Asian Futurism Explored in Singapore Group Show Featuring Indigenous Sci-Fi and Tech Installations

A Gathering of Tomorrow at Starch in Singapore presents four artists exploring Asian Futurism through technology and cultural heritage. Curated by Gillian Daniel and Kristine Tan, the exhibition runs from 6 to 28 August 2024. Subash Thebe Limbu's 2021 feature film Ningwasum depicts an Indigenous time traveler from a sovereign future society searching for her father in present-day Nepal, offering political critique through sci-fi narrative. ANTARMUKA, the collaborative duo of Syafiq Halid and Rosemainy Buang, created Antara Muka, a sound installation where speaker vibrations activate traditional Malay and Indonesian instruments alongside Western metronome clicks, suggesting musical synthesis. Arabelle Zhuang's Interpolations incorporates natural materials and mat-weaving techniques inspired by volcanic landscapes and caves in Indonesia and Malaysia. Chok Si Xuan's kinetic sculpture Prosthesis uses dismantled body massager motors to create jerking, rolling assemblages that question boundaries between organic bodies and artificial technology. Most works were created in 2024, grounding futuristic themes in contemporary practice while examining non-Western perspectives.