In Stagecraft: Landscaped Grounds, Hilmi Johandi collages and re-interprets travel advertisements depicting early 20th century British Malaya. Set in the open landscape near what was once a critical transport passage, this installation uses methods of stagecraft, or theatrical set design, to connect the colonial origins of the railway with the migratory movements it once facilitated and the collective memories that it conjures.

Billboard-sized printouts of lithography printed shapes and forms drawn from early advertising posters of the Federated Malay States Railways (1901–1948) are collaged and arranged across the landscape. As visitors move through the entrance of Wessex Estate from the Rail Corridor, they encounter an immersive tableau. Through his act of extracting and recompositing elements from early tourism advertisements, Hilmi creates a confrontation with a familiar yet unexpected space.

Venue: Wessex Estate
via Rail Corridor access at 55A Commonwealth Drive

When: 29 Apr 2023 - 9 Mar 2025,

By: Singapore Art Museum (SAM)