There will be a number of exhibitions and performance art pieces at next year’s M1 Singapore Fringe Festival that will take on the task of examining just what it is like to be a woman both in Singapore and around the world. A number of the performances and shows have taken inspiration from a female Singaporean artist whose 1999 performance artwork invited members of the public to navigate walking a street backward, using mirrors to guide their steps, and with the added challenge of holding high heeled shoes in their mouths. This performance art itself was inspired by an economic downturn that affected all workers. However, in an effort to keep their jobs, a number of women began to get beauty procedures done, or purchase makeup and clothing to enhance their appearances.
For the Fringe Festival, a number of performances will also utilize high heels. A group of theater students recently rehearsed with a collection of stilettos as props, holding them up to their ears and placing them on their hands as they crept around. In another exercise, a group of women catcalled the sole male member of the group, flipping stereotypes and experiences on their heads. Another dance organization will be conducting performances in tight pencil skirts and high heels, examining workplace dress codes for women and how, exactly, they limit comfortable and natural movement.
One interesting facet to the rehearsals and performances, though, is the fact that many of the students performing as a part of the festival don’t own heels of their own. Since they need them for the performance, though, they borrow them from their mothers, who still own high heels. Still, a number of the young women in the theater group acknowledge the power of the shoes, saying that they take female colleagues more seriously when they wear stilettos. They also say they feel better about themselves when they wear them, saying that high heels inspire them to stand up straight or feel more feminine.
It’s this idea of femininity that artists and performers are looking to explore at the festival. One part of this includes the pervasion of the mermaid in popular culture. With everything from mermaid-themed beauty products to mermaid coffee drinks at international chains, there is something about mermaids that speak of female desire, beauty, and experience. When a woman wishes to exist in a realm that is not her own, she must make a sacrifice — mobility, comfort, or some other caveat.
Explore the world around you by enrolling in an art class. By visiting SGArtClass.com, you can experience a number of different art classes led by talented art teachers. Art classes would make for great holiday gifts for friends, family members, or coworkers, as well, offering a thoughtful and unique present. You can also take an art class with a group of friends as an alternative way to socialize.
To learn more about the performance art pieces and exhibits that will be on tap for the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/walk-in-their-shoes.