Pictured above is visual artist Nature Shankar’s work for titled Nothing Good Happens after 2am, 2021 for the Figment Case Study Homes Expansion Project.
When we interviewed Fang Wei Low — the CEO and Co-Founder of Figment — in September 2020, he spoke about the beauty of shophouses. In greater detail, how “works of art gather practices together to focus and manifest a way of life, embodying the truth of their world. In elevating the routine to the ritual, how uplifting it is when we come home at the end of the day to a shophouse with such character?”.
While any of the 22 shophouses under Figment are most certainly works of art as they are beautiful — the Warhol-esque Voyage House on Petain Road or the grungy-bohemian Venus House in Jalan Besar — the Figment Case Study Homes Extension Project features art within works of art itself. Which is to say, four houses have now become the stage for the practice of four artists.
While original artworks are housed in the ground-floor salon space of the homes and sketches and studies create a universe in studios and corridors upstairs, the question would be what happens after they are placed in the spaces for the Figment Case Study Homes Expansion Project? The answer would be, that these still works of art then becomes anchor points of conversation with the members or residents of the house: open ended questions and answers centering around the dialogue of design.
Most importantly however, would be the Figment Case Study Homes Expansion Project’s dedication to artists themselves. It is the first time property rental proceeds — specifically 10% of proceeds — going towards supporting local art production. And that, is before we talk about the Creator Residency Programme.
Figment will also be rolling out a residency programme (think the Olympic Village albeit for artists) titled the Creator Residency Programme where 10 creators will receive a complimentary three month stay at the Figment Artist Village. While they will be invented to lead digital workshops for the Figment community, their works will also be purchased to be featured in Figment’s existing or future spaces.
Photos credit Khoo Guo Jie
