Singapore Welcomes Back POP TOY SHOW with Exciting "Dimoo In the Garden City"

Hi Huneybees,

After the overwhelming success of the inaugural POP TOY SHOW (PTS) in Singapore last September, global sensation POP MART is excited to announce the return of this highly anticipated event. The 2nd edition will be held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Level 1 - Halls A, B, and C, from 23 to 25 August 2024.

This year’s headliner is Dimoo, a top fan favorite from POP MART. Themed “Dimoo in the Garden City”,  the 2024 show promises a larger and more exciting lineup of international, regional, and local artists, participating brands, and exclusive collectible art toys for fans and collectors.

“I am really happy to be able to return to Singapore for the second PTS, and I definitely look forward to meeting Dimoo fans from around the world” --- Ayan Deng, artist of Dimoo. 

This time, fans who could not get enough of the curious boy with a baby cloud on his head, can expect more than four (4) PTS-exclusive Dimoo drops, and snap photos at Dimoo’s booth that features a life-sized sculpture.

Lang, the artist behind Hirono and Head of the POP Design Center (PDC), is another fan favorite confirmed for this year's show. Joining Lang are two young artists from PDC, Xue Chen, the creator of Sweet Bean, and Yumi, the artist behind Pino Jelly. Both will be making their debut appearance in Singapore to meet their fans. This year, PDC will have its own standalone booth showcasing its staple Intellectual Property (IP), with several first launches and Singapore-exclusive toys.

"From custom skateboards and sneakers to streetwear, fans can expect many new and fresh collections debuting at PTS Singapore. I hope they enjoy what they see." --- Quiccs

Additionally, Quiccs, a renowned artist from the Philippines, is preparing to showcase his latest works at PTS Singapore. Known for his street art and the character TEQ63, Quiccs has collaborated with many notable brands, including Adidas and Jollibee. 

The exhibition will feature over 50 different artists, toy designers, and international toy brands during the three-day extravaganza. Highlights include exclusive meet and greet sessions with renowned POP MART artists, the unveiling of exclusive merchandise, and captivating live drawing sessions by a myriad of talented artists.

“Since the last PTS in Singapore, POP MART has continued to expand our footprints globally with many new stores opening in Thailand, Vietnam, Europe and US. We believe PTS Singapore will be a good meeting point for all our loyal and new fans to meet and interact, not only within the community, also with the artists, brands and collaborators” --- Justin Moon, President of POP MART International.

Tickets for the show are currently available through Ticketmaster. Purchase them via bit.ly/pts2024ticket. Options include 1-Day, 3-Day, Group (4 pax) 1-Day, and Premium 3-Day tickets, starting from $28 for early bird tickets. Stay tuned to PTS's website and social media pages for more updates.

Don't miss out on this epic event where art, culture, and community collide! Come on over to Marina Bay Sands for a weekend full of amazing art, awesome activities, and loads of fun. Let’s make some unforgettable memories!

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CO PLAY - A New Creative Hub For Local Artists and Toy Collectors

Hi Huneybees,

There's a new playground in town for local and international artists and their fans. If you are an avid pop culture art collector like me and hubby, you are definitely in for a treat! Come on down to CO PLAY in Plaza Singapura, a first-of-its-kind communal habitat that's decked with an extensive collection of designer art and collectibles of various mediums.

It's an amazing space where artists can gain exposure and interact with their fans, bringing vibrancy to the local art scene. Just right above the Pop Mart, you can find this creative space and keep a close tab on their social media as there will always be workshops as well as artist interaction.

Connecting Collectors & Public with Artists

To foster a community to drive local indie art development, CO PLAY has assembled a diverse cast of artists to showcase Singapore's rich artistic tapestry. You can find 6 local artists-in-residence - Eric Chew (@sapientoystudio), Jeremy Tanavit (@Tanavit23), Lester Lim (@lesdoublewood), Rex Le (@my_spacecats), Toby Tan (@tobyato) and Yang (@yang_ovo), with their very own open studio booths. Popping by at different times, you can find them working on their latest projects. I like to explore the space, enjoy the artworks and chat with them on the concepts behind their works...

Eric Chew (@sapientoystudio)

Founded in 2020 by Eric, Sapien Toy Studio has gained a cult fanbase of his iconic Chewthulhu character, an artist's take on the mighty cosmic entity Cthulhu. He has released over 10 colour variants worldwide and is welcoming more sapien monsters into the lineup. He will be launching new characters including Elo and Kora-Kora at CO PLAY!

