Participatory performance: Silent Readings into the Future of Kampong Gelam

Away from the crowds and tourist shops, nor presents a fictional look at the lesser-known histories of Kampong Gelam in the form of a participatory performance.

Set in a period 5000 years from now, in a desolate land we leave behind, a silent tribe lives, speaking only through touch. Led by their spiritual guides – the birds who call, far above – the women set out on a long journey. Their path, imbued with quiet ritual and visions, pulls them towards the sea.

For this performance, participants gain a glimpse of Kampong Gelam’s distant future, and join in to create their own narratives and agency.

—

This programme is presented as part of the OH! Associate Artist Programme 2022/23 cycle’s closing showcase, a site-specific artist residency that supports the research and development of new bodies of works and neighbourhood immersions.

Attire: Long sleeve top and pants, covered shoes

Meeting Point: Nature bank beside Masjid Malabar

nor (b.1993, Singapore)’s artistic practice is rooted in self-portraiture. Their works span the disciplines of photography, film, video, performance, text and spoken word poetry to engage with ideas of belonging and identity through frameworks of gender performance, ethnographic portraits and transnational histories.

Centred around the neighbourhood — people, places, stories — as the unit of exhibition and representation, the Associate Artist Programme situates a group of artists within a neighbourhood, connecting them to local communities, businesses and historical places. The AAP serves as an alternative model and offers neighbourhood immersion, curatorial support and peer-to-peer dialogues. It does not expect any exhibitional outcome beyond a public-facing work-in-progress presentations or sharing sessions.

The first edition took place in the next art walk neighbourhood, Kampong Gelam for the period of 1 Sep 2022 to 31 Aug 2023 with 5 local and 3 international artists selected by an Advisory Committee.

For more information, please visit: https://ohopenhouse.org/AAP-2022

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Masjid Malabar, 471 Victoria Street, Singapore, Singapore