In lieu of Virgil Abloh‘s recent appointment as Louis Vuitton’s menswear designer, New York-based artist Ceeze, RelevantCustoms and richierange collaboration to create a special-edition Air Jordan 1 sneaker. The “Off-Louis” custom features Louis Vuitton’s signature monogram across its upper, with a complementary tonal brown colorway.
Some details are reminiscent of Abloh’s previous Air Jordan 1 collaboration with Nike, such as the medial side inspired by the signature Off-White™ branding and exposed stitching on the Swoosh. “LOUIS” and “VUITTON” adorn the left and right midsole, features the designer’s hallmark quotation marks.
Only 10 pairs of this Ceeze Creative Studios x Relevant Customs ‘Off-Louis’ Air Jordan 1s are up for sale. They will be available from Ceeze’s website for $4,000 USD on April 14.
Where to catch some sun, fun, with the stress of none
April marks the start of Spring, one of the best time for traveling – the ice is thawing, the flowers are, and in many places, you are a couple months removed from the heavy crowds that descend in the summertime. Avoid the crowd and rewind in the beauty and serenity of nature in these top picks.
KYOTO, JAPAN
An intensely culture-conscious country that harmonises ancient traditions with modern architecture, stroll through elegant gardens, magnificent palaces, charming shrines and traditional wooden houses against the delicate backdrop of spring.
Lodging: The Gyokuto Garden Terrace Suite at The Suiran
Lounge in ryokan-style bedding in a suite adorned with floor-to-ceiling shoji screens and rooms separated with opulent Kusuma sliding doors, hand-painted by renowned artist Ryo Shinagawa. Enjoy the impressive views of the mighty Arashiyama hills or take a stroll in a private traditional garden and take a bath in a secluded open-air cypress bathtub, enjoying the healing properties of the mineral-rich water cultivated from the Arashiyama hot springs.
There is truly no compromisation, as the suite boosts a 50-inch flat screen TV, Bose surround sound systems, Remède Spa products and organic soap – infused with local yuzu essences and hinoki oil.
Bodrum will be in the early twenties at this time of year, perfect for some exploration around the peninsula before it becomes an inferno in summer. Travel down the endless olive groves to the Aegean and witness the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Lodging: Sea-view pavilions at the Amanruya
A convenient half an hour from town centre, it occupies 60 acres of forest-covered hillside. Translating to “peaceful dream”, the place is truly beautiful, with traditional 36 stone pavilions, marble floors, mahogany ceilings and baths the size of a zeppelin.
Each pavilion has a private dining area and pool to cool off after a walk along the coast, offering a majestic view over the sea at the sea-view pavilions’ infinity pools.
Enjoy the gorgeous weather in the south and west of Sri Lanka in April (while raining in the north and east) in towns such as Galle, Colombo and Weligama. The area is rich in history, sights and old-world charm, with towns such as Galle dating from 1588.
Lodging: Cocoon Pool Suite at the Wild Coast Tented Lodge
Nested in the beautiful white-washed beaches of Yala National Park, 28 unique and dome-shaped tents dot along the beach. Bask in a lavish abundance of luxury, stunning architecture and space surrounded by the sea and jungle.
Enjoy a tan at the infinity pool, revitalising massages at their luxuriant spa, delectable Sri-Lankan cuisine at the open-air Den and Dining Pavilion, ending off with sundowner cocktails on the sand dunes.
If you have £51,000 to £71,000 to spend, the Seabreacher (available in models X, Y and Z) is the vessel which will give you the ultimate water sports experience. Produced by Innespace Productions, a watercraft design and fabrication company in Northern California, the Seabreacher is an advanced submersible watercraft which combines literally every alpha male fantasy – jet ski, submarine and fighter.
The Seabreacher submarine “Fighter Jet” is the best way to spend £71,000
Our favourite Seabreacher happens to be The Seabreacher X, based on the dolphin inspired Seabreacher J released in 2010. The Seabreacher X exhibits an aggressive Shark style body as well as upgraded tech and engines, improving the performance envelope with a 260hp supercharged engine, pushing the Submarine-Fighter jet to surface speeds of up to 50 mph (80kmh) and diving into the depths, a top speed of 25 mph.
