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'AveNews' of the World
 From Europe with Love
Art and culture has always been a big export to Asia. Only good - and a lot of love - has come from two recent European Union cultural exchanges with South east Asia, Singapore in particular. There was the 27th EU Film Festival - 27 films from 27 countries - all shown at the impressive "cinema" at the National Gallery from 11 to 21 May which was a real treat. See EU Film Festival and read the review below.
Then there was the very first EU Writers Festival featuring writers and publishers from Europe and Asia at a one day event at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore. Let's hope that it becomes an annual affair. More on this new writers' event below.
Film as Art from South Asia
 Singapore is scheduled to host for the first time the South Asian International Film Festival in September this year. According to the organisers, it will be
devoted to garnering greater appreciation of South Asian cinema and culture - covering 8 countries, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, Maldives and Bhutan - by showcasing films, supporting emerging filmmakers through competitions and awards, as well as promoting the diverse cultural and media perspectives of the South Asian diaspora. Read More
 Love is in the City Air
A new prize - called the Cities of Love Award (COLA) - to recognise and honour the sustainability efforts of ordinary individuals, businesses and communities has just been launched in Singapore. The brainchild of Tai Lee Siang and his wife Ms Valerie Ang - joint authors of the book Cities of Love - and directors of the Inception creative consultancy, they're focused on developing unique creative projects that benefit individuals, communities and cities. Read More
New Exports from Australia to China
Australia sends a lot of things to China: iron ore, lithium, wine, meat. And now, China is also the country's biggest market for books, with more contracts for Australian-penned stories signed with publishers in China than in either the United States or Britain. For this year's Australian Writers' Week in China, some of Australia's heaviest-hitting authors were there to celebrate: Thomas Keneally (Schindler's List), Geraldine Brooks (The Secret Chord, People of the Book and much more) and teen author John Marsden. Read more
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Art Scene and Heard in Singapore
Biennale for the Young at the National Gallery
We were there for the opening, along with a mass of children, which quickly became engrossed in art all over the place. A Cabinet Minister was observed on the floor dabbling in decorative dot "painting". What's happening in the former austere setting of the old Supreme Court and City Hall Buildings? Overnight, the National Gallery ignited youthful creative imagination with the launch of the first-ever Gallery Children's Biennale. Starting from 20 May and spanning across more than four months, Gallery Children's Biennale presents a suite of art installations and activities specially curated for young visitors and parents to embark on a creative journey of exploration and discovery together. Themed Dreams & Stories, the Biennale features ten interactive installations and new commissioned works by artists from Singapore and beyond: Chng Seok Tin, Mark Justiniani, Yayoi Kusama, Vincent Leow, Lynn Lu, teamLab, Tran Trong Vu, Ian Woo and Robert Zhao. Go for more here.
Japanese Artist with Star Appeal
Yayoi Kusama is one of the world's most influential artists, and has played a crucial role in key art movements of the 20
th
and 21
st
centuries. The first major survey of her work in Southeast Asia, this exhibition focuses on the immersive and expansive nature of her practice. Discover Kusama's creative vision through paintings, sculptures, videos and installations from the 1950s to the present, including works never shown before.
This exhibition, which opens on 9 June and runs until 3 September, is a collaboration between National Gallery Singapore and Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia. Read more
 Swiss Art & Wine at Miaja Gallery
Miaja Gallery held a special pop-up exhibition featuring Claude Dauphin in his first international exhibition in Singapore in May. Claude was on hand, along with a selection of the best of Swiss wine. The wine and the artist also made a couple of appearances at the Swiss Club. Showing the Swiss have talents that go beyond ski slopes, mountains, cheese and watches, Miaja presented a ground-breaking collection of full sized paintings, the most recent of which demonstrate his unique research into the use of colours as visual matter. The artist who has mainly exhibited in Europe, where he gained recognition through his various public and private exhibitions, such as the Mag Stravinsky, KunstZürich, the Valette Foundation or the gallery Jean-Luc Richard in Paris, to name a few.
Read more, in French, about Claude and his work.
There's More at Miaja: Silent Cities
The total absence of life in the Metaphysical Art increases this sensation of
empty, magical silence.
In Sebastiano Navarra'
s newest series of work, titled
Silent Cities: A Post-Metaphysical Expression, he remains
within the rules and guidelines of Metaphysical Art, but the inventiv
eness of this collection arose
from his depiction of the frequent, fantastical dreams that played out in
his sleep, forming a modern
vision more at the present moment, but actualised by its historic evo
lution. Exhibition from 2 June until 31 August. Read all about it.
