Fresh off his first solo exhibition at Art Porters Gallery, Yip Yew Chong's art will now adorn the walls of at Sofitel Singapore City Centre from February 26 to March 31. The Etincelle foyer has been converted into a gallery exclusively for the exhibition. Called 'Stories from Yesteryear', the exhibition comes in the form of 24 canvas paintings and four digital artworks alongside a series of three paper sketches depicting scenes of Singapore's bygone era.
True to Yew Chong's iconic murals, the paintings showcase scenes that are panoramic yet intricate, providing a visual history of Singapore. You'll see familiar cultural festivals and traditions like the Mid-Autumn Festival, Hari Raya Haji, Chingay procession and the Hungry Ghost Festival.
Standing out amongst the familiar landmarks depicted in his paintings is a lesser-known scene, Pulau Saigon.
"There was a Saigon warehouse on the island in the middle of the Singapore River. I walked through this island every day during 1984. I lived in Chinatown and I walked through Pulau Saigon everyday for the whole month without even knowing it's an island. This story, very few people know of. When I painted it, I wanted to tell the story," Yew Chong explains when we came down for a media preview. He is a brilliant storyteller just as much as he is an artist, bringing us through the exhibition and sharing interesting anecdotes along the way. Perhaps that explains the title of the exhibition.
This March, the hotel is also offering a special Yesteryear Peranakan menu which will highlight some favourite dishes that reflect Yew Chong's childhood. The artist has also hand-drawn a stunning walking map of the area, which in-house guests will get to keep so they can explore the murals in and around the hotel after the exhibition.
Immerse yourself fully in the artist's work while enjoying a luxurious staycation with the hotel's Stories from Yesteryear Package. From just $349, the staycation package includes access to the exhibition, breakfast for two, a curated Peranakan-inspired set dinner at Racines, a hand-crafted cocktail inspired by the artworks and a selection of Peranakan tapas at 1864. Each guest will also get a hand-drawn map so they can explore some of Yip Yew Chong's murals that are located close to the hotel.
And if you're an ALL-Accor Live Limitless loyalty program member, you can attend sharing sessions with the artist to hear him talk about the stories of each artwork and dine on traditional Peranakan dishes depicted in the paintings. The packages are available from 26 February to 31 March and can be booked here.
Yew Chong himself will be present at the exhibition on February 26, 27 and 28 – so head on down to Sofitel Singapore City Centre for a chance to meet him.
Access to Yip Yew Chong’s artworks are on display at level 5, Etincelle from 10am to 6pm.