Jeremy Tanavit (@Tanavit23)

Created in Singapore but raised on a tasty diet of Thai values, Jeremy aka JEM is best known for his creation, the mischievous JEM - a playful tiger character that's always on the prowl for something fun to do, poking his head around corners and turning the streets into his playground, juxtaposing the fierce and the cute. Check out different variations of JEM and his companion Pitohui, that's actually inspired by a poisonous bird! 

Lester Lim (@lesdoublewood)

Lester a well-established name in the local creative industry, making splashes in the local art scene with his bold outlined Jelilo character. Inspired by the beauty and unique flair of jellyfish, Jelilo is the artist's charming rendition of the ocean's quiet residents, showcasing a soft-bodied creature with a retro-futurism style and a strong message of anti-bullying.

Rex Lee (@my_spacecats)

With just a marker pen, Rex has won the popular appeal of transforming works through the use of stippling. His 2D-styled booth makes an amazing space for photos, walk into it and discover his intricate works featuring his signature Space Cat character. 

You have got to check out his customized Molly and Bearbrick, zoom in on all the details to see all his fine work...

Toby Tan (@tobyato)

A name that has been tied to street culture, Tobyato's bold, striking artworks are inspired by Chinese motifs and playful influences that reflect both his own heritage and personality. The urban visual artist has already worked with multiple brands such as UNIQLO, G-SHOCK, Shake Shack, Levi's, etc. His 'dumpling shop' at CO PLAY showcases his urban art creations into morsels of bite-sized art for everyday consumption!

Yang (@yang_ovo)

Pop into this fairycore-inspired space of Yang, where you can find her signature OOJA in various customized looks. Being a cancer fighter, OOJA was birthed as a whimsical concept of a brave little girl who wants to positively impact the world through an exploration of health and food, hence the Campbell soup body for the character. There's a custom OOJA contest going on, check out the details on her insta.

With the mandate to support the development of the local arts scene through growing artists and creatives, CO PLAY has also attracted support from organizations sharing the same objectives. This year, UNIQLO Singapore is partnering CO PLAY to encourage shoppers to support local arts and cultural communities #WithUT over two weekends at the Orchard Central Global Flagship Store. To launch this partnership, CO PLAY’s artists-in-residences created a new UTme! collection – Playful Memories, and will also be creating live art sessions for shoppers at UNIQLO Orchard Central to be part of these activities.

By Taketo Kobayashi (@humanoise)

Bringing Art to Life Through Exploration & Collaborations

Beyond the open studios by local artists-in-residences, CO PLAY is also the enabling platform for new creative talents exploring the world of designer art toys, and for established artists to dive deeper into the world of Intellectual Property creation.

There is painter Angelina Lim (@ellalinaart) who has recently started creating custom art toys as well as conducting live art sessions within CO PLAY; visual artist wunderkind Sam Lo (@skl0), best known for his large-scale vibrant murals all over the island, has also painted a wall mural at CO PLAY, and will be showcasing his urban artworks as well as launching his art toy series at this space.

To further tap into a diverse pool of visual and urban artists who are keen to explore creating their own designer art-toys, CO PLAY has also partnered with artist Taketo Kobayashi (@humanoise) to launch an initiative Proto Toyz, a visionary project to create bespoke artworks and collectibles in limited runs for renowned local artists including Adeline Tan (@yell0w), ANTZ (@antz_rscls), Boon Baked (@boonbaked), Chris Chai (@cosmicchai), Farizwan Fajari (@speakcryptic), Kit (@kitctrlaltdelyou), Race Krehel (@supercybertown), Williem Siddik (@siddwills), ZERO (@zero_x_rscls_o) and more.

Andre Tan (@andretanart)

Other partners include Wasuka Art (@wasuka.art) to feature talented pop artists from Singapore including Andre Tan (@andretanart) whose popular works focus on the impact of popular brands and contemporary cultural icons delivered through vivid colours and witty humour, Kin (@kin80) who is known for his colourful world of wonderful characters amidst surreal landscapes in local context, as well as Emily Moh (@em_ceramic_art) best known for her whimsical pop art creations in ceramics. Beyond the local talents, there are also key works from international artists such as Piao Cheng Long (@piao_chenglong_art) from China and Buakow Phasom (@buakowphasom) from Thailand. With their distinct styles and unique perspectives, these artists bring a diverse range of pop art to CO PLAY, each reflecting their individual personalities and the different cultures that they are influenced by.