Living Tropics in Black & White:
Homes for the Arts
Thanks to the Temenggong Artists-in-Residence - a not for profit arts charity - and the work of
Henri Chen KeZhan , who started it and keeps it going.
That's where you can see the latest exhibition by one of its resident artists - Dang Xuan Hoa from Vietnam. His "Living Tropics" exhibition is there until 4 June. Be quick as its not often art lovers can visit this fabulous green setting for five distinctive black and white homes for the arts on Mount Faber and see art and architecture at its best.
At the exhibition opening on Saturday 27 May, NUS Museum Curator Chang Yueh Siang (pictured at left) gave a very meaningful and insightful introduction to the work of Hoa (in centre) and the artist-in residence-programme and location. Parliamentary Secretary
Baey Yam Keng,
Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth was on hand to officiate. For a fuller report and the words of Ms Chang, go to our Fifth Avenue website. For more on 28 Temenggong Road, go to Giving. sg.
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Art in Play: All the World's A Stage
Improbable Fiction from Shakespeare?
"If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction".
(from Twelfth Night)
There are more wonderful quotes from and about Shakespeare in David and Ben Crystal's "The Shakespeare Miscellany", which we have in our growing (but groaning) Shakespeare library.
Ben Crystal comes to Singapore in June with "Shakespeare on Toast", thanks to the British Council.
More here and below.
The Very Necessary Stage for Haresh Sharma
 "Being Haresh Sharma" is a work that looks at Haresh's body of writing over 30 years. It makes bold, unexpected links and associations, mapping stories and characters in ways that surface the social, political and spiritual aspects of life here; bringing it all together with unexpected and exciting performance energy, sparking new ways of looking at his words and of experiencing performance and theatre. 29 June to 2 July.
Go to Necessary Stage for more.
Review: "One man, two Guvnors"
We loved it. It's funny of course, but the array of talents on stage - singing and acting - and the musical accompaniment provided by Andrew Fordham and co - were among the very best we're seen in Singapore from any company. The Stage Club - to refresh your memory - is Singapore's oldest theatre group (it started in 1945) and is made up entirely by volunteers. Lead was played by Paul McCracken - watch out James Corden, you've got competition! Volunteering to take the directing role was the extremely capable Nick Perry, who inspired (and undoubtedly harrassed) the cast to produce the best of theatre. Don't just take it from me (Ken Hickson, a former theatre volunteer!), but
read this review by Justin Harper.
 National Theatre at the Esplanade
Following their hit run on Broadway, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart return to the West End stage in Harold Pinter's "No Man's Land", broadcast live to cinemas from Wyndham's Theatre, London.
One summer's evening, two ageing writers, Hirst and Spooner, meet in a Hampstead pub and continue their drinking into the night at Hirst's stately house nearby. You can see this - the screen version - on 9 June. On 10 June, you can experience Helen Mirren in "The Audience" and "Frankenstein" with Benedict Cumberbatch. Book through Sistic.
Playwright Joel Tan has taken to writing a script that was inspired by true events experienced by Ed and Mark Koh-Waite, a gay couple with two adopted sons. Pangdemonium premieres their first ever original play,
TANGO. It runs until 4 June. Here's more.
 Le Cage Aux Folles is a world class act and we couldn't take our eyes and ears off the W!ld Rice production for a second. Pity its all over as we could see it again and again. Hard to name individual stars of the show as it really was a team effort. Great to see such a smooth, seamless blending of local and foreign talent. Brilliant set, lighting, staging, acting, singing and dancing. Everything was there from start to finish and the Victoria Theatre was the ideal place to show it all. We look forward to more from W!ld Rice. Rice might be a staple diet, but when its W!ld it's a feast! We must
share the review by bakchormeeboy
- we can't compete, so spread the word.
The Young go W!ld
TACKLING IONESCO MASTERPIECE - THE BALD SOPRANO! by P-J
The fourth cohort of young & W!LD will present their final showcase - "The Bald Soprano", at Drama Centre's Black Box from 7 to 11 June 2017.
A bold, raucous production of Eugene Ionesco's absurdist comedy about the tragedy of language, six characters meet and engage in conversation, sense and nonsense collide, platitudes replace substance and dialogue becomes drama.
The decision to stage "The Bald Soprano" was made together with Rodney Oliveiro, their programme co-director who is keen to challenge his young theatre-makers, schooling them in the discipline, integrity and restraint necessary to perform good comedy.
