore the story in the Sleeping Man's (first shown in Season 1) bedroom over four episodes. Each episode will feature new objects in the Sleeping Man’s bedroom that reveal new artworks and narratives. Each episode will also be available only for a week at certain times to enhance the viewing experience.
The experience debuted on Friday, 19 February 2021 and ended on 30 April 2021.
[Password to access season 2: w4keUp305]
The digital art walk takes the metaphor of a dream. The seasons mirror Singapore slowly awakening and having to adapt to new measures and an inescapable reality. These experiences unpack the effects of COVID-19 on a personal and collective level.
Season 1: Walls Crumble
Walls Crumble explores the idea of home during the circuit breaker as a teletext adventure, a now defunct service that allowed Singaporeans to get information such as news, stock prices and weather on the television. Audiences can traverse a surrealist narrative of a sleeping man’s dreamscape via multiple teletext channels, and encounter artworks by local artists:
- Ang Kia Yee
- Hunny & Lummy
- Kevin Fee
- Pat Toh
- Tristan Lim
The season debuted on 30 October 2020 and ended on 31 December 2020.
Season 2: The distance between us
The distance between us is the second season of OH!’s three-part digital art walk on the effects of COVID-19 on Singapore. The season investigates how we now experience ‘distance’ has changed, for example, how we maintain and find new relationships in a pandemic. Seven local artists respond to the way distance manifests in our current reality:
- Denise Yap and Lynn Lu
- Ezzam Rahman
- Berny Tan
- Churen Li, Hell Low, Subhas Nair, Tim De Cotta, and Weish
-
Tan Kheng Hua (in collaboration with Bailey Wait, Lim Shi-An, and Robert Wait)
-
Yen Phang
In this experience, audiences will continue to explore the story in the Sleeping Man's (first shown in Season 1) bedroom over four episodes. Each episode will feature new objects in the Sleeping Man’s bedroom that reveal new artworks and narratives. Each episode will also be available only for a week at certain times to enhance the viewing experience.
The experience debuted on Friday, 19 February 2021 and ended on 30 April 2021.
[Password to access season 2: w4keUp305]
Season 1 Curators: Alan Oei, Daniel Chong
Season 1 Web Development: Eugene.tyz
Season 1 Web Development: Eugene.tyz
Season 2 Curators: Alan Oei, Kirti Upadhyaya
Season 2 Web Development: Keith Chia
Season 2 Web Development: Keith Chia
Designers: Factory
ART IN YOUR OWN HOME (AIYOH)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Is this an art walkabout?
2. Where is the meeting point?
3. What if I get lost?
4. How do I know if I’ve found the right place?
5. How early should I arrive?
6. What if I am late?
7. How long is each experience?
8. Are the experiences family friendly?
9. Is there a toilet?
10. What if it rains?
2. Where is the meeting point?
3. What if I get lost?
4. How do I know if I’ve found the right place?
5. How early should I arrive?
6. What if I am late?
7. How long is each experience?
8. Are the experiences family friendly?
9. Is there a toilet?
10. What if it rains?
Is this an art walkabout? What is an art experience?
This is not an art walkabout! There is no tour and no volunteer tour guide. Your ticket gives you admission to one 45 minute experience at one site. Experiences vary from site to site and may include performance or installations. There are six experiences in total that you can choose from, each at a different location across Singapore.
Where is the meeting point?
You will be informed of the specific meeting point via email a week before the event date! Please look out for this email. On the day of the event, a friendly OH! guide will greet you at the meeting point and usher you to the site.
What if I get lost?
Call the OH! Team at +65 86572013 for help and we’ll do our best to guide you to the meeting point over the phone.
How do I know if I’ve found the right place?
There will be a friendly volunteer in an OH! Open House shirt holding up a sign! If you are unsure, you can call the OH! Team for help at +65 86572013.
How early should I arrive?
Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your experience.
What if I am late?
Latecomers will not be admitted. Experiences will start without you. Please arrive early for your experience.
How long is each experience?
Each experience will be 45 minutes to an hour.
Are the experiences family friendly?
We believe our experiences are most suited to audiences aged 15 and above. Please note that there is no space for prams and strollers.
