“For every writer, once in a rare while, a book comes along and really shakes you up, where (instead of that height/ceiling metaphor) I’d like to say instead, the floor drops on which you thought the legs of fiction stood. Victor Fernando Ocampo’s The Infinite Library and Other Stories did that for me. The ideas that power […]
“They have been harassed, threatened, publicly scorned and surrounded by large, aggressive mobs. They have been held behind bars, and faced the wrath of furious governments. Yet, they appear not to have lost their moral compass, their passion, or their hearts. Their “crime”? Art. Despite government pressure, Malaysia’s Zunar and South Korea’s Hong Sung-dam continue
Satirical Art Will Not Be Silenced [SEA] Read More »
“A lasting impression one got from the exhibition “After Darkness: Southeast Asian Art in the Wake of History” at the Asia Society Museum in New York was the sense of art’s power to propel. Walking a tight rope between personal aesthetics and the repressive sociopolitical conditions of their countries, seven artists and a collaborative group—from
ArtAsiaPacific: After Darkness, Southeast Asian Art in the Wake of History [SEA, USA] Read More »
If you have any questions or need more information, email us: contact(at)artsequator.com Tags: Lyn Gardner Open Call
OPEN CALL: One-on-One Critique with Lyn Gardner Read More »
Between 21 April to 3 July this year, Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) in Berlin hosted Misfits: Pages from a Loose-Leaf Modernity, curated by David Teh. The exhibition featured three artists from Southeast Asia: Fillipino filmmaker Rox Lee, who sowed the seeds of a nascent experimental scene; Thai artist and poet Tang Chang, known
Art that Moves is an occasional series where we ask artists and other creative workers to reflect on artworks, performances or events that were personally important to them. Lim How Ngean (PhD) is a performance-maker, dramaturg and dance researcher. In recent years he has dramaturged dances for choreographers such as Daniel Kok, Joavien Ng, Kuik Swee
Art That Moves: Lim How Ngean Read More »
By Dan Koh (1,231 words, 6-minute read) At the inaugural Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab in Bangkok last week, some of us participants chatted about how close we live to each other regionally, but how far it actually feels, with opportunities to convene and collaborate like SEAFIC remaining far and few between. Curated by Tan
Three O.P.E.N. Southeast Asian Documentaries Read More »
By Alvin Lim (1860 words, 20-minute read) “I send you off like a lover.” – Zai Kuning, at the launch of Dapunta Hyang: The Transmission of Knowledge, 10 May 2017 With his palms over the bow, Zai launched the ship. At the stern, however, the ship was incomplete. All this, I sense, made the vessel
I Send You Off Like a Lover: SEA at Venice Biennale Read More »
Deadline extended to 20th June 2017. If you have any questions or need more information, email us: Contact(at)artsequator.com Tags: Criticism Performance
Call for Applications Read More »
“When we talk about photography, oftentimes we talk about those in the frontlines, the photographers and artists, and forget the facilitators behind the scenes who are just as committed in their efforts and contributions. Here are some of our favourite advocates, all ten of whom are women…” See the entire list at Invisible Photographer Asia. Tags:
Ten Women Behind Photography in Asia Read More »
“The references that artists use to inform their work are widely varied: these can be a song, a film, a novel, a fashion image, a building in their neighbourhood, a childhood memory and sometimes a combination of two or more of them. The possibilities and permutations are endless. Five Southeast Asian artists, Robert Zhao Renhui
“From its headwaters in the Tibetan plateau, the Mekong River flows past six countries for over 4,000 kilometers to the South China Sea—but its journey is unquiet. Since the 1990s, the river has been punctuated by a string of Chinese hydropower dams, with dozens more in the works. Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam are also
Review: Oh Soon-Hwa’s “Coastal Regions (Delta)” at The Private Museum [Singapore] Read More »
“Kathy Foley, curator of Malay Theatre: Intangible Cultural Heritage and Islam, boasts decades of experience studying the art and theater of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. A trained performer in the art of wayang, traditional Indonesian mask and puppetry, Foley holds the distinction of being one of the first non-Indonesians to be invited to the prestigious
Prayer, Puppetry, and Politics: The World of Malay Performance Art [SEA] Read More »
“Thailand and its neighbours join up for the 2017 edition of the Asean Puppet Festival The magic of marionettes will light up Bangkok later this week as more than 400 puppeteers from eight Asean countries put on shows guaranteed to keep spectators spellbound. Brought to Thailand at the initiative of the Culture Ministry, the Asean
Marionette marvels: ASEAN Puppet Festival 2017 [Thailand, SEA] Read More »
Belgian-German contemporary dance choreographer Arco Renz — who recently staged Hanoi Stardust with Nguyen Duy Thành, Vũ Ngọc Khải and the Vietnam National Opera Ballet — shares his list of up and coming contemporary dancers in the region whose steps are worth following. “This mini directory of contemporary dancers from Southeast Asia is both very
Curated: Southeast Asia’s Contemporary Dancers [SEA] Read More »
“I was first introduced to writer and photographer Zhuang Wubin’s work when I moved to Cambodia. His writings on Cambodian photography are well-researched, accessible, and thoughtful — exactly what I was seeking as a newcomer to the area. Zhuang became an important node for me to learn from and think through photography in Cambodia, and later the region as a whole.