Venue: Drama Centre Black Box, National Library Building.
Read More and book.
Take off for fun with Boeing Boeing (Preview by P-J)
It's a swinging bachelor's dream come true: three beautiful air stewardesses, each taking her turn as his girlfriend....and each happily unaware of the others' existence. With careful, down-to-the-minute scheming, Bernard has managed to keep his hectic love life cruising at the perfect altitude.
However, turbulence ensues when his friend Robert comes to stay. Our modern-day Casanova's schedule suddenly falls apart, as typhoons, volcanic ash and speedier planes wreak havoc on his precision planning. Can Bernard ride out the storm? How long can he keep it up? Fasten your seat belts as "Boeing Boeing" takes you on a mile-high adventure you won't forget!
Originally written by Marc Camoletti, this English adaptation by Beverley Cross is presented by W!ld Rice, directed by Pam Oei and stars Rodney Oliveiro, Oon Shu An, Judee Tan, Sangeetha Dorai, Shane Mardjuki and Bibeth Orteza.
W!ld Rice takes off with this show from 23 June to 22 July.
Read more and book.
 LASALLE exhibits Solo acts
We enjoyed meeting the young actors going "Solo" for the first time at LASALLE's annual graduates exhibition show. Hats off to Miriam Chong and Jun Vinh Teoh. Daring, brave and extremely talented. Teacher/director Adam Marple had the confidence in this students after mentoring and preparing them well. LASALLE's School of Dance and Theatre continues to show us that it can teach young people to reach for the stars and become stars. Solo or together.
Read more.
Byron Bay Actors on Welsh Stage
Art exchanges like this we support and promote. This time it's a theatre group from Byron Bay, New South
Wales Australia heading off to
Wales on the other side of the world. Here's the full
story from the Byron Bay Echo.
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Literally Yours
Storytelling at Arts House 2-4 June
Presented by The Storytelling Centre Limited and The Arts House, on 2-4 June, the festival features a variety of performances for family and adult audiences, as well as workshops and local commissions. The local commissions include a Young Storytellers Mentorship Project Graduation Showcase and Stories for Change, that will showcase key storytelling and spoken word organisations. Join in on this inaugural festival!
Tickets still available at www.storyfest.peatix.com
Kindle's demise?
Select Books presents Travel Writing
How does one write about travel in this era of chain malls, chain hotels, and universal broken English?
In this talk on 14 June, travel writer Shivaji Das will propose that there is yet scope for enriching travel experience by engaging in "Non-Required Travel" - exploring the lives of locals typically unheard off or bypassed by visitors, thereby encouraging travellers to seek more meaningful experiences while fostering greater mutual understanding. Read all about it.
"Singapore & Australia: connections, country & belonging"
 Sing Lit Station presents a literary roundtable. Join award-winning Singaporean and Australian writers for readings and a roundtable discussion with Sing Lit Station's
Jon Gresham on "Singapore and Australia: connections, country and belonging" on 22 June. All proceeds will go to the writers, booking charge and the venue. Wine and cheese will be provided! Featuring:
Balli Kaur Jaswal, the author of Inheritance, who won the Sydney Morning Herald Young Australian Novelist Award in 2014. Her "Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows" went international in March;
Eileen Chong, an Australian poet born in Singapore, whose poetry collection Painting Red Orchids was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards in 2017;
Yong Shu Hoong is a Singaporean poet, who won the Singapore Literature Prize for poetry in 2006 and 2014;
David Wong
is a Singaporean poet, who studied Philosophy at the University of Melbourne;
Will Beale
is an Australian spoken word poet, "a boy howling his way into the world, despite all its muzzles" and the author/composer of They Call Us Loud (2015/16).
VENUE: Sing Lit Station, 3A Jalan Kubor, Singapore 199201.
22 Jun 2017, 7pm-8.30pm
EVENT WEBSITE
 EU Highlights Sing Lit
We were there for the launch and the end of the first EU Writers Festival held at LASALLE College of the Arts. But who better to write about it than
Lucía Damacela
(on Asian Books Blog), who talks with the organisers of the Festival, which took place on 25 and 26 May
. An initiative of Dr. Darryl Whetter, programme leader of Lasalle's
MA programme in creative writing
, and Deepika Shetty, press and information officer for the European Union delegation to Singapore. Read More
 Writing on Indentured Labour
Commonwealth Writers and the
School of Advanced Study, University of London, are looking for submissions from writers whose heritage includes the experience of indentured labour.
