“Sensitive and nuanced, this piece is almost like a Judith Butler essay, popping at the seams with its investigation of gender and the way it is performed, mimed, mocked and torn apart basically.” Tags: LGBT M1 Singapore Fringe Festival Tan Liting
Judith Butchler – Review of Tan Liting’s “Pretty Butch” at M1 Fringe Read More »
… anyone who gained the respect and friendship of the late Benedict Anderson, author of the immensely important critique of nationalism “Imagined Communities,” is entitled to as much cake as they want. The creative invention and emotional candor of Weerasethakul’s exhibition “Ghosts in the Darkness” at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum sucker-punched me after my
The special effect of Apichatpong Weerasethakul Read More »
Tags: The Nation World Film Festival of Bangkok
The Nation’s preview of World Film Festival of Bangkok (Jan 23 – Feb 1) Read More »
2016 was a busy year for theatregoers in Japan, and an especially fruitful one for those with an interest in Malaysia. The Kyoto Experiment 2016 (22 Oct – 13 Nov) featured the documentary theatre work, Baling by Mark Teh as its festival opening piece. It was produced by Five Arts Centre, one of Malaysia’s most
Faith in Tokyo: A review of ‘Nadirah’ and ‘Family’ Read More »
By Akanksha Raja (1800 words, 15-minute read) Continuing our look back on regional arts events in 2016, we consider what the buzz was on the main writers’ festivals held in Southeast Asia. Georgetown Literary Festival: 25 – 17 November 2016 The theme for this sixth edition of GTLF is the Welsh word “Hiraeth”, translating into
Writing the Region: SEA Literary Festivals in 2016 Read More »
Datang Untuk Kembali (Arriving to Return), 13 Jan, 6:30 PM The performance starts at The Exhibition Hall, Block 43 Malan Road. Part of CITIES FOR PEOPLE NTU CCA Ideas Fest 2016-2017, it is a collaboration between artist duo indieguerillas, fashion designer Lulu Lutfi Labibi, and music director Ari Wulu. The performance will move between different locations
9 – 15 January 2017: Singapore Read More »
By Satpal Kaler (630 words, 6 minute read) Back in university, my Botswanian friend told me that there is a high demand for executioners back in her country, because very few locals want to do the job. They see it as murder; even if it is done in the name of the law. Boo Junfeng’s
Learning the Ropes: A Review of ‘Apprentice’ Read More »
The mere mention of “Ballet Philippines” brings one’s thoughts to ballet dancers performing a world-class production at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). But amidst the awe of such flawless performances, often, one finds himself wondering how much time, discipline, artistry, and passion is entailed to come up with one successful show. Tags:
Beyond the Grand Plié: Ballet Philippines (via Murphy Report) Read More »
Meta’s Top Picks in Bali, Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta from 9 – 22 January BALI Way Up Project, 8 January – 11 February 2017, Cata Odata, Bali Cata Odata’s Street Art Collaboration continues with an exhibition featuring 20 street artists’ works. The term “Way Up” is used in the project to refer to
9 – 22 Jan 2017: Indonesia Read More »
Tags: Die Beautiful Metro Manila Film Festival
Die Beautiful Film Review Read More »
Meta’s Top Picks in Bandung, Yogayakarta, and Jakarta from 2 – 9 January Meta is a freelance arts administrator and a traveling yogi. She spent 16 years of her life as an art practitioner and the last few years as an arts administrator. Her first love in the arts is dance. She left her heart
2 – 9 Jan 2017: Indonesia Read More »
Duration: 45 minutes Theatre practitioner, manager, educator Noorlinah Mohamed joins podcast co-hosts Kathy Rowland and Matthew Lyon in a discussion about their favourite shows of 2016. Listen in to find out which productions and performances caught their attention and why. Stream Podcast 9: Download Podcast 9 here. (right-click and select ‘Save Link As’ on Windows;
Podcast 9: 2016 in Theatre Read More »
By Akanksha Raja (1200 words, 12-minute read) 2016 has seen a few biennales taking place in Southeast Asia. While we didn’t manage to attend each and every one of them, we’ve been reading all we could find about them. Here is a round-up of what we’ve come across. 1. Visayas Island Visual Artists Exhibition and Conference
An Atlas of Biennales: International Art Festivals in Asia Pacific 2016 Read More »
By Azzief Khali for The Wknd Indonesia tends to loom large in the Malaysian cultural imagination, and likely for good reason: the quality and quantity of cultural production coming out of Indonesia tends to dwarf what we can produce ourselves. This perceived gulf in quality and mentalities has been the topic of many a
Scattered Thoughts on Indonesian Music and Romanticism Read More »
By Wei Er Xun, Finalist, Best Essay by an Emerging Art Writer Competition* (2700 words, 30-minute read) Introduction The stakes of exhibitions have always been high. Before the advent of the cinema, television and other mass media, large-scale exhibitions and world expos were primary sites for cultural exchange. As Maria Lind explains in a text
Singapore Biennale 2016: A/political Performance – Atlas of Mirrors in Context Read More »
By Elaine Chiew, Finalist, Best Essay by an Emerging Art Writer Competition (2996 words, 30-minute read) Much of our ideas about maps today are reduced to their function: their ability to tell us where we are and how to get somewhere. However, maps as art inquire what a map is rather than what it does.
