Sound Garden
Cassette tapes were once the preferred medium for music storage from the 70s until the late 90s. Compact, portable and cheap, you could even make your own mixtapes, recording your own compilation of your favourite songs on tape. With changes in technology, analogue tapes eventually gave way to digital compact discs in the late 90s. The CD in turn lost its popularity with the advent of online digital downloads and now streaming.
Come ponder on the next form of music storage in the Sound Garden. Sit and listen to a mixtape spliced from the actual tapes used to create the bench. What is the role of the analogue in a digital world? After streaming, how would music be consumed in the future?
Photo credit: Law Kian Yan
Profiles
Neo Kim Seng
Curator
Neo Kim Seng is a cross-disciplinary practitioner who has been involved in independent and large-scale projects in various capacities in Singapore and overseas since 1987. He first used cassette tapes in his installation, Mix: Re / Tape, in the Esplanade Tunnel in 2012. His last exhibition, My Grandfather’s Road – Rabbit Heart, Dragon Soul at The Arts House in 2019 was an installation iteration of his ongoing multidisciplinary project My Grandfather’s Road.
Photo credit: Law Kian Yan
Space Objekt
Designer
Space Objekt is a design studio based in Singapore that specialises in spatial experiences, making art accessible to all. Our work focuses predominantly on the medium of built environments – from small scale props to immersive larger-than-life installations. We redefine spaces and help companies to connect with the world by creating memorable experiences where the audience can interact with the space.
We have been involved in a wide variety of projects ranging from art & music festivals to live events, pop-ups to interior design. As we become a more visual society, we hope to share an understanding of our built environments and make this possible through this new visual language. We hope to spark joy through our installations which are both accessible and educational for the public. We want to see art thrive. When art thrives, art grows. When art grows, it inspires; making it relevant to today.