State of the Arts: Sept 5 to 12

SINGAPORE — While Singaporeans were caught up in election fever, a handful of artists were also flying the flag overseas. Eric Khoo’s latest film In The Room made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, while visual artist-turned-film-maker Green Zeng’s debut feature film The Return was screened at the Venice International Film Festival. Artist-archivist Koh Nguang How’s Singapore Art Archive Project exhibition and Ho Tzu Nyen’s performance installation Ten Thousand Tigers found their way to Gwangju, South Korea. The ongoing Brisbane Festival has a Singapore Series, which includes The Necessary Stage’s Best Of, Margaret Leng Tan’s Cabinet Of Curiosities, W!LD RICE’s The Importance Of Being Earnest, among others. Meanwhile, the independently organised Singapore arts festival in New York City, Something To Write Home About, kicked off today. Back home, the Singapore International Festival Of Arts continued with shows that included a voting-themed production from Drama Box. There was also news of the film anthology 7 Letters extending its run for one more week and the passing of Singapore film pioneer Goh Eng Wah of Eng Wah cinemas. MAYO MARTIN