My tiny space
Rachel S.Y. Chen (Singapore)
Interactive Installation (Free)
Opening Dates & Hours:
22 Aug to 6 Sep
Mon Closed
Tue - Sun 7.30pm to 11pm
Venue: Arts Resource Hub (Rehearsal Studio, Level 1), 42 Waterloo Street, S187951
Co-presented by The Listening Biennial, and ART:DIS (Art & Disability) Singapore, a highlight of The Singapore Night Festival
Can people who come from different places share the same room? What if connection doesn't require sameness, but the courage to attune to unfamiliar rhythms? My tiny space is an immersive, interactive installation that invites participants into a shared, intimate space where difference is felt, heard, and held. At the heart of the installation is the Magical Musical Mat (MMM), an interactive environment that transforms interpersonal touch into music. When two people touch the mats and establish skin-to-skin contact with each other, soundscapes emerge and shift, composed live through embodied gestures. Developed in collaboration with the non-speaking autistic community, the MMM reimagines communication through new sensory practices.
Featuring genre-crossing compositions by local artists Wheelsmith and Sky Shen, the installation offers a “third listening” in a space where bodies can meet through music, movement, and shared presence. Participants are invited not to perform or solve difference, but to stay with it with intention. Will people and sounds collide or disrupt? Or will new ways of being emerge? My tiny space is a room where new kinds of attunement — sensory, emotional, relational — can emerge.
DJ stims at My tiny space (Artist Interaction):
Sat, 23 Aug, 8.30 PM - 9.30 PM
Arts Resource Hub (Rehearsal Studio, Level 1), 42 Waterloo Street, S187951
(Free with registration)
Meet the artist Rachel S.Y. Chen, Wheelsmith and Sky Shen at the My tiny space installation and and connect with other attendees via music, touch and movement.
Accessibility Notes:
- Relaxed area available on Level 1 inner courtyard.
- Please note that this ticket does not guarantee you a spot at the installation. Gallery staff will admit guests on a first-come, first-served basis. Kindly wait for your turn.
About the Artists:
Rachel S.Y. Chen (Singapore)
Artist
At the core of Rachel S. Y. Chen's work is a deep inquiry into human connection: the sharing of presence with others in ways that are authentic, embodied, and inclusive. Through art, design, and research, their practice is grounded in the belief that intimate connection does not require sameness, speech, or convention. Instead, true connection thrives in spaces where difference is welcomed, and where people listen deeply. Through sound, movement, and improvisation, Rachel creates environments where people can meet one another beyond words. Drawing from their research on the social lives of the neurodivergent community, as well as their love for sonic improvisation, Rachel designs environments that offer gentle invitations to explore intimacy, play, and co-creation. In these spaces, sound and movement become playgrounds for collective improvisation. Rachel believes that even the most divergent worlds can find harmony. Their work invites people to step beyond the familiar, to listen closely, and to co-create new ways of belonging.
Wheelsmith (Singapore)
Artist
Wheelsmith is a rapper, performer, and self-taught music producer who explores the blend of sound, emotion, and visual performance. He has performed at notable events like SG Art Week, Singapore Biennale, and True Colors Festival in Tokyo. As president of the Wheelchair Rugby Association of Singapore, he is a dedicated athlete with aspirations to represent Singapore internationally. His work, both in music and sports, emphasizes inclusivity and empowerment. With ambitions to expand his influence globally, Wheelsmith remains a role model for resilience and creativity, contributing to the cultural landscape both locally and internationally.
Sky Shen (Singapore)
Artist
For singer-songwriter Sky Shen, music is a medium for communication. He believes that songs help to create an emotional connection with listeners so they can understand and live the stories that they tell. His debut EP, "Wheel You Love Me?" shares his lived experiences as a person with muscular dystrophy and explores the intersection between disability and the universal human experience of romantic love. In 2024, he composed and performed the national theme song for the Singapore Paralympics Team, "March On". Currently, he is working on two EPs - one entitled "The Little Critters" which encourages mental wellness, and another called "I've Gone Crazy", that encourages meaningful living beyond societal expectations.
