Are our phones low-key turning us into monsters? STPI’s latest exhibition, Strange Monster View, asks a similar question through more than 50 works by Indonesia-based artist Eko Nugroho, created during his second residency at the gallery. The showcase features a psychedelic cast of cyborgs, masked creatures and bizarre hybrid figures, inspired by Nugroho’s observations of social norms in Singapore.
However, beneath the trippy colours and surreal imagery is a social commentary on how technology, from our smartphones and televisions to our increasing screen addiction, is changing the way we think, act and see the world. And maybe for the worse. Some of the artworks to look out for are We Watch Behind the Grass and We Watch Behind the Bones. The former reflects on surveillance, while the latter digs into the human motives behind violent acts.
Complementing the exhibition is a series of workshops inspired by Nugroho’s practice. Look forward to a class on mokulito, the printmaking technique central to the showcase, and beginner-friendly tutorials on screenprinting and flocking. In the latter, you get to design a self-portrait that resembles the artist’s signature masked characters.
