This upcoming Singapore Art Week, look forward to the inaugural AliWALL Festival, a weekend of participatory art experiences at the Aliwal Arts Centre (AAC). Influenced by the theme for 2022, "The Dreamer", the Festival seeks to redefine walls, both physical and metaphorical, as canvases to unite artists and audiences to imagine what urban living is.
AliWALL Festival 2022: The Dreamer, curated by independent programmers MAMA MAGNET, brings together the contrasting worlds of fantasy and reality across both indoor and outdoor venues for a whole weekend from January 21 to 23.
Get your culture hats on and look forward to an inspiring line-up of local artists who will be showcasing their artworks and skills through the different Festival programmes, located and displayed at the indoor and outdoor spaces around the Aliwal Arts Centre.
Reality in Construction is a participatory outdoor mural that activates the iconic right wall of the AAC building. Urban artist Spaz (Laurie Maravilla) and homegrown mural artist TraseOne (Sufian Hamri) from urban collective RSCLS will be joined by visual artists and illustrators Has.J, Kristal Melson and Slacsatu to paint a narrative-driven mural inspired by urban living. The public will also be invited to participate and collaborate with the artists, and the completed mural will be unveiled during the Festival weekend.
Escape to a dream-like environment as Permission to Dream takes over AAC's Music Studio, offering visitors an immersive, multi-sensory experience with fantasy-filled digital art, performances, set designs and sounds. The dreamy production is a collaboration between Howie Kim, a visual artist based in Singapore recognised for his visual style and explorations in new media, and stage designer Akbar Syadiq, set against a soundtrack by acclaimed Japanese musician Takashi Kokubo.
You'll journey through an immersive experience, encountering four-dimensional visuals and improvisational movements by roving performers – Ammar "Ameezy", Sandhya Suresh, Sonia Kwek and Tysha Khan, to inspire and invigorate the senses. After which, head on The Courtyard, where you'll find a larger-than-life inflatable sculpture designed by Howie Kim. The installation will be further enhanced by an augmented reality filter that can be activated on any smartphone device.
There'll also be an alternative walking tour of the street murals often seen in Kampong Gelam, an art market by North East Social Club and more. So mark your calendars, because urban art festivals are coming back with a vengeance.