An Artist’s Comprehensive History of Southeast Asian Photography [SEA, Singapore] Read More »
Review of POLITICAL ACTS: PIONEERS OF PERFORMANCE ART IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, Arts Centre Melbourne Steven Tonkin has curated a useful survey of Southeast Asian performance art as part of the inaugural Asia Triennial of Performing Arts. The photographs and videos of seven artists contain glimpses of their social environments, reminding us that performance art comes
Political Acts review: Artists weave defiance into performance art [SEA] Read More »
“What I present is not about Singapore history, but rather it is the history and living cultures across Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand up to Vietnam. This is the Malay world that the world knows very little about. Even the Malays in Singapore do not know it well. Singapore is one part of the Malay
A rough guide to contemporary cinema from Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia is an expansive region that produces diverse cinema, much of which now reaches the international festival circuit. Yet only a relatively limited number of titles receive overseas commercial release, usually based on the director’s prestige or
10 great modern Southeast Asian films Read More »
“Eko Supriyanto’s internationally travelled Cry Jailolo featured in the Darwin Festival and Adelaide’s OzAsia in 2016, in this year’s Sydney Festival and will appear shortly in Brisbane’s new Supercell Dance Festival and Melbourne’s Asia TOPA, a three-month celebration of Asian and South-East Asian performing arts. Also in the Sydney Festival was the premiere of Balabala,
By Kathy Rowland (930 words, 8-minute read) On Tuesday, 21 February, the Boston Globe published an article headlined “Ex-teacher molested pupils, Milton Academy says”, linking Rey Buono to sexual abuse of minors in the US in the 1980s. By the next day, the news had spread to Singapore and Malaysia, causing shock and alarm amongst
SEA-based Theatre Educator Accused of Sexual Abuse of Minors in the US Read More »
Institution ° Preparations are ongoing. An assistant paints the white wall a bit whiter. Spelling mistakes in the text on the wall are corrected. The white cube divided into nine zones is ready for visitors. Everything looks smooth and polished: the space, the artworks, and the people. ¶ In Singapore the concept of being “gardened”
Zoned Out at the Singapore Biennale 2016 Read More »
I think if anyone is truly honest about any meaningful relationship, they will experience a certain ambiguity about it: no one can love totally without questioning that relationship from time to time, and if they did, it wouldn’t be real. It’s the same with relationships with your country: the deeper your attachment, the more you
Tash Aw & Tahmima Anam Discuss Home, Identity and the Changing Face of Asia Read More »
By Philip Jablon (1634 words, 15 minute read) I have vivid memories of the movie theaters that once peppered the streets of downtown Philadelphia. They were a key part of my childhood. The films that my parents took me to see in them blur with memories of the city into a vision of childhood that
Southeast Asia’s Forgotten Cinemas Read More »
For centuries, shadow puppet theater not only captivated audiences across Southeast Asia but also held ritual significance for various local communities. Held outdoors at night, the performances unfolded around the simple setup of a stretched white cloth, lit by an oil lamp, on which the shadows of puppets would dance to orchestral music. Spectators would watch from both
The Enduring Power of Southeast Asia’s Traditional Shadow Puppets Read More »
We’re barely into the new year, but the dedicated art lover is, no doubt, already exhausted from the recently concluded M1 Singapore Fringe Festival and Singapore Art Week. Pace yourselves, as there are more festivals across Southeast Asia over the next month. January M1 Fringe Festival: Art & Skin, Singapore : 4 – 15 January 2017
Southeast Asia in Arts Festivals: Jan – Feb 2017 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 »
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 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 »