“This is the vessel we’ve always wanted to build. The power and agility of this vessel is insane!” – co-owner Rob Innes
Form follows function on the Seabreacher X, the update to the Seabreacher “Dolphin” J sees new shark design develop as engineering requires for increased air intakes and exhaust to deliver oxygen and expel carbon monoxide from the high output engine was eventually incorporated via the “shark gills” design – thus, the Seabreacher Shark aesthetics are as much as an engineering as well as a design decision. The main snorkel, mounted on the vessel’s dorsal fin is greatly enhanced by the additional snorkel in the shark style tail, maximising intake, while the new drag-boat style wrap-around canopy was primarily designed to reduce heat build up in the cockpit. Throw-on cockpit art reminiscent of fighter jet decals like gaping jaws and the Seabreacher Shark submarine-fighter jet lives up to its menacing namesake and presence.
In terms of performance, the Seabreacher manoeuvres like a fighter jet, able to perform a full 360 degree roll and execute rapid directional changes. The pilot uses two joysticks and two foot pedals to control the submarine-fighter jet – pull up on the controls and gun the throttle and one can push the Seabreacher into a vertical leap, breaking the water’s surface like some predator of Poseidon.
The Seabreacher X can sustain high speed dives and then breach the surface, launching the entire vessel clear out of the water. The new fully vectored thrust system mimic the tail articulation of real aquatic animals like sharks and dolphins.
Some other high tech features that are incorporated into the two-seat vessel: A snorkel mounted video camera transmits live video to LCD screens for the pilot and passenger during dives, GPS navigation, and on board stereo with iPod docking.
The Seabreacher X is a single pilot submarine-jet while the Seabreacher “Whale” Z is a two seater model. Available at Seabreacher.com
Ayacht safari is all about reaching remote places in Indonesia that are only accessible by boat, immersing yourself in nature, experiencing an untouched world, and then leaving without a trace,” says Nikko Karki, who founded Indo Yachts, an Indonesian full-service yacht charter broker, and has cultivated the safari concept based on client and travel trends over the past few years.
“Your itinerary will be framed around the best places to see Indonesia’s diverse array of wildlife and, with every tailored activity, you will be able to see something new. Enjoy up-close encounters from the yacht, on land or under the water, and then sail to the next secret spot. Total privacy and exclusivity guaranteed. All you take with you are incredible memories”.
As the demand for experiential travel shows no sign of slowing among high end travellers, luxury safaris have become ever more appealing. Combining a sense of adventure, exotic locales and an environmental focus, safaris offer guests an unparalleled chance for a meaningful, unforgettable holiday.
Luxury phinisis like Dunia Baru, meaning New World, are based on Bugis boats which have been plying the Indonesian archipelago for centuries. Fourteen guests can be carried in a master suite and six ensuite doubles.
A safari on a yacht takes the experience to a new level. With 17,000 islands, many unexplored, and a spectacular array of wildlife above and below the waves, Indonesia is an infinite source of adventure and a luxury yacht safari is the perfect way to immerse yourself in its epic beauty.
So, what can you see? Africa may be well-known for its Big Five, but Indonesia has its own Big Five in the Big Blue: whale sharks, manta rays, mola mola, hammerhead sharks and pygmy seahorses.
You don’t have to be a diver to see them either: “You’ll never forget jumping off the boat to swim with whale sharks or mantas”, says Karki. “On land, seek out the famous dragons in Komodo as well as wild pigs, buffalo and deer. “Head to the south of Komodo island to catch a truly wild glimpse of dragons on the beach. They run towards you, and try to swim out to the tender.”
Spectacular bird of paradise. Safari concept means equal emphasis is placed on the flora and fauna and native birds as well as underwater worlds.
Bird watchers will also be in their element here, scanning the jungle-fringed coastline and the blue skies with binoculars for ‘bucket list’ birds, like the often-elusive Wilson’s bird-of-paradise and greater bird-of-paradise.
Rainforest hikes in Raja Ampat offer another chance to surrounding yourself with the sights and sounds of the jungle before stopping at hidden waterfalls for a refreshing dip.
