Art in surprising places at Singapore Biennale

WHO is Natasha, and what does she have to do with the art scene in Singapore? “Natasha” is the nickname given to the seventh Singapore Biennale, which kicks off this weekend with a slew of art exhibitions popping up in conventional and the most unlikely locations in the city.

Tanjong Pagar Distripark and the Southern Islands – including Lazarus and St John’s Islands – are just some of the venues that will showcase the works of more than 50 artists from around the world, whose practices range from visual to literary arts. In tomorrow’s issue of BTLifestyle, we’ll give you a rundown on what’s happening at the biggest art show in town. Elsewhere in the Arts, read our review of Pangdemonium’s biographical play on Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow.

On the design front, we talk to two hospitality veterans, namely famed luxury hotel designer Jean-Michel Gathy and Ronald Akili, founder of the Potato Head in Bali, as they look at design from two different standpoints. Gathy – whose portfolio includes Aman resorts and One&Only properties, looks back on his career in designing some of the most lavish hotels; while Akili recalls pivoting from a business focused on good times, to one that focuses on doing good on the environmental front.

In Dining, we get a taste of Seroja, an ambitious attempt to capture the flavours of the Malay Archipelago. Read this and more in tomorrow’s issue of BT.