WHAT ARTISTS SAY
Artist Mervin Wong said the brand-new venue gives artists the freedom to experiment, explore ideas together and shape how it evolves.
“(Flock) is an exciting blank canvas for artists and communities … we’re trying out different things and seeing how the space develops,” he told CNA.
“I got to work with a lot of different artists within the space, developing AI tools for immersive use and show production.”
His artwork “Shelter (Under Construction)”, a sound and spatial installation in collaboration with fellow artist Nathan Yong, is currently on exhibition at the venue.
American digital artist Race Krehel, who has been based in Singapore for nearly two decades, said initiatives like Flock are increasingly rare.
“It’s a nice way to reinvigorate, reimagine and reuse a space … preserving some of the heritage that we have in Singapore, which, unfortunately, we’re losing a lot of to progress,” he said.
“There’re not many spaces like this left in Singapore, and it’s important to preserve them … and put them to use in a way that benefits not just the current generation, but also (future) generations.”
His piece “Algorithmic Prophecy”, also currently on display, is an evolving light installation that pays tribute to the Golden Mile Complex.
Looking ahead, 19SixtyFive said it wants Flock to remain accessible to artists and visitors as an open, welcoming space where people can create, gather, exchange ideas and experiment without pressure.
The agency plans to draw more people to Kampong Java with a calendar of programmes, including its own arts festival. Its current exhibition series “I Saw You” runs until the end of this month.