While exploring Indonesia by boat is nothing new – liveaboard dive boats have been taking tourists off the beaten track here for decades – the quality and number of luxury yachts available in the region has never been better and Indo Yachts works with only the best. With 21 crewed yachts in its fleet, the charter broker has a vessel to suit everyone.
“Whether it is a group or family trip on board 51m Dunia Baru, every yacht safari is a curated expedition to the most breathtaking sites of the region, tailored entirely to guest requests”, says Karki. “Our clients are discerning travellers, searching for unique experiences, adventure and authenticity, but they want to do it style.
Master suite on deck, and casual bar on fringes of the gallery
A yacht provides the ultimate accommodation for going in search of wildlife and adventure in the archipelago. The up-close encounters you’ll have will stay with you forever.
“Having a giant oceanic manta ray swim right up and over you, getting close with a pygmy seahorse, seeing Komodo dragons run from the beach and swim towards your tender, swimming with dolphins; these kind of experiences are at the core of a yacht safari”.
Based in Bali, Indo Yachts works with private clients, global yacht brokers and high end travel companies to facilitate unique charters in the region. Services cover contract negotiations, itinerary planning, travel support, and additional requirements as necessary, in order to execute what clients consistently refer to as a fabulous holiday.
Every yacht safari itinerary is completely tailored to guest wishes, taking into account the time of year, what they are hoping to see, and how they would like to fill their hours. The next two sample itineraries for the 51m phinisi Dunia Baru are intended as an inspirational jumping off point for a lovely bespoke yacht vacation.
Raja Ampat was “discovered” in recent years, but finding an exclusive anchorage is not too hard
Raja Ampat: An Equatorial Garden Of Eden
Home to the most diverse marine eco systems on the planet, Raja Ampat is a remote archipelago in the heart of the Coral Triangle that combines deserted sandy beaches, lush, life-filled jungle and pristine coral reefs in the ultimate tropical paradise.
What to See: Whale sharks, manta rays, mola mola, hammerhead sharks, pygmy seahorses, turtles, mantis shrimp, batfish, groupers, barracudas, fusiliers, pale-tailed surgeonfish and various sharks. On land, look out for exotic birds including the red and Wilson’s bird-of paradise, bats, lizards, and opossums.
When to Go: Year round, but for the calmest waters, best visibility and least rain, aim to visit between November and March.
Day 1| Board Dunia Baru in the morning. Depart from Sorong heading north to Wayag.
Day 2| Enter Wayag at sunrise. Explore the area, hike to take in the view of the natural formations. Enjoy afternoon watersports, before the crew set up a cocktail party on a pristine beach.
Day 3 | Visit the Wayag ranger station in morning for another hike followed by a swim at the beach below.
Day 4 | Hike to see the waterfall on the west side of Kawe Island in the morning, and snorkel across the equator in the afternoon. Beach BBQ in the evening.
Day 5 | West Waigeo and Wofoh. Take the kayaks for an excursion or relax on the beach in the morning. Visit Manyaifun village in the afternoon.
Day 6 | Kabui Bay and The Passage. Watersports in bay and RIB ride through The Passage and around the NW side of Waigeo in the morning. Boat tour of rock islands, jungle trek, hike through rainforest to look out for birds-of-paradise in the afternoon.
Day 7 | Rise before dawn to trek through Sapokren village, Waigeo to see birds-of-paradise, snorkel with manta rays at Manta Sandy, and visit Arborek village in the afternoon.
Day 8 | Morning island trek to see birds from Arefi village on the north coast of Batanta island. Walk along riverbed to a jungle waterfall. Afternoon spent relaxing at anchor by the rainforest.
Day 9 | In the Misool Eco Reserve, visit Lenmolas village and see nearby caves in the afternoon.
Day 10 | Visit Misool’s Tomolol Bay and cave, followed by a RIB adventure and last meal on board.
Day 11 | Arrive back in Sorong, disembark after lunch for flight home.
