Below is a list of the top 10 ArtsEquator articles in 2021, in random order:
The Substation: How many more canaries in the coal mine? by Hoe Su Fern
Published on: 20 Feb 2021
“Although the current situation facing The Substation is not new or unique, its impending fate is emblematic of, and raises deep questions about the progressively precarious and capricious conditions of arts practice in Singapore.”
Also well-read: The Substation: An unstoppable force and an immovable object by Nabilah Said and a timeline of events by Ke Weiliang.
A Malaysian under lockdown reviews Singapore Art Week 2021 by Ellen Lee
Published on: 27 Jan 2021
“Looking through the 35-page programme booklet for the 9th edition of Singapore Art Week (SAW), I was fully struck by my Malaysian-ness. Never before have I gone through a brochure for any art event with so much content”
Pelesits And Where To Find Them: A conversation with NADA and Teater Ekamatra by ila
Published on: 25 Feb 2021
“I learnt the word “pelesit” at a very young age. When you see grasshoppers or crickets entering your house, the first thing my parents would say is “pelesit, pelesit”. You know, that strange assumption that somebody is trying to send something.”
Yale-NUS closure: Artistic legacies and loss in (de)liberation by Clara Che Wei Peh and Tee Zhuo
Published on: 6 Oct 2021
“Much has already been said about Yale-NUS as a liberal arts college, but only in broad terms, to show the value of such an institution in Singapore’s general higher education landscape. What about its value in Singapore’s arts and culture scene?”
Meeting Point 2021: The cultural worker in a time of social change by Wennie Yang
Published on: 7 Jun 2021
“In regions with little or no institutional support and when the arts are positioned in the peripherals of the hierarchy, artists and cultural workers persist to address the privilege disparity”
#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar – and how you can help by ArtsEquator
Published on: 23 Apr 2021
“Over the past few months, the Myanmar people have demonstrated an astonishing unity, resilience and creativity in the face of collective, unspeakable national trauma. Young Myanmar folks have been spearheading the campaign for solidarity with Myanmar on a global scale.”
Quiz: Which Singaporean writer are you? by Stephanie Chan
Published on: 3 Jul 2021
So You Wanna Be An Independent Art Curator in Singapore? by Syed Muhammad Hafiz
Published on: 21 Oct 2021
“I think it can be bewildering for those who are thinking of dipping their toe into the world of curating. The independent scene here in Singapore, with its promise of curatorial ‘freedom’, can even be disappointing.”
Brown Is Haram: Kristian-Marc James Paul and Mysara Aljaru reclaim their space by Nabilah Said
Published on: 12 Mar 2021
“The word “haram” is very strong. The moment you say something is haram, you can’t question it. But actually, what you deem as haram can be questioned.”
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Dikir Barat by Soultari Amin Farid
Published on: 13 Oct 2021
“Dikir Barat lyrics often use Malay pantun conventions, such as the four-line form that consists of the first two lines functioning as a figurative suggestion (pembayang) and the proceeding two lines which are direct statements revealing meaning (pemaksud). The lyrics produced usually incorporate commentary about recent events or social critique.”
Honourable mentions:
SEE WHAT SEE (Feb 2021): DESIRE by Joel Tan
The Commission: Why do these three meet again? by Eugene Tan
Can the arts solve community issues in the region? The SEA*5 think so. by Nabilah Said
The performing arts industry of Malaysia is drowning by Joe Hasham
Where are the Malays?: Locating the Singaporean Malay in Singa-Pura-Pura by Lily Jamaludin
Thank you for reading and supporting ArtsEquator. Here’s to a better 2022!