CO PLAY also hosts overseas artists including Benzilla (@benzilla ) from Thailand, Distort Monsters (@distortmonsters) from the Philippines, as well as Daytoner (@day_toner) from Canadian studio Purearts (@pureartsofficial). These exchanges have further fostered collaboration opportunities with local artists. Through this space, Benzilla collaborated with COPLAY artist-in-residence Jeremy Tanavit to launch a new designer art-toy ‘BIRDZILLA’, a combination of Tanavit’s Pitohui character with Benzilla’s signature ‘LOOOK’ design.

Created my own ceramic piece with Emily Moh.

Creating The Collectors’ Playground

Remember those days when weekend toy flea markets were the big thing? Shopping for limited edition or rare finds was the biggest accomplishment and to bring back that nostalgic feeling, CO PLAY has an on-site collectors’ bazaar corner.  Collectors will set up stalls in the space every Saturday between 4pm to 8pm to sell both pre-loved and mint vintage toys, designer figures, and rare collectibles.

Beyond the collectors’ bazaar, there will also be workshops conducted by artists, ranging from illustraton and painting to pottery, where you can look forward to getting your creative juices flowing and producing your very own art pieces under the guidance of the artists including Rex Lee, Angelina Lim and Emily Moh!

Truly the melting pot for artists and collectors to connect and interact, CO PLAY inspires new creative journeys into the world of designer art collectibles and artworks. Other than inspiring artists to collaborate and engage, this concept space enables both artists and the public alike to bring their imaginations to life as artworks and collectibles and is the creative platform to represent Singapore’s developing pop culture and arts scene to the rest of the world. Come pop by and see you at CO PLAY!

CO PLAY

Plaza Singapura, #03-67 to 69, 68 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238839
Opening Hours: 11am-9.30pm daily
https://www.instagram.com/coplaysg/

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5 Reasons To Check Out "Christmas On A Great Street" On Orchard Road

Hi Huneybees,

Christmas on A Great Street Opening Ceremony, officiated by Her Excellency President Halimah Yacob

Christmas is just around the corner and the annual Christmas Light Up on Orchard Road - “Christmas on A Great Street” happened last week. Themed as "Endless Wonder" this year, Orchard Road (2.88 km stretching from Tanglin Mall shopping centre to Plaza Singapura) is transformed into an enthralling world of light-reflective tunnels, illusive galaxy and a magical forest of trees draped with myriads of lighting threads.

Everyone's invited and escape into this enchanting world of colours carefully curated for an immersive dreamlike experience, enhanced by a shimmering web of lights, interactive streetside installations and a dazzling array of festive ornaments.

1) Street Light Decor

For the first time, sub-arches are created, in addition to the Main Arch.  The Main Arch standing at 16 metres tall, is also the highest arch in the history of Christmas street lights décor. 

All the sub archs are designed to be snap-worthy, there are 5 of them to be spotted along Orchard Road - Walk of Wonder, a 20-metre long passage made of reflective fabric and fairy lights, which will be placed outside Forum the Shopping Mall, as well as The Tree of Time, a 4.5m-tall free-flowing "tree" with a Christmas countdown clock, inspired by a dancer. 

2) UNIQLO Music In The Air 

Period: Sat 11 Nov – Mon 25 Dec 2017 

Where: From ION Orchard - Ngee Ann City 

Time: 10am – 10pm daily 

There will be 18 outdoor speakers piping Christmas carols daily and Music In The Air will have “Live” DJ giving real-time promotion updates and in addition, song dedications are available on weekends. 

Artist's Impression of  SK-II and Haagen Dazs 2 duplex pop-up stores

3) Pop-up Stores Along Orchard Road 

Where: Located along Orchard Road between ION Orchard and Mandarin Gallery. 

Period: Early November – 31 December 2017  

Along the stretch of Orchard Road, there will be pop up stores for your shopping delights. In front of Mandarin Gallery, you will find the 2 duplex pop-up stores by SK-II and Haagen Dazs with interactive art installations at SK-II and Mochi Crunch Workshop at Haagen Dazs. 

