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Singapore Night Festival 2023
Photograph: Daniel IskandarSingapore Night Festival 2023

The best outdoor exhibitions in Singapore

Get your steps in while indulging in art

Dewi Nurjuwita
Mingli Seet
Written by
Dewi Nurjuwita
Contributor
Mingli Seet
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Who says art exhibits have to be confined to an enclosed space? Over the past year, various art exhibitions have been taking it outdoors. These al fresco showcases are a great idea for couples, providing a chance to be active while engaging your creative side. Plan a surprise outing with your partner on a unique art trail around the island, take a leisure walk while enjoying public art sculptures, or explore the history of Jalan Besar on a self-guided audio tour.

RECOMMENDED: The best public art trails in Singapore and the best art exhibitions in Singapore

Art out and about

  • Art

Who says you need a time machine to travel back in time? With OH! Open House's new permanent immersive art experience, all you need is a pair of comfy shoes, inquisitive eyes, a good listening ear, and a whole lotta curiosity.

Following its "sleepwalking" digital art trail Days — and counting, the independent art organisation is back on the streets to tempt you with a site-specific, multisensory walk around Jalan Besar. Titled New World's End, the Singapore Tourism Board-supported night tour is slated to officially launch on July 2.

The audio-guided walk combines fiction and history to reveal the stories of the iconic New World Amusement Park, as well as the rich history and heritage of Jalan Besar. Set against the backdrop of the now-defunct landmark in the 1960s, it starts at OH! Open House's new home at 85 Desker Road before taking you down back alleys, hidden rooms and fantasy spaces where you'll uncover the secrets and romance of a pair of young lovers: cinema projectionist Kiran (voiced by Salif Hardie) and New World Cabaret dance hostess Rosa (voiced by Moira Loh). 

Directed and written by theatre maven Kaylene Tan, with dramaturgical support from actress Janice Koh, the stories of New World's End are told through lavish sets designed by OH! Open House's artistic director Alan Oei, an evocative soundtrack produced by music duo NADA, and captivating films by one of Singapore's leading creatives Brian Gothong Tan.

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  • Art
  • Street art
  • Rochor

Those familiar with urban art speak would have heard of the Hall of Fame, which refers to a space legally dedicated to street art. Some of the major cities in the world – including New York and Sydney – have said spaces where artists can work their magic. 

Southeast Asia now has its first official Hall of Fame – and it's located in Kampong Gelam. The newly minted Hall of Fame is Kampong Gelam's latest addition to the art that permeates the neighbourhood. But here's the interesting bit: a construction site has become an unexpected canvas for art. 

Spread across Bali Lane and Ophir Road, the project is inspired by the precinct's iconic role in nurturing the local street art scene. The metal canvases – spanning an impressive 230-metres and standing five metres tall – were erected as noise barriers for ongoing construction on the North-South Corridor. 

The Hall of Fame features 17 Singapore-based artists, most of which are no strangers to dreaming up colourful murals in Kampong Gelam. You'll find the familiar works of Didier Jaba Mathieu, Slacsatu, ZERO and ANTZ alongside up-and-coming names like Jojie Atomick and Studio Moonchild.

  • Art
  • Rochor

Scooch on down to the back alleys of Muscat Street for a rad hidden gem, an outdoor art gallery. Two parallel walls burst with a kaleidoscope of colour thanks to over 30 Instagram-worthy works by artists from the region and beyond. Admire the pop culture-dominated creation by multi-disciplinary artist PrettyFreakyFantasy or take a snap of a bold, terrestrial piece by graphic designer Liyana Farzana before exiting to Baghdad Street.

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