The best things to do in Singapore this weekend (Nov 15-18)

Championing the art of 'less is more', National Gallery Singapore and ArtScience Museum team up to debut the biggest minimalism exhibition in Southeast Asia from November 16 2018 to April 14 2019. Held within the confines of the two iconic museums, the experiential exhibition gives visitors the freedom to view, interpret and experience the immersive displays in a variety of ways – allowing for different ways to appreciate the aesthetics of Asian and Western minimalist art. A far cry from the bold and eccentric showcases that usually dominate the galleries, the exhibition tones it down a notch by illustrating minimal art that emerged from its birthplace of New York and how it has developed in the US West Coast and Asia through to the rest of the world. This contemporary take on avant-garde art considers the spatial, social and political contexts of the subject matter, and has influenced some of the best unconventional creations in music, performances, fashion and design history – think musician Steve Reich, artist Tony Smith and fashion designer Jill Sander, among others.  Feed your curious mind with captivating paintings, impressive sculptures, spatial installations and other masterpieces by key artists such as Olafur Eliasson, Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, Robert Morris, Frank Stella, Kim Lim, Mona Hatoum, Anish Kapoor and Ai Wei Wei, as well as special commissions by Sopheap Pich and Jeremy Sharma.  The exhibition's special programmes also invite visitors to tap into the wo

Brought to you by Mazel Galerie Singapore, renowned contemporary French artist Lionel Sabatté is showcasing his first-ever solo exhibition in Asia and Singapore. The exhibition displays his latest works of art in painting and sculpture as an experimental adventurist, using the most unlikely of materials including tea leaves from Yunnan, China, and the dust from the metro stations of Paris. In his Ongles Et Peaux Mortes series, human discards like clipped nails, human hair and even calluses are used to reflect on our human condition. With the belief that all matters are malleable, his paintings challenge the chemistry between various mediums and minerals on canvas. Beyond the control of human hands, these works provide an air of stillness and poetic calmness for your rich imagination to interpret.

Dreamseeds Arts Fest by Club Rainbow is back with the aim to give beneficiaries with chronic illnesses an artistic outlet to express their innate creativity. Check out the arts exhibition, featuring the beneficiaries’ artworks in mediums such as watercolour and photography. Vibrant tote bags, postcards, and mugs will be up for sale at the arts market – you’ll definitely be spoilt for choice. Visit its official Facebook page for specific timings and updates.    

Presented by Fost Gallery, Sound & Vision promises an engaging experience where you head on a journey to discover how these two domains are interpreted in art. Featuring works by four talented artists – Zul Mahmod, Ng Joon Kiat, Wyn-Lyn Tan, and Ian Woo – the group exhibition highlights the means of composite in their art by engaging with notions of repetition and rhythm, tonality and intensity, as well as unity and dissonance. Immerse yourselves in echoing depth of Wyn-Lyn Tan’s sculptures, and revel in Ng Joon Kiat’s series of graphite paintings, bringing attention to the invisible frequencies surrounding us.

The culture of now has never been so prevalent in this digital age of technology where instant services and smartphones are glorified. Tracing back to its roots in the late 1940s leads us to what was a breakthrough in the world of photography, the Polaroid camera. Inspiring artists and photographers alike, the exhibition offers insight into the story behind Polaroid photography and how the process of being able to memorial a special and specific moment in time has impacted the social phenomenon we have today.

Commemorating the global celebrations of Richard Feynman's 100th anniversary, ArtScience Museum is presenting a brand new exhibition, casting the spotlight on the astonishing, multi-aspect life and achievements of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist. Known for his pioneering work in quantum mechanics and the basis of modern physics, be inspired and awed as you're drawn deeper into the science through art, understanding how he paved the path for many of the technological advances that support us in our everyday lives today. The exhibit features Feynman's personal items, documents and letters from across the globe. Contemporary artworks that have drawn inspiration from Feynman's thought process are also presented to aid your understanding through visual representations of the six scientific topics at the core of his work, giving you a peek into the realm of quantum mechanics.

This flora-focused display shows local artist Weixin Quek Chong's knack for creating visuals that gorgeously captures plants inspired by books. Her technique lies in conveying her visions through selecting materials that give her works glossy, magazine-like sheen which then creates irony when accompanied with her unconventional range of subject matter including live plants represented in drawings or contemporary approaches like applying make-up and beauty cosmetics.

Singapore’s premier and only mentoring, commissioning, and award programme is back for their seventh edition. Recognising talented artists aged up to 35 years old, President's Young Talents (PYT) has defined the start of an outstanding artistic journey for many youths such as Boo Junfeng, Heman Chong, Charles Lim, Vertical Submarine and many more. As the last exhibition before the Singapore Art Museum temporally closes for a major revamp, come on down and show your support as Singapore’s next up-and-coming generation of contemporary artists takes centre stage.

Observe local artist Jodi Tan's impressive experiments with shape and colour via screen-printing, collage, painting and cross-stitching at the SPRMRKT's STPI location. Soak up the visuals of her Still Life series which includes eight works where positive and negative shapes are re-arranged in unconventional ways, allowing viewers to question how images are read and perceived. Her cross-stitching skills can be seen via her Sense of Order series, while she explores the idea of nature in urban spaces via her new series, Tree.

To commemorate the fifth anniversary of the passing of the late Singaporean artist, Teng Nee Cheong, the exhibition showcases the rare sighting of his monochromatic charcoal drawings, instead of his better-known vibrant, colourful paintings with Southeast Asian cultural influences. As the first exhibition since his passing, this inaugural showcase displays a selection of his life drawings collection. 

The Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) was the first of its kind when it premiered in 2008, and this year’s sixth edition promises to showcase even more works by South-East Asian artists. The festival includes a slew of exhibitions, workshops, and public talks held at various locations, including Deck, Gillman Barracks, The Arts House, Japan Creative Centre, Esplanade Tunnel and the National Design Centre. This year's theme is Like You, Me, Everybody Else takes a look into intimate realms and broader narratives connected by various human experiences. All works are carefully selected for their universal appeal that allows viewers from all walks of life the ability to relate.    

Considered to be one of the city's finest watercolourists, see Singapore through Lim Cheng Hoe's lenses as he showcases 60 distinctive works of art which beautifully capture the evolving scenes from the 1930s to the 1970s. The artist's dedication towards plein-air painting influences the elements featured in his art, including the effects of light and weather on the landscapes of the city, as well as motifs such as kampongs, boat traffics, hilltop views and more that oozes a sense of local identity.      

Trace the evolution of photography in Southeast Asia through the lens of the Peranakan community as you admire the collection of over 200 photographs, donated by Mr and Mrs Lee Kip Lee, that runs the gamut from old school monochrome images to dazzling digital displays. Through its exploration of the candid and intimate moments shared by early Peranakan families, the exhibition also brings forth issues surrounding identity and connectedness.