Komodo dragons can be friskier when encountered off the beaten track, but the park ranger keeps a close eye on any inter-action Indonesia has many volcanoes, rising majestically in tropical settings. Sporadic eruptions take place | Image courtesy of Damea Dorsey
Komodo: Nature’s Adventure Theme Park
Revel in the other-worldly landscapes of Komodo, where dragons roam, dolphins play and coral cities bustle with marine life just below the surface.
What to See: Komodo dragons are the big draw but there is so much more. Scan shorelines for wild pigs, deer and buffalo, and look to the skies for bats, frigatebirds, sea eagles, yellow-crested cockatoos and sunbirds. Beneath the waves? Dolphins, manta rays, turtles, reef sharks, cuttlefish and incredible macrolife.
Indonesia has many volcanoes, rising majestically in tropical settings. Sporadic eruptions take place
When to Go: Year round, but best between May and September during the dry season.
Day 1 | Board in Labuan Bajo, Flores, and set sail to a protected bay at Gili Lawa Darat, ready for a short hike for your first Komodo sunset.
Day 2 | Have a lazy morning at Gili Lawa Darat’s beach, then in the afternoon head to Komodo Bay by Makassar Reef to snorkel with manta rays. At sunset, marvel as thousands of bats take flight over the jungle canopy.
Day 3 | Today will be the first glimpse of Komodo dragons in the wild. Start with a morning hike through Loh Liang with a park ranger, where dragons and wildlife, including deer and buffalo, will be pointed out by an experienced guide. Relax the rest of the day at Pink Beach where soft pink sand filters into the clear seas.
Day 4 | Cruise to Padar Island, the third largest island in the national park, from which the most iconic photos can be taken. Trek to the peak to see the three bays and spend the rest of the day doing water sports in the bay capped off with a beach BBQ and bonfire at night.
Day 5 | Cruise south to Nusa Kode, the less visited region of the park where the dragons congregate on a beach. Take the RIB for a closer view and photos. The large coral-encrusted boulders in the bay attract some of the largest reef fishes in the park for amazing snorkelling with potato cod, malabar grouper and red snappers.
Day 6 | The tiny secluded island of Pulau Muang is blissfully remote and boasts pristine beaches, ideal for exploring with the RIB and water sports.
Day 7 | After an early nature hike to spot dragons in the nature reserve on Rinca Island with a local ranger, cruise to Tatawa Besar for snorkelling and, wind permitting, a final the sail to reflect on the week’s activities. Soak in the breathtaking sunset with Sangean volcano in the background.
Day 8 | Arrive back in Labuan Bajo harbour in the morning, enjoy a leisurely lunch, and prepare for final departure, with farewells and airport transfer.
Toccata Studios, photograph from the ‘Space Age: The Phantom Power’ performance, 2018. Image courtesy Toccata Studios.
More often than not, intriguing and sometimes complicated cross-disciplinary practices are driven by art collectives made up of individuals with varied skills. The art world seems to continually question and redefine itself through cross-disciplinary practices, and art is increasingly used to illustrate and express the content of other disciplines. It is common to see art used to give visual form to an electronic music composition or illustrate a science project. However, it takes great art producers, in the form of collectives, to demonstrate the value of art in the active development of other disciplines and produce works that question the conventional in concept, creation and practice.
Vertical Submarine, an independent art collective from Singapore, is known for their playful installations and works. Their recent project took the form of a maze that dogs could explore by following their owners’ voices through speakers, and a smaller one for cats that chased remote-controlled mechanical mice. In addition to eight other pet-friendly installations, the works were part of the exhibition, ‘PAW-sitive: Interactive Art for Pets’ held at the School of the Arts Gallery in October 2017. This innovative project led by Silversky Ltd involved collaborations involving artmakers, animal behaviourists and veterinarians. Art is not used to merely make the maze look fanciful, but rather, design an interactive space for pets and their owners to experience.
Toccata Studios, photograph from the ‘Space Age: The Phantom Power’ performance, 2018. Image courtesy Toccata Studios.
Malaysia-based group Toccata Studio has worked across theatre, dance, art, light and music. One project is ‘2020: Futurists’ Diaries’, an experimental performance where scientists, artists and clones explored the concepts of time and space. Dancers interacted with light installations, and a live painting took centrestage. Another is ‘Space Age: The Phantom Power’, a contemporary classical performance featuring five musical instruments. In the words of founder Tan E-Jan, their practice is “cross-disciplinary not only within all art forms but outside of them as well.”
