THE MOST POWERFUL FIGURATIVE PAINTER TO KNOW NOW: MARLA BENDINI
For an artist who’s laid low for several years, this 34-year-old’s return to the scene has certainly been remarkable and for good reason. In 2020, she had two solo shows: one at Coda Culture; the other at Cuturi Gallery. Come March, the latter space will hold another exhibition of her works. In the spotlight: her powerfully personal paintings featuring most prominently the body – headless bodies, torsos, warts and all – that however visceral or suggestive, evoke a tender beauty. They’re also her first shows comprising solely of paintings.
Throughout her decade-long career, Marla – as she prefers to be known – has juggled various disciplines, but picked up painting again last year because she wanted to re-explore a part of her that had been dormant. She works intuitively: Each piece starts with spontaneous strokes before shapes take hold and “reveal themselves to her”. The body is a recurring motif because she loves its ability to communicate “endless things” and as someone who struggles with gender and body dysmorphia, eating disorder and addiction, the process can be semi-cathartic, reminding her to be gentle towards herself as she works through such issues, says the artist who identifies as transgender. She also hopes to alleviate others in similar situations. “I want my paintings to have an impact, but also soothe and comfort like an aura.”
THE NEW ARTIST’S SANCTUARY: COMMA SPACE
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GOOD VIBES
EVERY YEAR, CHANEL PICKS A PLACE ON THE WORLD MAP NOT ONLY TO INSPIRE, BUT ALSO TO SHOWCASE ITS ANNUAL CRUISE COLLECTION (IT’S A TRADITION THAT’S ROOTED IN THE MAISON’S EARLY YEARS WHEN COCO CHANEL PRESENTED A LINE OUTSIDE OF THE USUAL FASHION CALENDAR TO INCITE WANDERLUST FOR TOASTIER, MORE PICTURE-PERFECT CLIMES DURING THE WINTER MONTHS). THE LATEST DESTINATION: VIBRANT MARSEILLE – THE FRENCH CITY THAT RECEIVES THE MOST SUNSHINE; HOME TO AN ECLECTIC REPERTOIRE OF CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND LANDMARKS; AND A MAGNET FOR EMERGING CREATIVES WITH ITS MIX OF GRIT AND GLAMOUR, LAND AND SEA, AND YOUTHFUL BOHEMIAN ENERGY. THE RESULTS? A COLLECTION THAT MAKES US WANT TO LET LOOSE AND DANCE. NOELLE LOH REPORTS FROM THE PHOCAEAN CITY.
THE PARTY EDIT
Club-appropriate hits from the Resort 2025 collections
THE VIPS
SOME OF THE 17 PEOPLE SPOTLIGHTED ACROSS THE NEXT 26 PAGES HAVE BEEN IN THE NIGHTLIFE BUSINESS WAY BEFORE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC DECADES EVEN. OTHERS LESS, BUT HAVE BEEN FOR MUCH OF THEIR LIVES DEEP INTO MUSIC, VIBING IT OUT ON DANCE FLOORS AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE AROUND HAS A HELLUVA GOOD TIME. THEIR ENDEAVOURS RANGE FROM A MODEST NEIGHBOURHOOD BAR TO CONGLOMERATE-BACKED, MULTI-CONCEPT SPACES AND A MULTIFARIOUS NETWORK OF POP-UP PARTIES, ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEEN MAKING AN EXTRA-LOUD SPLASH IN THE PAST YEAR. WHAT ELSE THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON: THEY'RE RETHINKING AND RESHAPING PARTY CULTURE FOR THE FUTURE - OR, TO PARAPHRASE CHARLI XCX, THEY'RE BUMPIN' IT. KENG YANG SHUEN AND NOELLE LOH PUT THE CAMERA FLASH ON.
THE NIGHTS
ROUGHLY TWO YEARS ON SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, FOLKS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE ARE STILL TAKING IT UPON THEMSELVES TO THROW THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT PARTIES WITH MORE EXPERIMENTAL SOUNDS, AND MORE INTENTIONAL AND INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES THAT INJECT A ROUSING UNDERGROUND ENERGY TO SINGAPORE NIGHTLIFE. KENG YANG SHUEN TURNS THE SPOTLIGHT ON FOUR OF THE NEWEST ORGANISERS ON THE SCENE AND TELLS YOU WHY YOU SHOULD HIT THEIR PARTIES.
THE SOUNDS
THEY'RE ALL UNDER 30, MOSTLY SELF-TAUGHT AND EMERGED PROFESSIONALLY ONLY AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. MOST DON'T EVEN HAVE A REGULAR GIG (YOU'D HAVE TO CHECK THEIR INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS TO FIND OUT WHEN NEXT THEY'LL BE PERFORMING), BUT DON'T YOU DARE CALL THEM BEDROOM DJS. KENG YANG SHUEN SPOTLIGHTS SEVEN EMERGING SINGAPORE-BASED MUSIC SELECTORS AND MIX MASTERS WHO'VE BEEN TEARING UP DANCE FLOORS IN THE PAST YEAR AND SHOULD BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY.
SHE CALLS THE SHOTS
SINCE THE 2000S, RIHANNA HAS BEEN MAKING DANCE FLOORS WORK, WORK, WORK WITH HER INFECTIOUS ELECTRONIC AND R&B-INFLECTED POP HITS. FOR ANOTHER SIDE TO HER \"QUEEN OF THE NIGHT\" PERSONA, THERE'S HER ROLE AS THE LATEST FACE OF DIOR'S J'ADORE PERFUME AND ITS ACCOMPANYING CAMPAIGN FILM. SHOT BY HER LONG-TIME FRIEND STEVEN KLEIN, IT FEATURES THE BARBADIAN BADDIE STRIDING THROUGH THE GILDED HALLS OF THE PALACE OF VERSAILLES DRIPPING IN GOLD. HERE, SHE SHARES MORE ABOUT HOW THE FAMOUSLY FEMININE FRAGRANCE EMBODIES CELEBRATION.
A Not So Common Scent
For the first time, the singular house of Hermes has launched a chypre perfume fragrance type known for its complexity and dualistic nature a that comes in a first-of-its-kind bottle, no less. Keng Yang Shuen finds out more about Barenia, Hermes's latest scent that hit stores recently, from the brand's in-house perfumer Christine Nagel.
Strange Love
The six names in this story create wildly different works that tend to blur the boundaries among disparate disciplines. All have little in common except one thing: a certain wondrousness and sense of curiosity that inspire audiences to look at familiar things anew. Keng Yang Shuen reports.
The artist
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spirited away
Collaborations with the art world have become a trusted way of injecting novelty into fashion.