Artist's Impression of House of Shop 

At Ngee Ann City and ION Orchard, you can also find other pop up brands like Casio, Tiffany & Co. Fragrances, 75cl, Supermama, The 1873 Clipper Tea Co., Volo Leather goods, Ripcurl, iJozz, and the debut of new future-ready retail pop-up called House of Shop! 

Artist's Impression of Christmas Village at Ngee Ann City 

4)  Endless Wonder Christmas Village 

Venue: Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza  

Period: Sat 25 Nov – Mon 25 Dec 2017 

The European-inspired Christmas village will feature a double-decker carousel, as well as Hitachi Santa House, with stores by more than 25 brands - including Starbucks, Toast Box and PAUL. 

Come on by Christmas Eve and sing along to Christmas classics with an array of local bands performing at the village from 8pm, ahead of a pyrotechnics show at midnight. 

5) Christmas Rewards with Mastercard®

Period: Sat 11 Nov 2017 – Mon 1 Jan 2018

Charge a minimum of S$300 nett to your Mastercard at the 10 participating malls on Orchard Road to redeem S$30 worth of shopping vouchers! 

*Limited to the first 200 Mastercard cardholders per week per mall from Sat 11 Nov – Fri 24 Nov 2017.

*Vouchers will be issued on a while-stocks-last basis from Sat 25 Nov 2017 – Mon 1 Jan 2018.

10 Participating Malls:

1. 313@somerset

2. Forum The Shopping Mall

3. Mandarin Gallery

4. Orchard Central

5. orchardgateway

6. Paragon

7. Scotts Square

8. Takashimaya Shopping Centre/Ngee Ann City

9. The Centrepoint

10. Wisma Atria

Below is the map of where the attractions are. Click on pic to zoom in.

Have fun celebrating Christmas on Orchard Road and do vote for your favourite Best Dressed Building! Taking place from Nov 17 to Dec 3, buildings along Orchard Road will be competing for 10 awards and you can vote for your favourite building at this website. 

All Image Credits: Orchard Road Business Association

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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Celebrate The Force With Star Wars Fans This Weekend !!!

Hi Huneybees,

I'm still shivering with happiness and excitement! Were you at Suntec City for the Celebrate The Force event? I travelled to "space" and was spending the whole day with Stormtroopers, Darth Vadar, Imperial Guards and Qui Gon Jin, etc. This is the day where The Force unite the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire, together with their fans, celebrating the day this great sci-fi legend!

All the Star Wars characters were out fully decked in their suits. All thanks to the great members of the 501^st Legion & Rebel Legion, I was able to fulfill my dream of standing right next to all these Jedi Masters! There's even a special photo booth, where you can get a photo op with them as well, don't forget to do a little donation for charity too!

For those heading down today, don't forget to check out the FightSaber Performance and Workshop and the special Star Wars Kids Fashion Parade.

Not only can you catch stage performance by the FightSaber crew (Southeast Asia’s premiere LightSaber fight choreography team), kids will even get the chance to learn LightSaber fighting skills from the FightSaber crew, or participate in kids Star Wars themed costumes contest and fashion parade. Best dressed stands to win exclusive prizes!

My favourite is still the special art activities going on at the event. I managed to get my caricature drawn by Jashorn Lee. He gets a little tired out though, so please be patient and handle him with care. Hehehehe... 

The Band of Doodlers were also there to showcase their reknowned 'white space bandits' work in progress. This is what I have caught so far yesterday, can't wait to see the final piece later today! You can also bring home a piece of sketch, own specially designed mini canvas and Stormtrooper helmets by making a donation!

Don't forget to check out the fans’ collectibles! You can purchase these items and 10%  of the takings from the sale of these collectibles will be donated to charity. But if you fancy something from their new collections, there's definitely something for every fan!

You can also take a break and learn a new game at the X-Wing Games Demo. Pick up those new Jedi skills and participate in a game or two ~~~  There are prizes waiting to be won!

And before you go, be sure to indulge in the photo exhibition, especially for those in love with Toys Photography, this is not to be missed. There's some creative and adorable moments captured, you would want to be part of the photos too! 

Fun right?!

Come down early, you MUST! --- Yoda

All proceeds from the various activities at the event will go towards Make a Wish Foundation Singapore. So, put down your blasters for a minute, join the other fans and drop by Suntec City, East Atrium this weekend to Celebrate the Force - admission is free! More details on the official Facebook event page. 

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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