Image of INTERMISSION Exhibit. Image courtesy INTERMISSION.
Singapore-based art collective INTER-MISSION reflects a growing number of artists collaborating across different disciplines. Their collaborative works span across video art, audiovisual, performance, installation and interactive art. With a focus on research, INTER-MISSION believes cross-disciplinary art practices provide a platform to uncover new or unknown methods of working, and to tap into a collective pool of knowledge and skills. Urich Lau, a member of the collective notes that “artmaking is never a lone effort” and that “it’s definitely a form of co-existence”. Their involvement in the Interdisciplinary Art Festival Tokyo and the OSMOSIS – Audiovisual Media Festival (Taiwan) has contributed to awareness and dialogue about cross-disciplinary art practices and approaches in Singapore, Japan and Taiwan.
Ace Mart, a 24-hour minimart that sold artworks alongside items regularly found in convenience stores was a conceptual work conceived by Ace House Collective. The Yogyakarta-based art collective has collaborated with institutions, restaurants and independent practitioners to produce conceptual projects inspired by youth-pop culture. The collective aims to interact with the community where its gallery is located, including taxi drivers and construction workers, through blurring the space between the gallery and its surrounding environment. The transformed gallery space resembling a provisional shop represents conceptual layers of artmaking while bringing new meanings to objects and spaces that were previously not associated with art.
This article was written by Daryl Goh for Art Republik 18.
Ch’ng Huck Theng, ‘Palawan’, 2014, bronze, 78 x 54cm. Image courtesy the artist.
Opening on 21 April at MOCA@Loewen (Museum Of Contemporary Art @ Loewen), ‘IMPerfect Creation’ is contemporary sculptor Ch’ng Huck Theng’s first solo exhibition in Singapore. High Commissioner of Malaysia to Singapore H.E Dato Zulkilfi Abnan will be Guest of Honour at the event.
On the fourth stop for Ch’ng’s international tour after Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur and Penang, the 18 bronze sculptures in ‘IMPerfect Creation’ each embody sentimental stories of the artist, expressing the philosophies inspired by his milieu.
Ch’ng Huck Theng, ‘Princess Liberty’, 2014, bronze, 75 x 27cm. Image courtesy the artist.
One of the themes introduced by Ch’ng includes the complementary concepts of beauty and ugliness. The artist believes beauty cannot be seen if one cannot see ugliness, and his bronze sculptures provide compelling satire for the public to reflect on their own preconceived notions of beauty.
Ch’ng Huck Theng, ‘The Guardian’, 2012, bronze, 60 x 45cm. Image courtesy the artist.
Ch’ng has won accolades such as the Asia Art Award in Korea and London International Creative Competition LICC shortlist award. His works have been collected by Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (ENSBA) in Paris, Singapore Art Museum, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Hong Kong University Museum & Gallery, Shanghai Art Museum and the National Visual Art Gallery Malaysia.
The Penang-born artist is also a businessman, publisher, philanthropist and founder of the business newtork CHTNetwork. He established the One East Museum & Art to display his growing collection of arts and antiques, as well as his own artwork.
Ch’ng continues to inspire through leadership positions in art organisations, currently serving as the youngest ever President for the Penang Art Society, President of Association of Tourism Attractions Penang (ATAP) and Penang Antique Collectors Association. Ch’ng broke records by being the youngest Member of the National Visual Art Gallery Malaysia Board of Trustees from 2009 to 2011, and was also appointed chief art curator to Australia by the government between 2013 and 2015.
More information at chngart.com and chngart.wordpress.com.
Lounge in ryokan-style bedding in a suite adorned with floor-to-ceiling shoji screens and rooms separated with opulent Kusuma sliding doors, hand-painted by renowned artist Ryo Shinagawa. Enjoy the impressive views of the mighty Arashiyama hills or take a stroll in a private traditional garden and take a bath in a secluded open-air cypress bathtub, enjoying the healing properties of the mineral-rich water cultivated from the Arashiyama hot springs.
