FIRST TAKE

This annual series of presentations on design showcases objects, products, interiors, landscapes and architecture. It aims to promote awareness of the excellence of local design; provide a platform for designers to interact with students, educators, practitioners and users; and share new design perspectives and solutions devised to meet the emerging and evolving needs of changing lifestyles. Dialogue with Poetry, Innovation & Ecology by Look Boon Gee. 20 Sep, 7:30-9pm at Filmgarde Iluma. Click here for tickets.

On Friday, 3 September, FICKLE GORILLA brings the very best in electronic music to the real party people. The Little India launch Party will see the old brick walls of the Post Museum crumble and shake under the explosive beats of DARKWING & RTYPE. Combining house, breaks, funk, disco and dubstep, the curious ying-yang symmetry of these two artists will be flicking all your switches and have you smashing up the dance floor as they tag-team their tunes throughout the night. For this special launch event - DARKWING will be teaming up with drummer & brother-in-alms HORATIUS for a first taste of DARKWING LIVE – An assault of the funkiest, creamiest, rocking dance music floor stompers, set to electronic percussive wizardry. Adding to the chaos are Niko dishing out wicked hip hop tunes and Submerge and Presha of Meshradio notoriety bring their breed of drum & bass and dubstep to our little music feast. As well as the music, FICKLE GORILLA will provide the last chance for Punters to take a look at pieces from Post Museum's most recent exhibit 'Shape Of My Heart', which features artworks reflecting what Singapore means to a selection of Singaporeans. Capacity for the event will be very limited so you will need to be early for this one. Free Flow Champagne and vodka 10pm-12am. Entry to the event is free.

The annual MFO Girl DJ Bootcamp is back for the 3rd time in 2010 at new venue, Zouk. Held every Saturday at 1pm – 7pm from 2 October to 16 October, the Bootcamp incubates aspiring girl DJs into the art of DJing. The Bootcamp costs $380 and is by application only, with a class size limited to 12. Featuring local luminaries, 2010’s lecture lineup includes: The Analog Girl, Ginette Chittick, Brendon P, Jean Reiki and Ko Flow among others. They, together with the Bootcamp’s organisers, Debbie Chia, Natalie Pixi[e]dub and Cherry Chan, will induct the participants into topics such as DJing formats, equipment knowledge, beat matching and DJing etiquette. Practical sessions ensure hands-on experience using equipment such as turntables, CDJs and Serato. This year also features the Bootcamp’s first international guest lecturer from Los Angeles, USA: TOKiMONSTA (Jennifer Lee). For more information, please email: debbiechia@gmail.com. To apply, please download the application form here and email to girldjbootcamp@gmail.com by 12 midnight, 22nd September 2010.

Get your portrait drawn in 20 mins at the OIC Portrait Day. 4 Sep, 2pm-7pm at MAAD.

In "Breathe Again", the artist Christina Chua continues to expand the boundaries of art-making with the use of thread to create marks. Her belief that simple stitches can form dots, then lines in continuous form, suggests suffocation, growth and extreme fragmentation. This act and use of such feminine material creates a density that disorientates vision and provokes a feeling of suspension, and enclosure: a holding of breath. Li...ke the growth of plants and flowers, Chua’s works appropriate abstract images to illustrate the transformation of the self.  3 - 22 September 2010. Gallery opens from daily (excluding Mondays and public holidays), 10am - 6pm. Venue: LASALLE TriSpace, B1-05.

One of the most sought after Noise Singapore programmes each year, The Apprenticeship Programme (TAP) has helped dozens of talented young artistes through the personal guidance and mentorship by some of Singapore’s biggest names in photography, design, music and illustration. Now, you too can undergo a 10-week personal mentorship under these luminaries, and gain a leg-up into the creative industries. Besides the amazing opportunity to learn first-hand from these industry veterans’ experiences, you’ll also get the rare chance to be a part of real-life industry projects, and even network with other prominent names in the industry. What’s more, Art & Design and Photography apprentices will have their TAP project showcased at the Noise Festival Showcase in Feb 2011, while Music apprentices will record one song professionally and perform on the big stage during Noise Singapore Concerts at the Esplanade and at other venues. Applications Deadline: 5 Sep 2010. Click here for a full list of mentors and application details.

By its very nature, skateboarding is a political act - despite a proliferation of purpose built skate-parks, the street still remains the most popular venue for many skaters. Public and private spaces are reclaimed and re-designated as skaters use banked walls, kerbs, steps, handrails and pavements as the backdrop for their uniquely raw art form. This oppositional approach was the inspiration for a series of illustrated boards created by the students from the Design Communication programme at LASALLE  in conjunction with some of the most exciting graphic artists and designers in Singapore. Adopting the language of graphic activism the designers involved have created works which aim to powerfully persuade visitors to reconsider their attitudes toward a range of contemporary issues. 26 August, 7pm at LASALLE, Earl Lu Gallery.