After a two-year hiatus, the Singapore Biennale is back with a vengeance. Not only are the venues better (mostly centered around the Bras Basah vicinity for easier accessibility), the curation itself is tighter than ever, with more installation-based and interactive works. Here are five of our faves.

A Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the World by Zhao Renhui
Local artist Zhao Renhui’s fascination with zoology is well-evidenced in this installation of a miscellany of photographs and objects including man-made frogs and even square-shaped apples.
The Peranakan Museum.

Crystal Palace: The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nuclear Nations by Ken and Julie Yonetani
As a response to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station incident in Japan, the husband and wife duo created a majestic work comprising 31 chandeliers fitted with uranium glasses which illuminate a haunting green tinge.
National Museum of Singapore.

Road to Nirvana by Po Po
This site-specific work covers 1,000 sq. m. of Fort Canning Park, comprising plastic strings, brass bells and iron bars wrapped around various trees, creating a catacomb-like imagery that is at once dreamy and creepy.
Singapore Art Museum.

Sorry for the Inconvenience by Manny Montelibano
A biting political commentary, this. The young Filipino artist through his subversive multi-channel work features a myriad range of public figures like Mao Zedong interspersed with everyday figures like local priests making public apologies—investigating the context of why these apologies were made.
Singapore Art Museum.

Specula by Nguyen Oanh Phi Phi
This installation made from Vietnamese lacquer on epoxy and fibreglass composite covers a whole room. The majesty of the piece is achieved through its spacious layout with cleverly placed mirrors which force visitors to examine themselves as they walk through it.
Singapore Art Museum.

All exhibitions at The Singapore Biennale are on Oct 26-Feb 16, 2014. Various venues, www.singaporebiennale.org. $10.

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