At Raffles Arcade, in the backroom of art gallery Art Now is something one wouldn't expect to find. Walk past a sign that says "R 18+, not suitable for the young" and you'll enter a faux "Nike" BDSM retail and pop-up show installation.
The genius behind the concept is artist Eduardo Enrique, known for his works that humorously and ironically explore people's relationships with consumerism. After his first solo show at The Substation, he returns with his second, where he continues to question pop culture's fixation with brands through a thought-provoking series of artworks that explore the extent of consumer culture and the human desire towards material goods. For Brand Love, he worked with interior design studio Knock Knock Studio, that meticulously designed and executed the minimalistic interiors.
“All I’m doing is interpreting the term ‘brand love’ quite literally, which we widely use in marketing referring to those initiatives designed to create emotional connections between the consumer and the brand”, says the artist.
Be warned, however: this is exhibition isn't for everyone. It's filled with Nike golf balls, basketballs and other accessories reconstituted and combined with fetish garments and bondage objects, generating a series of provoking (and often ironic) artefacts aimed to invite viewers to re-examine their own relationships with consumerism and things. Amongst the objects is a gold ball affixed to a dual stainless-steel chastity cage (or prostate stimulator), as well as a basketball with a stainless steel rectum "plug".
At the corner of the show is an empty wall, in which Eduardo says will be reserved for blown-up print of a cease-and-desist letter from the major sports brand. However, he hopes that it remains empty throughout the run of the show.
Brand Love is part of this year's Singapore Art Week (SAW) programming. For more info on this year's SAW events, check out our guide here.
