Art What!: Head out to the Southern Islands on 25 Feb and spend a day at the Singapore Biennale

Craving for a different experience over the weekend? Save the date next Saturday for a chance to experience Natasha, the Singapore Biennale 2022 (SB2022) on the Southern Islands, with a series of programmes and activities that shed light on the rich biodiversity and history that informed the artworks presented on St. John’s Island and Lazarus Island. 

Available in two sessions only on Saturday, 25th February, island-goers will be able to participate in a variety of programmes for everyone to join in the fun. Think island tours and artist chats for art aficionados to hands-on craft activities, pop-up food stands and performances for families with little ones to adventure seekers.

For those interested in a breezy morning of art and lifestyle activities, head down to the Southern Islands with family and friends from 10am to 1pm. The public can get their own tickets, embark on a self-guided journey of the artworks and hear directly from artist Zarina Muhammad on her artwork Moving Earth, Crossing Water, Eating Soil. Complement your experience with island activities like learning how to survive in the wild with three curated adventures, or visiting the St. John’s Island National Marine Laboratory.

For those interested in a deeper exploration of SB2022, make your way across the sea for an evening of cultural wonder from 4pm to 7pm. Rest and unwind with us while the sun sets with a special storytelling session by artist Shooshie Sulaiman and gamelan performances inspired by Zarina’s artwork. Take a trip back in time with a special guided tour by a fourth-generation Orang Laut and learn about the islands’ rich history from Singapore’s indigenous seafarers, or attend a talk inspired by Åsa Sonjasdotter and Daniela Zambrano Almidón’s Tarpuycha/Earthing Potatoes, which traces the history of the potato in Southeast Asian cooking. 

Visitors can also anticipate the unveiling of Shooshie Sulaiman’s Kancil Mengadap Beringin (The Mousedeer Comes Before the Banyan Tree) at Lazarus Island as part of SB2022. Imagining the encounter of between the Sang Kancil (mousedeer) and the pohon beringin (banyan tree), the work brings important symbols in Malay fables and cosmology from the Malay Heritage Centre, where it was previously located, to Lazarus Islands where it is fully realised and complete for the first time. 

Photo Credit: Singapore Art Museum

Natasha on the Islands runs on 25th February 2023 at the Southern Islands (St John’s and Lazarus Islands), across two sessions: 10am–1pm, and 4pm–7pm. Ferry tickets required for both sessions, while PM session requires booking via Peatix

Singapore Biennale 2022 aka Natasha runs from 16th October 2022 to 19th March 2023. Tickets and more information available here