A Hundred Ways To Appetite
A Hundred Ways To Appetite
In celebration of Appetite’s fifth birthday, we’ve invited artists and creatives to respond to Appetite as a concept, a space, a mood, memory or emotion….in other words, A Hundred Ways To Appetite. The title of this exhibition is itself a riff off that of an artwork commissioned to mark Appetite’s first anniversary. A Hundred Ways To Say Appetite, created in 2021 by art research collective Comp-Syn in collaboration with animation director Pedro Brehm, encapsulated 100 words that reflect the very core of Appetite’s identity and existence. Four years later, we gather once again to celebrate everything that makes Appetite unique, from our interdisciplinary approach to our constant engagement across the arts – from the culinary to the performative to the visual.
Irfan Hendrian
Irfan Hendrian
Khoo Guo Jie
Liu Liling
Tiffany Loy
Dawn Ng
Natalie Sasi Organ
Cherine Wee
Open to public from 22 August – 29 November 2025.
For Gods Only
In the 2000s, when Schmid was living in Singapore, he chanced upon a Chinese street opera performance, and was captivated by this centuries-old art form. These performances are staged not for human audiences but for Gods and ghosts during religious festivities; as such, rows of chairs in front of the stage are often left empty as a mark of respect. Schmid started to follow the opera troupe around, and it took 3 years of perseverance and persuasion before the opera master could be convinced that the Gods were accepting of Schmid’s presence and his camera.
For Gods Only captures the opera performers on stage, as they get ready and prepare to slip into character, and in private moments of rest and solitude. These arresting black and white vignettes are each finished with a flourish of red calligraphic strokes that beautifully complete the composition of each image while also capturing the individuality and vitality of the calligrapher’s artistic expression, echoing the dedication and craft of the opera performer. In Schmid’s words, “I was always driven to capture moments that reflected as much as possible the mood and condition I was personally experiencing. In this instance, my senses were so deeply stirred that I knew what my photographs could portray was limited in its significance. I realized then that the void had to be filled with an equally powerful element and I found it through Chinese Calligraphy. The fusion opened up a new dimension to its essence and together, it became complete.”
The troupe’s last performance was on 11 February 2007. With its actors over 80 years old, the troupe has since disbanded. For Gods Only is a project under the patronage of UNESCO (Switzerland).
Blackstage
Schmid’s induction into the world of rock and roll began with a concert by British rock band Status Quo. He was fascinated by the fans’ ardour and unbridled headbanging, which reminded him of the tribes of West Papua whom he had photographed a few years earlier. Schmid’s colourful life experience and talent earned him the job of the band’s tour photographer, and between 1978 – 1984 he travelled the world with 257 bands as their photographer, working with legends such as ABBA, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, AC/DC and Queen. Blackstage is a series of arresting portraits of these rock stars captured in sharp focus against a pitch-black background, highlighting the intensity of their performance, charisma, and stage presence.
Hannes Schmid
Blackstage
Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones 1981
Fashion & Wildlife
Schmid’s work with music legends garnered interest from the fashion world, and he was soon creating arresting sets and memorable images for the likes of Vogue, Gucci, Prada and Armani. Presented in the exhibition are a selection of images where Schmid brought together fashion and wildlife to heighten awareness of endangered species and comment on our relationship with the natural world. Of these, Out Of Africa warrants mention: the dynamic and somewhat humorous image of an elephant pursuing a retinue of models and assistants was completely unplanned, spontaneously captured by Schmid during a shoot in the Masai Mara. The photograph attracted significant international press, and was recognised by Time Life Magazine as one of the best of the decade.
For a full dossier of available works, please contact siuli@appetitesg.com
Curated by:
Tan Siuli
With thanks to:
Hannes Schmid
Hillary Huang
