#PublicGarden Consumer Trade Show 2016 @ Suntec City Convention Center (Sept 24-25)
After a hearty Korean luncheon (to celebrate my brother’s birthday), we made our way to a “consumer fair” on the 4th level of Suntec City Convention Center, to discover that it was actually a PUBLIC GARDEN event - something we experienced (with mum and sister) at the National Museum a couple years back!
What I remembered about the indie produced artisanal products are showcase event has since morphed into something “larger scaled”, it seems;
"Public Garden is an alternative to big-box enterprise with a free spirit. Each project aims to provide surprising benefits to the public, in both tangible and intangible ways…
…Public Garden Consumer Trade Show is held a couple of times a year and features hundreds of top labels in design, art, fashion, vintage, beauty, dining and publishing. There is no restriction on industries. Anyone with an interesting brand concept can apply to join Public Garden Consumer Trade Show." (www.public-garden.com)
Saturday 2pm saw the hall packed to the rafters with attractive youngish-crowd (I’m pushing past mid-40s, so anyone below
Walking around wearing my spectacles for the first time (beyond wearing them only to watch films in the darkened cinema halls), I was bombarded with people and stuff to gawk at! A few caught my attention (mostly graphical reproductions of old school stuff - my era siah!) and a couple of spots I’d lay down cash for hahahaha
The art of illustrator Munich AKA Satsuma Orange (satsumaorange.squarespace.com / Etsy / Facebook) had me with her “family portrait” depictions of Studio Ghibli characters (BOUGHT!) and most notably characters from Wes Anderson movies! Excitedly I picked “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”, while others called out to me … alas it was only afters that I realised there was a smaller-sized card pack which contained ALL Wes Anderson movie characters AAARRRGGGHHHHHH … next time, next time…
Meanwhile, I’ve snagged some snaps off her Instagram @thesatsumaorange to share "Wes Anderson Film Characters" here on #popcornX and "Studio Ghibli Anime Film Characters" here on #iNotOtaku! :)
Another discovery were the products from MM Mrkt (www.facebook.com/MMmrkt), featuring Star Wars themed character, vehicular and android/robot reproductions in concrete! And while I am aware that this material is gaining traction through the globe (ok, at least the South East Asia region :p), this is the first time I see and hold the item(s) so close!
Barring the bigger pieces - because seriously I need to add to the already bludgeoning hoard in my kingdom - I walked away with a trio of head-sculpts, featuring Darth Vader, Boba Fett and a Stormtrooper, all finished in a metallic silver sheen, snaps of which I show here, although not being able to fully show the material.
You can folks can head on over to #starwarsallday to view more images swiped from their Instagram @mm_mrkt, and hit them up for goods if you so please! I would say “mention TOYSREVIL” but they might have zero clue, as I didn’t introduced myself hahahaha
Another table which caught my attention, where I’d not been able to walk home with any merch from, is Chris Chew’s. His printed illustrations of old school Singapore stuff was sublime, and I had my heart set on the “old school snacks” series - which alas he had not for sale then!
The current trend of retro-lookbacks is nigh interesting for me, not just because it is a “new” trend or “discovery of the past”, but because I lived it! So it is nice to see the “old days” made “new” again for the new generation (dammit I sound like THAT uncle telling stories around the TV during Chinese New Year visitations lor!).
Chris was gracious to pose for a pic, and I’ll be bugging him for his A4 sized print to upsize to A3! Meanwhile, you folks can check out his Instagram @artof.chris for more peeks at his works.
“Public Garden Consumer Trade Show” exhibits Saturday September 24th and ends Sunday September 25th (1PM - 7PM). Venue is Suntec City Convention Center Hall 403, Level 4. Find out more and sign up for their mailing list, via their Facebook and www.public-garden.com.
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