ON an incessantly rainy first Saturday of March, small groups of art and design enthusiasts were making their way to various studios across Singapore. Upon reaching their destinations (and after drying off), they sat down for half an hour or more with the creatives working in the studio to talk about the latter’s practice and perspectives. The conversations were casual and informal, peppered with jokes, anecdotes, personal thoughts and awkward confessions – including someone admitting: “I don’t really understand much of contemporary art.” 

They’re a far cry from the kind of conversations people tend to have at art fairs, which often centre around artists’ resumes, awards, collectability, prices and waitlists. But that’s precisely what the appropriately titled event Walk Walk Don’t Run seems to be – an antidote to the phenomenal rise of art fairs around the world and the general art “fair-tigue” that results from having to rush and look at thousands of artworks by hundreds of artists in over 100 booths in a span of two to three days.   

Walk Walk Don’t Run is organised by independent art space Grey Projects, and involves over 30 creatives and collectives opening up their studio spaces for the public on a specific Saturday in March. It had its first edition in 2021 and quickly earned rave reviews among art and design enthusiasts, relieved to be able to chat in warm and friendly environments with creatives – without the mediation of curators, galleries and museums.