Airs & Graces Art Exhibition @ Millenia Walk

Hi Huneybees,

Last week we were at the VIP reception of Airs & Graces art exhibition at Millenia Walk. Millenia Walk’s parent company, Pontiac Land Group has always been committed to supporting the arts scene, previously they have turned The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore into a contemporary art museum and now I am excited about this new art experience inside a shopping mall!

Defying the conventional expectations of private art exhibitions, Art Stage Singapore transforms Millenia Walk into an instant contemporary public art museum. From 1 June to 7 July 2013, the mall offers a unique shopping experience to buoy up the much-awaited holiday and shopping season.

“We are delighted to partner the Art Stage Singapore in the ‘Airs & Graces’ exhibition. This engaging exhibition demonstrates our continued support towards developing a vibrant contemporary art scene here in Singapore. We certainly look forward to sharing and celebrating the inspiring experience with all our visitors at Millenia Walk,” said Mr Tan Boon Tuck, Senior Vice-President of Millenia Private Limited.

Featuring an impressive cast of renowned international and regional artists, the cocktail reception was graced by Dick Lee as the guest-of-honour. Attendees at the cocktail reception were treated to ‘live’ art exhibition, sand art performance and lots of champagne and wine – fine art go well with fine wine!

“In the marbled Temple of Materalism shine inspiring works of art, illuminating our existence and urging us to reflect on life, its meaning and ourselves, showing us that charm, beauty and creativity are as essential to us as the air we breathe.” – Lorenzo Rudolf, Fair Director of Art Stage Singapore.  

Sai Hua Kuan’s Going Somewhere 

Sai Hua Kuan graduated from Slade School of Fine Art and works in a diverse range of media, including installation, sculpture, film, photography and performance. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions internationally, including in the UK, Canada, Germany, France and Singapore, currently he lives and works in Singapore and the UK.

Max Streicher’s Floating Giants 

Max Streicher is a sculptor and installation artist from Alberta, Canada. SInce 1989 he has worked extensively with inflatable technology in kinetic sculptures and installation works, and is known for his large and imposing inflatable sculptures which have been described as being distressing and enchanting, disruptive and playful. He currently lives and works in Toronto, Canada.

Sri Astari’s Armors for the Soul

Sri Astari’s Armors for the Soul 

Sri Astari’s Love-Fear Bag 

Lochan Upadhyay’s Wedding Chair 

Sri Astari is a painter, sculptor and installation artist, she studied painting at the University of Minnesota, USA and at the Royal College of Art, UK. Her work explores traditional Javanese values and social norms and how they relate to the status of women and gender roles in modern Indonesian society. Sri Astari currently lives and works in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Sri Astari’s Love-Fear Bag 

Lochan Upadhyay’s Wedding Chair 

Lochan Upadhyay graduated from the M.S University of Baroda (India) where he is presently reading for this MFA. His work playfully blends tradition with modernity and he is known for using pieces of sari fabric, given to him by the women of a rural village for his large wedding chairs, like a symbolic dowry. Upadhyay has showcased his work across India, New York and Paris.

Navin Rawanchaikul’s Mission Navinland 

Navin Rawanchaikul’s dynamic art pieces usually involve direct public interventions, social commentary, and eccentric fictional tales featuring recurring characters. His oeuvre has grown to encompass a broad array of media including performances, billboards, films, comics, games, and cocktails. His works are widely exhibited across Asia, Europe and the USA. He currently lives and works in Fukuoka, Japan and Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Entang Wiharso’s Feast Table: Undeclared Perceptions

Entang Wiharso majored in painting at the Insitut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta and is considered one of the Indonesia’s foremost contemporary artist. Known for his unique and hyper-detailed style inspired by Indonesian mytholog, contemporary global culture, public memory and personal experience, Entang juxtaposes the past with the present, and the absurd with the real, to cast a critical eye on the state of the world. He lives and works in Rhode Island, USA and Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Chen Wen Ling’s Humanities Landscape

Chen Wen Ling’s Humanities Landscape
Chen Wen Ling’s Illusory Realm 

Chen Wen Ling graduated from Xiamen Academy of Art and Design in 1991. He is known for his provoking and interesting sculptural works that often invoke metaphors and symbols related to Chinese culture. He has been exhibited widely around the world, and currently he lives and works in Beijing, China.

Chen Wen Ling’s Illusory Realm

MUSE: Airs & Graces Art Exhibition runs from 1 June to 7 July 2013 at Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039596

In conjunction with the art exhibition, Millenia Walk is having the following promotions:

Buoy Up The Finer Side Rewards (1 to 30 June 2013)

Spend $300* and enjoy a Patisserie G’s special-edition art-palette artisan cookie. Top up the spending to $500 and receive an additional jar of gourmet homemade Apricot Confiture with Fresh Thyme from The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore and an art jamming session with Gallery 798. Other spending perks include complimentary 1st hour parking on weekdays and 3 hours on weekends and complimentary gift wrapping with a minimum spending of $50 from the outlets.

