This Singapore Art Week, the Critical Craft Collective (CCC) presents From Palais to Pulau, a reimagining of Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management, the iconic Victorian-era domestic guide. This project examines invisible and emotional labour, gender roles, and colonial legacies within the home, highlighting often-overlooked cultural practices.

The title signifies a transition from European conceptions and origins to Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore, with the aim of redefining notions of the “home” and “home-making” by embracing practices once labelled as “oddities.” While instances such as eating with one’s hands were considered odd when contrasted with Western dining norms, it was a sensory-rich tradition that showcased sustainable, embodied customs.

This inaugural edition begins with acts of care, focusing on the home as a site to explore “temperature” through a thematic lens. Beyond its physical manifestations, temperature serves as a metaphor for materiality, lived experiences, and the shifts and fluctuations that shape our sensitivities and responses—whether in mood, energy, or environment. These dynamics influence the artists’ engagement with embodied living, particularly within Southeast Asian contexts. From reflections on hospitality to the tangible constraints of artmaking, temperature and the home together symbolise the ongoing negotiations of change and flux in our personal and collective realities.

From Palais to Pulau comprises two components: a physical exhibition featuring seven artists with activations, and a digital platform presenting commissioned works and writings, coinciding with CCC’s website launch. Through this multifaceted approach, CCC transforms the traditional household manual into a dynamic exploration of craft, culture, and dialogue.

The digital component includes artists such as Andrea Danker with kenti, kenti, sabrozu! (hot hot, delicious!), Daniel Chong with ₺℅ Practices for Permacrisis ‰‡, Lim E-Lynn Joanne with In Gentle Cycles, Susanna Tan with Blooming Heirlooms, and Zeharn&Zeheng with Seeing Temperature. Meanwhile, the physical exhibition features commissions by Adeline Kueh, Divaagar, Hazel Lim, Ian Woo, Shubigi Rao, Wyn-Lyn Tan, and Zarina Muhammad.

From Palais to Pulau runs from 14th to 21th January 2025 at 125 Jalan Sultan (2nd Floor). More information available here