Dragons are taking over Funan, as the futuristic mall dives into a mythical mashup of art and shopping this Year of the Dragon. Together with curator Vertical Submarine, Funan will be holding the 4th instalment of Creative Intersections: Traces of Dragons for Singapore Art Week 2024.
Think awe-inspiring light installations, AR tech that places a majestic dragon in our midst, and a hunt for dragon eggs to score prizes. See what’s in it for artsy peeps and mark your calendars to explore Funan’s mall-wide art exhibition from 19th January to 25th February 2024, ‘cause there’s gonna be a tonne for you to see and do.
What better way to pay homage to the Year of the Dragon than by showcasing an array of artwork, all themed after the mythical creature in question?
Funan will become a mini museum of sorts, playing host to a variety of art installations and displays. The coolest part is, every artist involved actually took inspo from Yeow Kai Chai, a local poet, and his dragon-based prose to craft their respective projects.
L-R: Lenskart, Barehands, Lemonaide.
Each work of art is also created in conjunction with various stores at Funan, from fashion boutiques like Lenskart and Barehands apparel to eateries like LiHO TEA and Lemonaide. This means you get to admire the displays amidst your shopping and dining, for instance the dragon-esque animated installation at Razer which introduces AI elements to mythicality.
Image credit: Funan
We all know and love the iconic Kinetic Rain sculpture at Changi Airport. Over at Funan, you’ll get to see a Kinetic Wall made up of dragon-themed motifs. The immersive display is themed after multi-species kinship through dragons, and you’ll get to see the animation morphing from Turing patterns and Voronoi diagrams into the character “龍” – “dragon” in Traditional Chinese.
Image credit: Funan
For more dragon art in motion, make sure to check out the Dragon Dance AR filter when you’re at Funan. The augmented reality tech casts a moving dragon onto your IRL spaces.
You’ll get to control and play around with the virtual dragon dance performance, projected against the mall’s vibrant backdrop. It’s surprisingly addictive to manoeuvre the dragon’s tail around and see what silhouettes you can weave!
Besides checking out the different art exhibits, there’ll also be a series of activities at Funan as part of Singapore Art Week 2024.
For starters, shoppers who purchase any eyewear from Ray-Ban from now till 25th Feb will be able to customise their very own Ray-Ban Aviator lens-inspired wooden plate.
The wooden plate is part of the wood dragon art installation designed by fan favourite visual artist, tobyato, in collaboration with fabricator Darren Mok. You’ll be provided with coloured markers, all you have to do is unleash your creativity. Hurry though, and seize this art jamming opportunity while stocks last.
For more crafting fun, sip on some brews while creating delicate paper sculptures. PPP Coffee has a self-guided origami dragon workshop taking place throughout the Singapore Art Week period.
You’ll be provided with the supplies and there’ll be a video tutorial screened onsite; just follow along and your nimble hands will be producing a magnificent origami dragon.
To commemorate your creation, you can also score exclusive dragon merch from PPP Coffee that was designed by artist, Dyn, specially for this collab.
Dragons might not live among us IRL, but they represent good fortune. That is exactly what you’ll get when you take part in the Passion Dragon Eggs hunt. Think of it as an artsy rendition of typical treasure hunts, where 6 eggs will be placed around the mall.
Each of them have been designed by a different artist, in line with not only the overall dragon theme but also to match the 6 types of “passions” you can pursue when you shop at Funan: Chic, Craft, Fit, Play, Taste, and Tech. In essence, you get to dine, get in shape, refresh your wardrobe, be entertained, and pick up the staples of various arts and electronics hobbies here.
Of course, these intricate creations aren’t for scavengers to take home upon discovery. To log your finds, simply snap a photo with each one and post it on Instagram. As a reward, you’ll get to snag Funan vouchers. For more info, check out the Funan Instagram page.
Mark your calendars and let Funan unleash your inner dragon, slay your Insta feed, and discover why this Singapore Art Week is anything but ordinary.
In true Singapore Art Week fashion, Funan’s festivities let you both immerse yourself in awe-inspiring artwork, and play an active part in it – no matter your skill level.
There are plenty of intriguing creations to check out, across various art mediums. Fun experiences from dancing dragon AR filters to dragon origami await you. And, to rake in the huat, partake in the dragon egg hunt to score vouchers for future shopping sprees, hearty meals, or activity sessions at Funan.
This post was brought to you by Funan.
Photography by Shawn Low.
This Singaporean guy decided to take love into his own hands and signed up for…
#6, #7 and #9 have rates starting from just $10/design.
Take our money.
A basket full of snacks and drinks also entitles you to spin and win prizes…
The newest attraction in Tokyo!
The NS30 celebrations haven't stopped 🎉