Singapore Biennale 2016: The Myth, the Mirror and the Map Read More »
By Eunice Lacaste, Finalist, The Best Essay by an Emerging Art Writer Competition* Introduction Entering the Singapore Art Museum[1] during the media preview of the Singapore Biennale 2016[2], we could barely disregard the museum staff installing wall text decals. Other artworks were still being shifted around. Some of the art viewers did not mind this.
Singapore Biennale 2016: The Performative Curator Read More »
Duration: 50 minutes Podcast co-hosts Kathy Rowland and Matt Lyon are joined by LASALLE School of Dance programme leader Melissa Quek, dance critic and educator Stephanie Burridge, and alumni of LASALLE’s School of Dance, Meta Setiawan, as they recap the past year in dance productions: their favourite shows of 2016, how Singapore audiences have received them, the
Podcast 8: 2016 in Dance Read More »
By Chan Sze-Wei (903 words, 5 minute read) Many things have been written about Mattie Do, the pioneering female film director from Laos. She’s put her country’s horror films on the world festival map. “She wears international laurels including the BFI London Film Festival and is an alumni of the Cannes Film Festival’s Les Cinemas du Monde
Mattie Do: Horror Film? It’s all Ballet. Read More »
RICHARD III 《理查三世》by The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat 22 – 25 Dec Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre In Mandarin with English and Mandarin surtitles, this rendition of Shakespeare’s historical classic about the ruthless and ambitious Richard III celebrates the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. It marks the concluding production of the Shakespeare 400
19 – 25 Dec: Malaysia Read More »
Mulan the Musical at Resorts World Sentosa Runs until 5 Feb 2017 In Mandarin with English surtitles, this rendition of the legend of Hua Mulan is a musical comedy from Taiwan that is quite different from the more popular Disney version. Features “Singapore-inspired” songs, local performers Pierre Png and Ann Kok, and Taiwanese vocalists Zhou Ding
19 – 25 Dec 2016: Singapore Read More »
Meta’s Top Picks in Yogyakarta, Jakarta and Bali from 19 – 25 December Meta is a freelance arts administrator and a traveling yogi. She spent 16 years of her life as an art practitioner and the last few years as an arts administrator. Her first love in the arts is dance. She left her heart
19 – 25 Dec 2016: Indonesia Read More »
Tags: Malaysian literature Speculative Fiction Zen Cho
Interview with Zen Cho, Malaysian speculative fiction novelist Read More »
By Đỗ Tường Linh for & Of Other Things Photographs by Nic Shonfeld A cramped maze lies between Khâm Thiên street and the Temple of Literature. Slim houses and makeshift shacks hosting all-you-could-possibly-need shops snuggle up to 1960s style apartment buildings in faded Hanoi yellow. One of these houses Hà Trí Hiếu’s studio.
In the Studio: Hà Trí Hiếu Read More »
By Akanksha Raja and Kathy Rowland (1010 words, 15-minute read) There was a distinct absence of PowerPoint presentations at the Asia Pacific Network for Cultural Education and Research (ANCER) 2016 Research Camp, held at LASALLE College of the Arts from 18 – 20 November 2016. The opening speaker, Antariksa, co-founder of KUNCI Cultural Studies Centre from Yogyakarta,
ANCER Research Camp 2016: Collective Creative Practices in Southeast Asia Read More »
