ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Rooted in the Greek arkhē, “beginning, origin, first place”, the etymology of the word “archive” hints at its generative potential, not just as a repository of things used and forgotten, but as a dynamic process of contestation and dialogue where objects, media, and voices jostle for primacy. 

Reflecting on the Asian Film Archive’s role in the collection, preservation, and exhibition of the moving image over the past 20 years, Matter Matters approaches the archive through an archaeological lens where material remnants are gathered and cared for, offering varied interpretations of what could have been.

Much as an archaeologist gathers the missing pieces, seeking to reconstitute bygone ways of life, so too do the exhibiting artists reconstruct lost film cultures via the archive. Through three artworks and one film programme that speculate on lost cinemas, Matter Matters uncovers fragmented memories and repressed histories. Multi-layered sites of material culture are revived through the third space of memory, which erupts somewhere between the past and the present. 

Working in the lacunae of the archive, the artists challenge monolithic narratives, bringing to light alternative voices, be they feminist, leftist, or decolonial. Matter Matters is a celebration of the archive as a living seedbed of material culture, a place where we make meaning of untold stories, unruly objects and practices, and of unexpected, persistent patterns of kinship among people and things that matter.

The exhibition runs from 31 October 2025 to 31 January 2026 at Oldham Theatre. Entry is free. 

There will be a film programme in April 2026 at Oldham Theatre with Forum Lenteng, a Jakarta-based non-profit cultural collective. 

Exhibiting Artists: Elsa Wong, Đạt Vũ & Trương Quế Chi, The Observatory & DuckUnit, Forum Lenteng

Interview deep dive with Elsa Wong

Interview deep dive with Đạt Vũ & Trương Quế Chi

Interview deep dive with The Observatory & DuckUnit

About the Artworks

A Secret Portrait of Wan Hoi-Ling by Elsa Wong

A sensuous, semi-fictional film installation that reconstructs the obscured life of Wan Hoi-Ling, who many have regarded as Singapore’s first female filmmaker. She co-directed Mutiara (1940), the first Singapore-Made Malay Talkie and made films focussed on nationhood. Working across Hong Kong and Singapore, she was imprisoned during the Japanese Occupation. Yet, her legacy has largely been buried—until now.

Membrane by The Observatory and DuckUnit

Local experimental band The Observatory works with Thai artists Duckunit to push frontiers of sonic and audiovisual experiences through this newly commissioned Virtual Reality (VR) and surround sound work. It draws connections between ancient Southeast Asian cave art and the earliest impulses toward cinema. The work speculates on a shared sensorial language of storytelling—etched in stone, flickering in firelight.

To experience this work, please book a time/date slot via the Eventbrite link here. The work is free but we require registration as a staff member will be on hand to supervise the work.

*Please note that this VR work takes place in an enclosed space and has flashing lights and loud sounds.

Dawn of Love by Đạt Vũ and Trương Quế Chi

A poetic multimedia memorial to an unfinished 1998 Vietnamese film. Through sculptures, props, illustration and sound, the installation resurrects a love story fractured by war—inviting viewers into a buried cinematic history.

Reading Corner by Forum Lenteng

A preview of the Jakarta-based collective’s upcoming film programme at Oldham Theatre in 2026, featuring archival materials, research, and artefacts that underpin their approach to ancient visual cultures in Southeast Asia.

Acknowledgments

Curator and Programmer
Natalie Khoo 

Curatorial and Programming Support
Alexander Lee
Renee Ng

Exhibition Design and Management
Pixie Tan
Terence Lau

Graphic Design
Gwendolyn Say

Spatial Design
Amirul Nazree

Fabrication Partner
GreenQubes Pte Ltd

Marketing Coordinator
Natalie Ng 

Writer
Sheryl Gwee

Special Thanks
Abigail Liew
Mok Cui Yin
Hsu Fang-Tze
Karen Chan
Low Koon Yen
Russ Hoe