Have you ever wondered how an artist’s or an art collector’s home will look like? Perhaps it will resembles a mini art gallery or museum? Brace yourself for OPEN HOUSE (OH!) an art walkabout that will take visitors through the heartlands of Marine Parade in January 2011. Setup by curator Alan Oei, Lim Qinyi and Wang Zineng, the 2nd Open House will see works by 12 artist within 6 homes in Marine Parade.
Line art along the corridors and stairwells which create an anamorphic art by Teng Yen Lin.
The idea of Open House (OH!) originated from Mr Olivia Bettin, a Briton who gave his shophouse space to an artist friend who used it as her studio. The idea naturally metaphor from there and the 1st Open House (OH!) was created in 2009 which generated an overwhelming response of 700 visitors who house-hop through 6 pre-war, shophouse homes at Niven Road that had been filled with art by more than 20 artists.
Topsy Turvy works by Denmark born and Singapore based artist – Jes Brinch
This year’s Open House (OH!) will allow the visitors to have a taste of art through our heartlands. Visitors will explore the neighborhood, and discover insider secrets like the Bridge of Love, dolphin sightings and earthquakes. Along the way, they get to enter 6 flats transformed into art exhibition spaces.
The first house to sign up belonged to one of OH!’s volunteer guides from last year. Newly married, she declined to be named. Organiser and curator Alan Oei said, “Clearly, they didn’t lead a typical heartland life. Their flat was full of artworks too big for their walls. I was struggling with how to work with such a dominant presence. Ironically, I realized the solution was not to touch anything at all.”
Expect an upside down flat, just like one from Alice in Wonderland, line artworks along the corridors and fictional characters depicting some of the house owners.
Participating artists are (not in order)
- John Low
- Zhao Ren Hui
- Lynn Lu
- Willie Tay
- Mark Wong
- Marc Loh
- Messy Msxi
- Terence Lin
- Teng Yen Lin
- Jes Brinch
- Michael Lee
- Clare Marie Ryan
2010 Open House (OH!)
2010 Open House (OH!)
You can get your tickets at the Marine Parade Community Center, which is also the starting point of the tour. Tickets cost $10 a pop. The tours will happen over 2 weekends in January, 8 & 9 and 15 and 16 Jan and last for around 1.5 hours. Be at the starting point at these hours or you risk missing the tour – 4 – 7.30pm. Last tour starts at 7.30pm.
Oh and 1 house rule applys, please use the little boys or girls room before the tour as access to the host’s restrooms are forbidden. This is definitely a nice start to 2011, as we will be welcomed into a stranger’s home. I can’t wait to invade the houses, um…I mean, check out the exhibitions.
For more info, visit Open House (OH!) website.
Images were provided by the guys from Open House (OH!)