*maximum 3 same-day receipts from Millenia Walk. Other conditions apply.

A Life Inspired – Shop, Dine & Revel in the Finer Side (1 to 30 June 2013)

Indulge in guilt-free shopping and dining experience this Great Sale Season at Millenia Walk, select from masterfully crafted timepieces to bespoke tailoring, designer fashion and eclectic cuisines, everyone will surely find something to suit the sartorial bent and excite the palate.

(This article is contributed by Malcolm Sunny. Photo Credits: Malcolm Sunny)

About the Author

Malcolm has never been a follower of crowd, more commonly known by his blogger alias, Malcolm Sunny, believes that life is short and let’s not give a damn shit. “Since no one gets out of it alive anyway, let’s live life by our own measurements and enjoy every moment to the fullest.” He also shares his stories at malcolmsunny.com.

Read more »

Sawasdee Krub Bangkok - Day 2 & 3

Hi Huneybees,

I'm back with Day 2 and 3 of my Bangkok trip. It's been known to be shoppers' paradise, so I dedicated 2 days to explore their streets and the infamous The Platinum Fashion Mall. It's freaking-ly huge with 2 buildings to house all your fashion needs.

I met up with Wesley and his friend in front of Platinum (which we got lost at with the new and old building) and just when we were about to enter, I spotted Peiyun! How small is the world right?!

It's never ending road in Platinum.

Anyway, it's time to shop! When you are shopping here, be sure to ask about wholesale price and quantity. Most of the stores here go real cheap when you buy in bulk. Eg: A dress might cost 300 baht, but when you buy wholesale (probably any 2 pieces from the store), it can go to dress and the other piece of clothing for 300 baht.

And the difference between the new and old building is that there's a food court in the old building, so you can go for lunch when you are tired. The new building is smaller in scale, but tidier and easier to navigate. You can also use credit cards in most of the stores in the new building, but not so for the old building.

I prefer the old building more, but you tend to get lost, so create your own system and if you think you like a particular store's apparels, be sure to snap photos, the lane you are in and the unit number. Otherwise, you can never find it again, it's just that bizarre. 

All in all, shopping in Bangkok requires alot of cash, so be sure to bring more or you will end up having to draw money from the ATMs. There's everything for the ladies, the men, the kids and even the pets!

Other than the shopping in Platinum, it is another piece of heaven outside on the streets. 

Traffic is never good in Bangkok. There's always a traffic jam somewhere...

There's still some flowers for you to appreciate and take your  minds off shopping for awhile.

If you ever get lost, look to the ground for directions...

The "market" begins in the afternoon and operates late through the night. I have to say, things are cheaper out on the streets. Similar things might cost a fraction of the price from those in Platinum. However, if you are worried about hygiene, then don't bother....

Now, onto the streets...

Not real ones, just toys. but I wonder who wants to play with icky yucky things?

Along the streets, you can also find food and alot of locals dine here, pack their lunch/dinner on the way. It's amazing with the wide selections, you will not go hungry...

Right outside Central World, there are 2 buddha statues and there are streams of devotees praying to them every day. You can purchase the flowers as offerings along the streets and it's the first time I see roses being used for praying.

My hubby's friend met us in the evening and brought us to a local Thai restaurant tucked in a the corner of Central World at the 3rd Floor. It's called Laem Cha-Roen Seafood and it's famous for it's Deep Fried Codfish.

We started with a Fresh Oyster each and we had it Thai style with their special made chili.

The famous Codfish.

This is a vegetable that held a meaning in the hearts of Thai and it's called Phat Miao.

We also had the usual Kai Lan.

And not forgetting the must-have Thai dishes - Thai Fish Cake and Tom Yum Soup.

We added a dish of Prawns with Salad.

Dessert was Pineapple Ice Cream. This is seasonal though...

 After dinner, I went around the area with hubby and also show him where I had been exploring for the day...

You can find Naraya here in Central World.

And if dinner was not enough, stop by the street side for some insect-y delicacy for supper...

On our way back to the hotel, we dropped by Thao Maha Brahma, a four-faced Buddha statue that's been known to be visited by many for its blessings. Many say that what they pray for comes true and they return every year to 'thank' the Buddha. Even top celebrities from Hong Kong and Taiwan come specially to make offerings to the Buddha!

There are birds here sold for you to release, to build some 'karma' for yourself.

The 4 sides of the Buddha.

There are many ways to pray to the Buddha, some use flowers, some light candles or you can pay the dancers to do a dance for the Buddha.

Day 2 was fruitful and I was sad when I woke up to bad weather on Day 3. It was raining cats and dogs, I was mostly in the hotel room till later half of the day. 

I met up with Wesley before he head back to Singapore. He brought me to a local designer (Kirawat Bote Benchakarn) in Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Hotel, just next to the Thao Maha Brahma. He was there mainly for work and he had to snap some shots of their menswear. It's a small shop, but it's definitely what I hoped more men can wear...

Ok! I'm off to more shopping. 

See ya on the next post...

Read more »