December is a month where we celebrate the festive season and it's also a time for us to reflect back on what we've done for the whole year. Esplanade's Celebrate December is a great event to spend your time during the festive season and to end off 2017 in a good note. Here's a look at this recently concluded event.
What is Celebrate December?
Celebrate December is an annual event that takes place at the Esplanade Theatres. There are tons of free programmes like concerts, art exhibitions and workshops happening throughout the month of December. Their signature Bell Charms display are also back for patrons to write their well wishes for the new year and hang them up for display.
Celebrate December Concert Series: Motus
Celebrate December Concert Series: Sheer-Nas & Friends
Another concert that we checked out was happening indoors at the Esplanade's Concourse. This slightly more intimate session was performed by a band called Sheer-Nas & Friends which played various English and Hindi song mashups which they refer to as "Hinglish" songs. Although it's more quieter and more intimate compared to the one at the Esplanade's Outdoor Theatre, it was still a spectacular performance.
Esplanade's Bell Charms
A signature of Esplanade's Celebrate December was their Bell Charms where you could pen your new year wishes on semi-transparent plastic films and put them up on display. The Bell Charms were named that way probably because it look like bells that were hanging and swaying left and right following the wind direction. The installation was also a great opportunity for photo-taking.
Artworks at Esplanade Theatres
Art is essential to the Esplanade Theatres. Everywhere you navigate in the building, you are bound to find art. You can find artworks at places like on the steps of the Esplanade Concourse and the Esplanade Tunnel which leads to the City Hall and Esplanade MRT Stations.
Esplanade's Artworks: Myths & Legends of Pulau Ujong
At the Esplanade Concourse, there was an artwork known as Myths & Legends of Pulau Ujong about the story of the myths and legends of an island named Pulau Ujong. After centuries of name changes and progress on the island, it's now known as Singapore, the island which we all know and love. With contributing artists from three different generations coming together to piece this artwork, it was definitely a sight to behold.
Esplanade's Artworks: 80by80
Along the walkway at the Esplanade Tunnel, passers-by were greeted with 80by80, an art installation where all the artwork on display only measures 80cm by 80cm which explains the name. They were contributed by 38 different Singaporean artists and as you can see, despite the limitation, they still produced very creative pieces of art. The artworks were eventually auctioned off and proceeds were used to fund the Esplanade Theatre's free programmes.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, the year 2017 has finally come to an end and with the New Year, we can look forward to new opportunities and do new things. The Celebrate December event was definitely a great way to end off the year with its free concerts, art exhibitions and the signature Bell Charms. Also with the New Year, the Esplanade has plenty of exciting activities coming up so do keep a lookout for it.
More Information
Esplanade's Official Website: http://www.esplanade.com/