Is there a toilet?
To respect our homeowners’ privacy, OH!’s policy is that guests cannot use homeowners’ washrooms.
What if it rains?
Some art experiences may held indoors, while others may be held partially or fully outdoors.
Do check the event page of each experience for more information.
Please bring an umbrella in the case of inclement weather.
This is not an art walkabout! There is no tour and no volunteer tour guide. Your ticket gives you admission to one 45 minute experience at one site. Experiences vary from site to site and may include performance or installations. There are six experiences in total that you can choose from, each at a different location across Singapore.
Where is the meeting point?
You will be informed of the specific meeting point via email a week before the event date! Please look out for this email. On the day of the event, a friendly OH! guide will greet you at the meeting point and usher you to the site.
What if I get lost?
Call the OH! Team at +65 86572013 for help and we’ll do our best to guide you to the meeting point over the phone.
How do I know if I’ve found the right place?
There will be a friendly volunteer in an OH! Open House shirt holding up a sign! If you are unsure, you can call the OH! Team for help at +65 86572013.
How early should I arrive?
Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your experience.
What if I am late?
Latecomers will not be admitted. Experiences will start without you. Please arrive early for your experience.
How long is each experience?
Each experience will be 45 minutes to an hour.
Are the experiences family friendly?
We believe our experiences are most suited to audiences aged 15 and above. Please note that there is no space for prams and strollers.
Is there a toilet?
To respect our homeowners’ privacy, OH!’s policy is that guests cannot use homeowners’ washrooms.
What if it rains?
Some art experiences may held indoors, while others may be held partially or fully outdoors.
Do check the event page of each experience for more information.
Please bring an umbrella in the case of inclement weather.
PASSPORT (2019)
16 — 31 Mar 2019, Multiple Locations Across Singapore, Art Experience
A passport summarises you in an instant. It opens up the world or damns you to bureaucratic hell. It affirms your identity or is just a booklet with benefits. A way out or a guarantee of a home to come back to.
What do passports mean to you?
PASSPORT is a series of 6 pop up art experiences in different locations across the island. For 6 artists and their hosts, passports prompted conversations about identity, belonging, home, privilege and even love. Each artist worked with their hosts to create new artworks and experiences.
For more information, visit our FAQ.
For a Calendar of Events, click here.
For PASSPORT’s programme booklet, click here.
What do passports mean to you?
PASSPORT is a series of 6 pop up art experiences in different locations across the island. For 6 artists and their hosts, passports prompted conversations about identity, belonging, home, privilege and even love. Each artist worked with their hosts to create new artworks and experiences.
For more information, visit our FAQ.
For a Calendar of Events, click here.
For PASSPORT’s programme booklet, click here.
THE EXPERIENCES
Anthony Chin × Christophe & Sharon
Ezzam Rahman × Hernie & André
ila × Xiou Ann
Jimmy Ong × Han Chung
Mike HJ Chang × Liming & Chloe
Nature Shankar × Pei Ying
OH!PEN CALL (2016)
12— 27 Mar 2016, Potong Pasir, Art Exhibition
OH!pen Call was an experimental satellite programme running alongside OH! Potong Pasir that explored the possibilities of meaningful community engagement in our everyday spaces.
Seven art and community projects were installed in the public spaces of Potong Pasir – in void decks, up staircases, in the Community Club and so on. The projects were installed for a total of sixteen days and were free for the public to enjoy.
Seven art and community projects were installed in the public spaces of Potong Pasir – in void decks, up staircases, in the Community Club and so on. The projects were installed for a total of sixteen days and were free for the public to enjoy.
Artworks & Artists
– FuturePresentPast by Artizens
– HOP; in the Heart of Play by Lai Wei Min & Phoebe Zoe Ho
– (HOUSE)plants byJoscelin Chew & Megan Miao
– Meet-the-People Session by Adrian Tan & Jennifer Ng
– Pock Pock Rock byJustin Tan Jianyang & Tay Ining
– Tommy's Place by Elvis Wang
– Two Storey Poetry by Lorraine Lee & Matthew Crawshaw
Design: Lim Qi Xuan