Nikoi Island and Cempedak Island present Look Closer, a mini-festival bringing their Ubah Rumah artist residency from the islands to Singapore.
Nikoi and Cempedak are private islands off the east coast of Bintan, Indonesia, known for barefoot luxury, conservation-led hospitality, and a strong connection to local culture, craft and community. Alongside hosting guests, both islands run long-term creative and environmental programmes that support the surrounding region.
One of these is Ubah Rumah, a purpose-built artist residency and studio space on Nikoi Island that welcomes visiting artists, writers and researchers to live and work on the island. The programme focuses on local culture, environmental awareness, and documenting the stories, traditions and biodiversity of the Riau Islands.
Look Closer is a half-day open festival that brings a small part of that residency programme to Singapore – part exhibition, part open house, and part hands-on workshop series.
Featuring an insect watercolour artist, a puppet-making duo from Yogyakarta, and a free walk-in exhibition, the morning invites guests to slow down, observe more carefully, and encounter the natural world differently.
The event runs as an open house. Pre-registered participants can join one of two workshops, while walk-in visitors are free to explore the exhibition, which features work by five artists, stories from the islands, and an introduction to the Ubah Rumah residency. A short self-guided audio tour, accessed via QR code at the entrance, takes visitors through five stations at their own pace.
Workshop 01: Insect Art & Watercolour with Wendy Zhang
9.00am to 11.00am
Observational drawing, insect storytelling, and painting your own “ultimate insect” inspired by Southeast Asian entomology.
Ages 10+
SGD 25
Workshop 02: The Soul of Scraps: Sustainable Rod Puppet Making with Flying Balloons Puppet
11.30am to 1.30pm
Build your own rod puppet from scratch using found and waste materials such as newspapers, scrap fabric, and tree branches.
All ages
SGD 25
All materials are provided. Guests are also welcome to bring along their own waste materials – old fabric, worn clothing, or scraps from home – to make their puppet more personal.
The exhibition and audio tour are free and open to all.
