Art and culture in Singapore

Last year, while we were in Shanghai for a month and a half, Q and I made a few trips on our own. The first was to Singapore.

Friends of ours had invited us to their wedding and we knew we couldn’t miss it. Both of us love Singapore. I love it for its orderly take on the hustle and bustle of South East Asia. Q loves that it’s a livable, free city with a sizable Chinese population. I have been visiting all my life as my family often flew Singapore Airlines on the way to India. Q used to visit for work.

It’s only natural that we’d finally visit together. Thank to the bride and groom, we saw a unique side of Singapore that we hadn’t before.

Walking

Singapore’s diminutive size and high density make walking the best way to see it. Though it often rains, covered walkways obviate the need for umbrellas.

Singapore offers a unique mix of culture as seen from ground level.

There are colonial-era buildings that still look grand among the steel and glass buildings towering above.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/3.2 · 1/2500 · ISO 100

There is greenery everywhere, even on top of buildings. Shopping complexes offer a mix of domestic staples and popular foreign brands.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/2.8 · 1/800 · ISO 100

Of course, there is also plenty of opulence on display.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/16 · 1/40 · ISO 100

Running

Singapore has almost all you’d want for excellent running — pedestrian friendly, long, uninterrupted paths, and breathtaking views. The only downside — and it’s a big one — is the weather. Situated barely more than a degree above the equator, Singapore is hot.

I took a 4.5 mi (7.25 km) run around the downtown core.

It started before sunrise near Lloyd’s Inn where we were staying.

iPhone 14 Pro · 1x · f/1.8 · 1/40 · ISO 500

I then continued through the Orchard Road shopping district where I spotted many of my favorite brands.

iPhone 14 Pro · 3x · f/2.8 · 1/60 · ISO 800

I continued into Suntec City where the annual Formula One race is held.

iPhone 14 Pro · 3x · f/2.8 · 1/110 · ISO 32

The Helix Bridge took me across Marina Bay to the world famous Marina Bay Sands and nearby complex of museums, hotels, restaurants and shopping.

iPhone 14 Pro · 1x · f/1.8 · 1/670 · ISO 80

From the path along the Marina Bay Sands, I stopped to take in the sweeping panoramic views.

Singapore, as a whole, is quite a fun city to run through. Judging by the number of runners I saw, I’m not the only one who thinks that. Though, the hot and humid conditions make each run a challenge.

Attractions

Given we only had a few days in town, we limited the number of places we visited. Here are some highlights, both ones we chose and ones recommended by the bride and groom.

Lloyd’s Inn

When we saw this affordable boutique hotel, we knew we couldn’t give it up. Lloyd’s Inn was long a choice for cost-conscious travelers who wanted to stay near Orchard Road. In the mid-2010s, entrepreneur Joan Chang revamped the hotel (at the time owned by her father) into something she could see herself staying at.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/2.8 · 1/50 · ISO 320

The accommodations are minimal, yet comfortable, with well-executed details. I enjoyed how the spaces seamlessly merged the indoors and outdoors.

Kurasu

There are endless options if you are interested in craft coffee. I visited a few shops that were conveniently situated among our other plans.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/3.2 · 1/800 · ISO 100

Kurasu, based out of Kyoto, opened its first overseas outpost in Singapore.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/3.2 · 1/50 · ISO 500

After a few years of sharing space with a co-working space, it moved to the current Waterloo Street location. Nestled within a shopping center, it offers a retreat from the busy city streets.

Lau Pa Sat

I’ve visited many hawker centers over my many visits to the city. Honestly, I have had a great experience every time. This time, we had dinner with other wedding guests at Lau Pa Sat.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/2.8 · 1/50 · ISO 250

The Victorian structure began life as a fish market in the early 1800s. Though it was relocated a few decades later, it remained as a fish market for over a century.

By the 70s, the area around it had transformed into a financial and business district. As a result, the building was converted to a hawker center.

Though the perfect symmetry of the building can be confusing at times, the intersecting hallways make for an exciting experience of finding what to eat.

Lantern

Though I don’t often drink, I make it a point to have a Singapore sling, either on the plane if I’m flying Singapore Air, or on the ground once I land.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/2.8 · 1/50 · ISO 5000

This time, I enjoyed one with the wedding party at Lantern, the rooftop bar above the Fullerton Hotel with a beautiful view of Marina Bay at night.

