Overview
Journey into the future with the best of Singapore and Southeast Asian film and art at State of Motion 2021. The annual event, titled [Alternate / Opt] Realities by the Asian Film Archive (AFA), explores imagined futures inspired by science fiction through audio-visual media.As part of Singapore Art Week, State of Motion: [Alternate / Opt] Realities presents 11 exciting art installations and 16 Southeast Asian sci-fi films from the last 30 years. Most of the artworks are on display in Singapore for the first time, including nine new commissions by Singapore and regional artists such as Shawn Chua, Debbie Ding, Divaagar, Bani Haykal and collective PURE EVER
[Alternate / Opt] Realities will take place from 20 January to 21 February 2021. Highlights include:
Visual arts exhibition
An audio-led tour, designed by Divaagar as part of his artwork Shelter Skelter, will be available from 29 January 2021, to guide visitors through the exhibition. Visitors can access the audio tour, named System Integrated Technetronic Interpreter [SITI], via QR codes in the exhibition.
Film programme
These will be screened at Marina One auditorium and the Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore Building.
Highlights include:
The film programme consists of 16 Southeast Asian sci-fi cinematic imaginations of the future which respond to real life conditions within the region, envisioning metropolises or dystopias in familiar settings. The full film schedule is available at https://www.asianfilmarchive.org/event-calendar/state-of-motion-alternate-opt-realities-film-programme/.
Talks and performances
Available online at https://www.stateofmotion.sg/#programmes and at Marina One, 7 Straits View
Exhibiting artists will be invited to discuss their artwork at online panels moderated by co-curators Thong Kay Wee and Syaheedah Iskandar. There will also be a staged performance titled Siapa Nama Kamu: 2095 (What is Your Name: 2095) by Norah Lea, about a futuristic state named Singhasana, and a panel with online publication and gallery so-far (https://so-far.online/), about digital platforms that shape our futures.
Curated reads from the National Library’s collection
Available online at https://stateofmotion.sg/bookshelf
For the first time, the Asian Film Archive has collaborated with the National Library to curate a selection of 23 Southeast Asian sci-fi books in English and the mother tongue languages. Titles include Lion City by Ng Yi-Sheng, Altered Straits by Kevin Martens Wong and The Sea is Ours: Tales from Steampunk Southeast Asia by Jaymee Goh and Joyce Chng.
Visit the State of Motion 2021 website for more updates and information: www.stateofmotion.sg
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For media enquiries, please contact:
Charmaine Lau
Weber Shandwick
Tel: 9223 2570
Email: chlau@webershandwick.com
Abraham Christopher
Weber Shandwick
Tel: 9127 3751
Email: achristopher@webershandwick.com
About the Asian Film Archive
The Asian Film Archive (AFA) was founded in 2005 as a non-profit organisation and is registered as an Institution of Public Character. In January 2014, the AFA became a subsidiary of the National Library Board. Its mission is to preserve the rich film heritage of Asian Cinema, encourage scholarly research on film, and promote a wider critical appreciation of this art form.The AFA is an affiliate of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), an institutional member of the Southeast Asia-Pacific Audiovisual Archive Association (SEAPAVAA) and the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA).
For more information on AFA, please visit https://www.asianfilmarchive.org.
About State of Motion
State of Motion is Asian Film Archive (AFA)’s annual film and art event, exploring the interstices of cinema, art and filmic research through exhibitions, film screenings and artistic responses. Since its inception in 2016, State of Motion has engaged and commissioned contemporary artists, curators, filmmakers and researchers to uncover the hidden histories and latent discourses within the institution’s scope of interests.
For more information, please visit https://stateofmotion.sg.
About National Library Board
The National Library Board (NLB) nurtures Readers for Life, Learning Communities and a Knowledgeable Nation by promoting reading, learning and history through its network of 27 public libraries, the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore. NLB also forges strategic partnerships that encourage awareness, appreciation and greater discovery of Singapore’s history through its rich collections on Singapore and the region.
NLB achieves excellence through innovation, focusing on citizen engagement and co-creation, resource and digital innovation. This creates learning opportunities, greater access to library resources, services and archival collections, as well as a continual development of innovative library spaces. Established on 1 September 1995 as a statutory board, NLB is under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).
For more information, please visit the NLB website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
About Singapore Art Week
State of Motion 2021: [Alternate / Opt] Realities is part of Singapore Art Week 2021.
Singapore Art Week is an annual celebration of visual arts which takes place in the month of January. Jointly organised by the National Arts Council, Singapore Tourism Board and the Singapore Economic Development Board, Singapore Art Week is the leading, go-to visual arts season in Southeast Asia, attracting both local and international visitors alike. The ninth edition in 2021 will be held from 11 to 19 January. The nine-day celebration of the visual arts will take place in various venues across Singapore, from galleries and museums to art precincts and unconventional spaces.
For more information, please visit https://www.artweek.sg.
STATE OF MOTION 2021: [ALTERNATE / OPT] REALITIES
ANNEX A: Visual arts exhibition at Marina One
ANNEX B: Film screenings at Marina One Auditorium and Oldham Theatre
ANNEX C: Curators and artists’ profiles
ANNEX D: Artists’ talks and performance schedule