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| Source: Sofitel Hotels & Resorts. Yip with some of his paintings. |
Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong brings a nostalgic exhibition to the Sofitel Singapore City Centre. Stories From Yesteryear, which features 24 canvas paintings and four digital artworks, will be showcased at the hotel from 26 February to 31 March 2021.
Inspired by Chinatown where he grew up and Tanjong Pagar where he lives today, Yip has been beautifying Singapore's streets with his vibrant street murals for years. His artworks are typically intricately-detailed and tell stories, especially of his childhood, bygone eras and lost places. At times, he mixes past and present seamlessly in the same work.
The scenes in the exhibited paintings feature similar subjects. Painted between 2017 and 2021, the artworks are panoramic yet intimate and provide a visual history of Singapore across major cultural festivals and traditions such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, Hari Raya Haji, the Hungry Ghost Festival and Chingay.
“Sofitel Hotels have always supported the arts and we are proud to showcase such an incredible artist as Yip Yew Chong with an exhibition that will allow our guests, loyalty members, VIPs and team members to step back in time to a golden era in Singapore’s past. The hotel stands near the scene of one of the artworks, so people will be able to get a real sense of how much the city has developed over the years,” said Wouter de Graaf, GM of Sofitel Singapore City Centre, which is at Guoco Tower in Tanjong Pagar.
”Tanjong Pagar is such a colourful neighbourhood and the hotel stands within a short walk to many of Yew Chong’s murals in nearby Everton Park and Chinatown, so it’s the perfect spot to immerse yourself in the works of this amazing artist.”
To bring guests closer to the history and legends of the area and connect more closely with Yip's art, the hotel is offering a special Yesteryear Peranakan menu for the month of March which will highlight some favourite dishes that reflect Yew Chong’s childhood and are depicted in the paintings.
Members of the Accor Live Limitless (ALL) loyalty programme will have the chance to attend special evenings with the artist to hear him share the stories of each artwork and dine on traditional Peranakan dishes depicted in the paintings. Entry to the exhibition is free and guests who stay in-house will be able take away a hand-drawn map by the artist, so they can further explore his murals on a walk around the neighbourhood.
“I am excited to bring this exhibition to the Sofitel Singapore City Centre and to allow the people of Singapore to enjoy these artworks, which not only tell intimate stories of Singapore’s past but are very much a representation of my childhood and my imagination,” said Yip.
“I painted these works over the past four years including a quite prolific period during the pandemic. I hope they will bring some joy at a time when we can’t travel overseas but we can still travel back in time and space in our minds. I also hope the exhibition will inspire others to share their own stories of yesteryear, and their hopes for the future.”
Sofitel hotels are always destinations where art and culture are celebrated. The Sofitel Singapore City Centre has become an intrinsic part of the cultural life of Tanjong Pagar and regularly hosts exhibitions and events that spotlight art. The hotel has collaborated with numerous artists and exhibitions since opening including William Sim, who produced an exclusive colouring in book featuring the hotel.
Details:
The Sofitel Singapore City Centre is offering dining and stay packages for those who wish to immerse themselves more fully in the artist’s work.
From S$349++, the Stories from Yesteryear Package includes overnight accommodation in a Luxury Room, access to the exhibition, breakfast for two, a curated Peranakan-inspired set dinner at Racines, a handcrafted drink inspired by the artworks and a selection of Peranakan tapas at 1864, as well as the hand-drawn map so guests can explore some of Yip's murals nearby.
Guests who book a staycation can also enter an Instagram competition to win a high tea experience.
