8 Art Exhibitions To See In Singapore This Month

18 August - 26 August 2017, Gallery 10, National Museum of Singapore Be prepared for some sensory overload. Styled in a dark room, Nostos: Records of the Self, , an Aesop scent experience, celebrates the intrinsic link between scent and memory. Light is used to heat essential oils in ten steel wells, also filled with water. The scent permeating the space to create an environment of respite and reflection, further reminiscent of a spa house. The title takes inspiration from the Greek word nóstos, meaning homecoming or return. When paired with the Greek word álgos, meaning ache, the two words form ’nostalgia’ — a feeling for which scent is an evocative trigger. nationalmuseum.sg/programmes/programme-list/singapore-night-festival-at-the-national-museum-2017

20 May - 15 October 2017, ArtScience Museum What is it like to stand between fiction and reality? In the ArtScience Museum's latest exhibition HUMAN+: The Future of Our Species, the lines are blurred, allowing a look into what it means to be human in a world of artificial intelligence, genetic modification and robots. Featuring the creations of 40 international artisans from artists to technologists, the exhibition is a gateway to a one-of-a-kind experience. A key highlight is to interact with Nadine, one of the world's most life-like female humanoid social robots. Don't be too surprised when she recognises faces and even banters with you. marinabaysands.com/museum/human-plus

19 August - 15 October 2017, ArtScience Museum Snake through art, jewellery and design. Paying tribute to a motif that has contributed to increasing Bulgari's international fame, the brand’s heritage curator Lucia Boscaini presents an eclectic and evocative exhibition that narrates how the serpent symbol has also inspired many others, unfolding from antiquity to modern art. The serpent vision in contemporary art will emerge with works by leading artists, such as Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Keith Haring, Niki de Saint Phalle — and famous photographers like Robert Mapplethorpe and Helmut Newton. The exhibition is also enriched by Bulgari Serpenti creations from the Maison archives and private collections; costumes from theatre and cinema archives; and gorgeous snake-themed vintage evening dresses by renowned Italian fashion designers. www.marinabaysands.com/museum/serpentiform

6 May - 27 August 2017, Singapore Art Museum Nine contemporary artists conjured up dreamlike interpretations of the interaction between nature and urbanisation; From clusters of tiny mushrooms in overlooked corners to an interactive installation of teepee tents and hanging textile birds, the exhibition will not fail to challenge the extent of human curiosity, encouraging food for thought on your own outlook of life. singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions/current

9 March - 9 September 2017, Parkview Museum Do you enjoy a bowl of shark fin soup? Ten contemporary Chinese artists don't. On Sharks & Humanity unveils the prejudice surrounding the 'killer' creature and the shark finning industry, digging deeper into the relationship between humanity and sharks. Abstract sculptures, paintings and photographs mainly in striking red and blues introduce this sensitive issue in an alleviated yet clear manner on how we relate to these marine animals and the planet's ecosystem as a whole. parkviewartsaction.com/on-sharks-humanity

29 July - 20 August 2017, Gillman Barracks If you had to describe Jeremy Sharma's work with a single word, it would be 'enigma'. His unique and minimalistic expression of the interaction among perception, memory and fiction is shown in the body of installation works. Through Interpolation of light and programmes in addition with the use of sound, images and videos, the Spectrum Version 2.2 takes you on a sensorial journey, bridging the natural and artificial amidst the digital era of today. gillmanbarracks.com/art-galleries/sullivanstrumpf

9 June - 3 September 2017, National Gallery Singapore When dots, nets, pumpkins and infinity rooms come together, Yayoi Kusama's art comes to mind. At the National Gallery Singapore, venture into Kusama's creative vision with over 120 pieces spanning four galleries of the museum. In celebration of the 70 years of her artistic endeavour, the exhibition guides you from small experiments with colour and form to large-scale installations with mirror rooms that invite you into a surrealistic world. nationalgallery.sg/yayoi-kusama-life-is-the-heart-of-a-rainbow

5 June - 3 September 2017, National Gallery Singapore This exhibition showcases the works of a pair from different times: a modern artist and a contemporary artist whom captured the essence of Vietnamese lacquer painting, shining a light on both the beauty and flexibility of the unusual art. In the 1930s, Nguyen Gia Tri expressed his dynamic take of lacquer, taking the role of a pioneer of Vietnamese modern art, while Phi Phi Oanh uses it to express the fleeting, virtual and interactive perspectives we have of images today. The lacquer is painted on material such as glass, metal and wood, each resulting in varying textures which make the art form so idiosyncratic. nationalgallery.sg/radiant-material-a-dialogue-in-vietnamese-lacquer-painting