The anthology will include poetry, nonfiction and fiction and will be published in 2018 by the School of Advanced Study to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of indentured labour. Twenty of the 52 countries of the Commonwealth were affected by indentured labour migration in the twentieth century. The anthology will explore and be shaped by the legacy of indentured labour.
All writers from Commonwealth countries are eligible.
Read more.
 Road to Revolution
Chan Sue Meng's book provides very readable recognition of the role played by Chinese leader Dr Sun Yat Sen. Thoughtfully and delicately brought together by Sue Meng, it includes a wonderful array of historic photographs, plus a very helpful tourist map to follow the trail of Sun Yat Sen in Ipoh Malasyia. In Singapore, there's the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, which collaborated with Ms Chan to publish the book.
Read more
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Top Notes:
From a small island to the world
The Sisters came to Singapore, they saw, they sang, they danced and they conquered, with a little help from priests, policemen, gangsters and the Pope! The audience loved it. Featuring original music by 8-time Oscar winner Alan Menken, SISTER ACT tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a wannabe diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a crime and the cops hide her in the last place anyone would think to look - a convent! After a slow start, the performers warmed up on the night we saw the show. Admittedly not our favourite musical, but Base Entertainment continues to bring top notch shows from Broadway and West End for Singaporeans and visitors to enjoy. Keep it up.
We're looking forward to this show. A boy. A girl. Two rival gangs. One fatal love affair. Sounds like Romeo and Juliet! Described as 'The No.1 Greatest Musical of all Time' by The Times, UK, WEST SIDE STORY is as relevant today as it has ever been. An outstanding US cast will electrify audiences with their passionate high-energy dance routines and their astounding vocal range in such classic songs as Maria, Tonight, Somewhere, America and I Feel Pretty. You have to wait until September to see it
, but you can book early
. Go to SISTIC.
 Jayne O'Mahony, who created the role of young Cosette in Les Misérables and later returned to play the role of adult Cosette, she's the only performer ever to have achieved this. Jayne is one of the leading ladies who'll be joining three other Stars of the West End in Singapore, performing hits from the 10 most successful musicals in the history of London's West End. The others in the quartet are: Mike Sterling, who has played arguably the two most significant male lead roles in London's West End, The Phantom and Jean Valjean; Shona Lindsay, whose credits include Christine in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Sandy in GREASE and Kathy Selden in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN; and Tom Solomon, who has played principal roles in CHICAGO, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and LES MISÉRABLES. Stars of the West End feature in two shows in Singapore: 22 and 23 June.
More information and bookings at British Theatre Playhouse.
Dancing to our hearts content
 Dance is a step ahead
We saw Frontier Danceland perform for the first time in May. It is so different from the traditional ballet which we so love, but the youthful enthusiasm and energy of this
 company is to be admired and encouraged. Keep up the good work. This relatively young dance company has established a growing reputation for its thought-provoking and evocative but nevertheless accessible and entertaining works. For much more
go to Frontier Danceland to see what's in store. Â
Romance En Pointe
Giselle was simply brilliant. You could expect the very best coming as it did from the ballet dancers of the oldest theatre in the world in Italy. The performance at Marina Bay Sands was impeccable from start to finish, which came too soon. More please.
Masterpieces & Celebration of Dance
Masterpiece in Motion by the Singapore Dance Theatre offers three classic jewel pieces on 7 and 8 July. Then there's the Celebration of Dance with Singapore Dance Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dance with Rubies by George Balanchine and Paquita by Marius Petipa at Esplanade on 9 July.
Go to the Singapore Dance Theatre for more.
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The Festive Season for Arts and Film
 European Union Film Festival
11 Days in May - 27 films from 27 Countries. All at the National Gallery. Thanks to the organisers - Deepika Shetty in particular - we were invited to see five films: The Murmuring Coast (from Portugal), Problemski Hotel (Belguim), Soul at Peace (Solvakia), Ivy (Turkey) and Young Sophie Bell (Sweden). The first and the last for us were stand outs. "The Murmuring Coast" gave us some unexpected insight in the past colonial mistakes in the 1960s of Portugal in Africa. It was honestly and convincingly acted and filmed. "Young Sophie Bell" was the star attraction for us. Beautifully filmed and portraying some excellent acting, most notably by Felice Jankell (pictured), who won the Guldbagge Best Actress Award (Sweden's Oscar equivalent) for playing Sophie.
