The closing of New Majestic Hotel was a bittersweet moment for us all—we had to bid goodbye to an iconic heritage hotel; but then we also got to have one last moment of creative revelry at the fashion, art and lifestyle festival organized by Keepers and Straits Clan. Over a single weekend, the boutique hotel was transformed into an immersive playground, housing local creatives, artists, designers, food vendors and more within its rooms for one last time.
Well good news; the playground is back. Keepers Playground of Infinite Happiness may no longer have the space of a kitschy hotel to take over, but it is certainly (infinitely) bigger. The second edition of the event has been extended to two weekends (Jul 27-29 and Aug 3-5) and will be held at the National Design Centre. While last year’s shebang involved more than 60 local creatives and brands, this year’s will bring together over 100 Singapore and Singapore-based designers, craftsmen, artists, chefs, mixologists and inventors. If you thought Multiply at New Majestic was crowded, brace yourself.
Co-curated by Carolyn Kan of Keepers and SKL0, or Sam Lo the Sticker Lady, the event will showcase art installations interpreting the Singapore Story. The food and retail pop-ups will happen over the two weekends, but the immersive artworks will be around for the entirety of the 10 days.
An art installation by Tan Yang Er during 2017’s Multiply: A Majestic Playground
Multiply: A Majestic Playground
A collaborative work by architects and 32 artists, called House of Happie, will bring to life the humble HDB flat in eight variations across two floors.
Another installation, Topsy-Turvy Paper City features an entire garden of paper structures blooming into paper flowers—aptly created by third-generation printer Papypress, whose body of work revives the tradition of letterpress printing. Out in the courtyard, AD Labs and Lightrus will put together a mini smart living installation inspired by the growing trend of car sharing services.
On the weekends, peckish visitors can fill their bellies with food from Tanuki Raw and Old Seng Choong; or shop the 50 odd designers and labels—including gifts retailer The Farm Store, handbag designer Ling Wu, and womenswear label Lark and Peony. All the goods on sale will be from collections inspired by stories of Singapore, in keeping with the event’s theme.
If this year’s event is anything like its inaugural edition, you can bet it’s going to be good. A tip from us: Don’t go with the intention of simply getting an Instagram-worthy shot; above all, the “playground” is a rare occasion that brings together the island’s best creatives in one place for your easy picking. Talk to them, engage with their art, and find out a little more about this vibrant scene Singapore surprisingly has to offer. You’ve got 10 days to do it.
Keepers Playground of Infinite Happiness happens Jul 27-Aug 5, 11am-9pm, at National Design Centre. Admission is free.