National Gallery Singapore

Singapore’s National Gallery is worth visiting, not just for the art within, but also for the blend of modern and historical architecture. Formerly the courthouse and city hall, the two buildings were united by studioMilou into one using a glass canopy held up by tree-like structures.

The space between the two buildings is now the entrance, with glass enclosing facades that used to be open to the air. Many historical spaces, like courtrooms, have been preserved and put to new use as gallery space.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/3.2 · 1/50 · ISO 250

Leica CL · 18mm · f/2.8 · 1/160 · ISO 100

Leica CL · 18mm · f/3.2 · 1/50 · ISO 2000

Leica CL · 18mm · f/3.2 · 1/50 · ISO 5000

The neoclassical architecture of the two buildings provides for a unique backdrop to the art, much of which is new.

Leica CL · 56mm · f/1.4 · 1/160 · ISO 2500

On the roof we could see both the Singapore skyline up close and the inflatable art piece, Untitled by Shilpha Gupta.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/5 · 1/640 · ISO 100

My favorite of all exhibitions on display was Liu Kuo-sung: Experimentation as Method. The retrospective showed the artist’s creative evolution. Experimentation with materials and techniques led him to create his own distinct style in the genre of Chinese ink painting.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/2.8 · 1/50 · ISO 2500

Leica CL · 18mm · f/2.8 · 1/50 · ISO 2000

The Neglected Dimension explored Islamic art from Indonesia. The flags and three-dimensional letters by artist Arahmaiani showed the power of a highly constrained use of color and scale.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/2.8 · 1/50 · ISO 500

Leica CL · 18mm · f/2.8 · 1/50 · ISO 2000

Finally, Tropical covered artwork from the tropics all around the world including Latin America and Southeast Asia. My favorite is a work titled Vientos Alisios: Tigresses and Trees, which includes large hand sewn banners hanging in an atrium.

Leica CL · 18mm · f/3.2 · 1/500 · ISO 100

If Singapore doesn’t come to mind when you think of great art cities, then the National Gallery Singapore alone should put it on your list. The sheer magnitude of work on display and the uniqueness of the artists makes it a true gem.

The Interlace

Ever since I first saw an article about it, I have wanted to see The Interlace. Fortunately, one of the members of the wedding party lived there, so we had a chance to visit.

The concept of the housing development is simple, but innovative. Gone is the normal field of disconnected high rise towers. Instead, the rectangular volumes are turned on their side and stacked in a hexagonal grid.

The result is a network of enclosed courtyards and countless terraces. Though the rectangular volumes are identical in size, the slight variation in their arrangement makes for an organic feeling. Lush greenery encourages a feeling of calm within the dense complex.

iPhone 14 Pro · 1x · f/1.8 · 1/9700 · ISO 80

iPhone 14 Pro · 1x · f/1.8 · 1/2700 · ISO 64

iPhone 14 Pro · 1x · f/1.8 · 1/350 · ISO 80

Jewel Changi Airport

After years of seeing friends post about Jewel Changi Airport, we finally visited. My uncle, who we were spending our last in Singapore with, drove us there and gave us a tour. He was involved in its construction, so he told us of the unique challenges the builders faced.

Leica CL · 23mm · f/2.8 · 1/3200 · ISO 100

The centerpiece is a massive waterfall that emerges from the edge of the funnel-shaped roof and empties into a single-piece acrylic funnel. Surrounding it is an equally impressive terraced forest with a train running through the middle.

Leica CL · 23mm · f/2.8 · 1/160 · ISO 100

The complex has much to offer including shopping, early check in for flights, and plenty of entertainment.

Return to the Garden City

Between the two of us, we speak three of Singapore’s four official languages. So, it often comes up in conversation when we chat about moving abroad. Compared to other places in the world, Singapore offers a unique set of benefits that suit our family.

If if weren’t for the hot weather and my love of running, I would have already moved there. Regardless of if our future plans include a move to Singapore, I know that we’ll go back soon.

Thanks to Q for reading drafts of this. National Gallery Singapore diagram courtesy studioMilou. Interlace diagram courtesy OMA.