Read More
Diverse City: The Kuala Lumpur Arts Festival
 Plan to be in KL Malaysia in September for the third edition of the Kuala Lumpur International Arts Festival - known as DiverseCity - which was a big success last year. Festival organiser Sunita Rajakumar was telling us all about it on a recent visit to Singapore.
Over 5 weeks in 2016 - from 31 August to 2 October - arts took over KL. There were performances and exhibitions taking place at 27 venues with artists from 28 countries. Pictured is the group, Hands Percussion, in festive mood. What can be expected this year? You'll have to wait to find out, but we'll keep you posted. Keep an eye on Diverse City on Facebook.
 Singapore in a Festive
State of the Art
From 28 June to 9 September you will not be able to keep away from the arts. Everything is happening, starting with the O.P.E.N., the "pre-festival of ideas". Then beginning in earnest in August is the full blown Festival. Too much to write about here, but go to the website for the full schedule of events - dance, drama, music, performances of all sorts to appeal to everyone.
Singapore International Festival of Arts
 Make a note:
Launch your new books at the
Singapore Writers Festival!
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The Art of Travel and Travel for Art
 Gaia Discovery finds TravelEase
New mobile app TravelEase allows users to make advance booking for tours, attractions and shows in Singapore, soon Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo and Taipei. Plus, it's free.
Mallika Naguran
reports on Gaia Discovery.
Making it easier for tourists in Singapore to see more attractions and attend more events - and save money at the same time - is the objective of a new mobile app (application) called TravelEase, a local start up with its tech savvy eyes on regional expansion. Read More
 Swell Sculpture Festival
It'
s back again. On the Gold Coast, Queensland Australia. An event which has artists and art lovers in raptures every year.
Come face to face with awe-inspiring sculptures by local, national and international artists at the 15th SWELL Sculpture Festival, 8 - 17 September, 2017.
We were there last year, along with winners in our first ever The Avenue-Art of Travel contest. Maybe we'll get lucky again. More here about past Swell events and what's to come this year.
 Singapore Heritage in the Spotlight
Hope you caught at least some of the treasures featured in the Singapore Heritage Festival from 28 April to 14 May. Tours, exhibitions, entertainment. All over Singapore and on Caldecott Hill. See what was covered and take a walking tour to refresh your own knowledge of heritage all around us. Go to the
National Heritage Board website. Also check out who were the winners this year as the
Heritage Benefactors.
Cycling Without Age - Art in Action
 What a treat to be taken for a ride! Yes, by none other than a lovely and very fit Dutch lady, Marieke, who runs Cycling Without Age in Singapore. Pictured is Marieke on the driver's seat and M. Hickson getting the tourist treatment. Set up to give slightly more mature people a chance to feel the breeze and enjoy the open air. No, its not too warm or humid in Singapore to take a trishaw ride - they started in the tropics afterall - even in the middle of the day. These superb vehicles were built in
Denmark and made in accordance with EU Standards. Very high quality trishaws made specifically for this purpose. This is set up as a social enterprise - a charity that deserves more support - to give seniors in Singapore a free ride around art and heritage sites or places they haven't been to for a long while. Find out more about
Cycling Without Age and see stories about this unique community service on social media:
Facebook
,
Twitter
and
Instagram
.
Another great way to learn more about what they do is by watching this video by the person who started Cycling Without Age.
 Artist's Impression of South Bank Art
Bringing the World's Climate Art & Science Together
When the global conference on climate change gets underway in Bonn, Germany in November, art will already be on centre-stage in the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany. The exhibition:
"Weather Report - About Weather, Culture and Climate Science" runs from 7 October 2017 to 4 March 2018.
And if you've missed the brilliant Australian exhibition
Climarte
in Melbourne (19 April to 14 May), don't worry because there is
a host of climate and art focussed exhibitions all over Melbourne and the State of Victoria.
Read More
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Art is for Everyone
That's our view and we're promoting it. Art is accessible. It's not elitist or inaccessible. It's close at hand and it's a long way away. But we give you the information and access you need to explore new art and rediscover the old. We encourage you to see art aboard and art at home. The art of travel and travel for art. But where we have to level a little criticism at arts event organisers: please provide more advance notice of what's to come. For too long you have held back and not spread the word early enough. Don't keep your art to yourselves.
We report and review what's happened and what's to come. But please give
us more  notice in advance and we'll tell the world.
Managing Editor
The avenue for creative arts
PS. If you've missed getting past issues of The Avenue, go to our
Fifth Avenue website where all issues past and present are archived. Also email me to add more readers to our data base.
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