In examining the legacy of the late, celebrated Malaysian playwright Jit Murad, Fasyali Fadzly identifies the shoulders that Jit stood on, and the way his works, in turn, provide pathways for future theatre makers. Even though I am a Malaysian theatre practitioner, I am not friends with Jit Murad. We are divided by differing practices, […]
Jit Murad: Your Imagination Will Make Us Smile Read More »
Walaupun saya bergiat di dalam bidang teater di Malaysia, saya bukan kawan Jit Murad. Perbezaan praktis, latar belakang dan generasi menjadi jurang antara kami. Mungkin beliau juga tidak mengenali saya. Mungkin. Banyak perbezaan antara kami dan mungkin inilah yang menjadikan peluang untuk kami bertembung di lapangan yang sama, tipis. Melihat rakan-rakan seniman yang lain menceritakan
Jit Murad: Imaginasimu Akan Buat Kami Tersenyum Read More »
[Updated 17 Feb 2022] ArtsEquator Lobang is a list of available open calls, job postings and other opportunities open to people from Singapore and Southeast Asia. “Lobang”, a Malay word for “hole”, is used in Singlish as a shorthand for an opportunity, valuable contact or a tip. Scroll down or click for easier access. Info
Open Calls and Opportunities: Feb 2022 (Singapore/SEA) Read More »
A walk in Telok Ayer becomes a journey that spans hidden pasts and new futures. There has been no shortage of art walks happening in Singapore. My fellow writers Vithya Subramaniam (who has practically turned researching about walks into an art) and Dia Hakim wrote about it here and here for ArtsEquator. I myself was
re:walk Telok Ayer: Not so secret walks hidden in plain sight Read More »
Defying the outcome-driven impulse that dominates our culture, Daniel Sim shares his vision of an ecosystem that supports the maker and the process, rather than only the product. What would it look like if makers had the space and time to reflect, research and incubate outside of working on a production? What benefits would it
The Maker’s Project: What does it take to sustain the puppeteer? Read More »
In Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries, it is common to find Hollywood blockbusters dominating our movie conversations. Even if we were to exclude the major film exports from the West, the Asian film landscape is still greatly dominated by the likes of India, China, Japan, and South Korea. However, since the 1970s, Southeast Asian
Why Is Southeast Asian Cinema Still Lagging Internationally? Read More »
Rebecca G. reviews Bound Theatre’s newest work, which explores the darker elements of our always-connected lives : cancel culture, fake news, and modified behaviours, in an interactive performance that involved the audience to varying degrees of success. Our journey into the all-too-real world of Screen. Shot. starts before any audience member has even stepped foot
Screen. Shot. at M1 Fringe 2022: Starve a fire, feed a flame Read More »
These pioneers and rule breakers will change the way you view the regional arts scene. Throughout history and up to the present day, it has been a challenge to define contemporary Southeast Asian art. One such roadblock comes in the form of a lack of proper archives and documentation. Another issue is that Southeast Asia’s
5 Artists Who Influenced Contemporary Southeast Asian Art Read More »
10 Things You Should Know is a series of short animated videos on aspects of Malay culture and heritage, made in partnership with Wisma Geylang Serai. In the second video of this series, we share 10 things you should know about Baju Melayu, a form of traditional wear worn by the Malay community. The video
10 Things You Should Know About: Baju Melayu Read More »
The Singapore Art Week (SAW) officially runs from 14th to 23rd January 2022. With over 130 physical and online events running across the island, it is a mammoth task to cover all the offerings available. Nevertheless, here are four shows – big and indie – that caught my eye. Hawker! Hawker! 13 collaborators from Singapore,
Singapore Art Week 2022: Returning to form, not FOMO Read More »
Text and Photos by Grace Baey Amidst the line-up of events at Singapore Art Week 2022, The Arts House is currently a site for three new installation works by artists Speak Cryptic, Jason Wee and WY-TO, and the National Library Board. We spoke with the artists and organisers to learn more about their works, beyond
Capturing The Imagination: Art Installations at The Arts House Read More »
By Daniel Teo (1,018 words, 4-minute read) When the tour party assembles for Brian Gothong Tan’s The Swimming Pool Library exhibition, I realise I am likely the oldest person in the group. Our tour leader, Elijah Tay (pronouns “they”/“them”), introduces themselves and announces they had just turned 20. Just great, my mid-30s self thought. When
The Swimming Pool Library Exhibition: Mind The Gap? Read More »
An estranged father, a disillusioned employee, a human case study, those behind the scenes – all yearning for more in a collective plea for help. A joint collaboration between graduating students from NAFA’s BA (Hons) Performance Making cohort and directors Rei Poh and Goh Shou Yi, 0.01 is a non-linear exploration of interpersonal possibilities. The
0.01 at M1 Fringe 2022: The Space Between Read More »
There is no denying the spectacle that modern Hollywood blockbusters are capable of producing. However, I believe the action displayed in Asian cinema has consistently been a step above those we typically see in Hollywood, despite these movies more limited budgets. The shaky-cam technique and multiple quick cuts prevalent in many Hollywood action films, like
4 Movies That Showcase The Amazing Action Talent In Indonesia Read More »
Critics Live! is a critics-led programme series created by ArtsEquator to give arts audiences an insight into how critics formulate their responses to performances. In this session, join critics Lee Shu Yu, Matthew Lyon and Naeem Kapadia in a post-show conversation about three productions: The Essential Playlist by The Second Breakfast Company (Singapore), Being: 息在 by 微 Wei Collective
Critics Live (on Telegram!): M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2022 Read More »
Updated 27 January 2022 ArtsEquator Lobang is a list of available open calls, job postings and other opportunities open to people from Singapore and Southeast Asia. “Lobang”, a Malay word for “hole”, is used in Singlish as a shorthand for an opportunity, valuable contact or a tip. Scroll down or click for easier access. Info
Open Calls and Opportunities: Jan 2022 (Singapore/SEA) Read More »
ArtsEquator Ltd. is a dynamic arts media organisation which publishes original content on arts and culture in Southeast Asia and runs innovative programmes to support capacity building in arts criticism regionally. We currently have three team members. As we expand our activities, we are looking for a new team member to join ArtsEquator as an
We’re Hiring! Editorial and Marketing Assistant (Regionally-based) Read More »
Ever since the pandemic hit, the notion of travel in Singapore has manifested in a variety of forms. The word “staycation” is now commonly associated with a quick getaway from the same walls we’ve grown accustomed to in our HDB flats, as well as the offering of SingapoRediscovers vouchers. Since the beginning of the pandemic,
The Secret Life Of Haw Par Villa: How tours are bringing the arts to life Read More »
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
The top ArtsEquator articles of 2021 Read More »
ArtsEquator Lobang is a list of available open calls, job postings and other opportunities open to people from Singapore and Southeast Asia. “Lobang”, a Malay word for “hole”, is used in Singlish as a shorthand for an opportunity, valuable contact or a tip. Scroll down or click for easier access. Info & Resources | Open
Open Calls and Opportunities: Dec 2021 (Singapore/SEA) Read More »
Let’s face it, 2021 in Singapore sucked harder than 2020. The waves of mildly inconvenient restrictions did more to chip away at everyone’s mental health than 2020’s “shut-everything-down” Circuit Breaker. Amidst the litany of changes to safe-distancing regulations though, the museums and galleries have remained open. Here’s my rundown of the highlights of Singapore’s museums,
2021: Singapore Visual Arts at Year’s End Read More »
Listen as speakers Ke Weiliang, Lee Shu Yu, Matt Lyon, Nabilah Said and Naeem Kapadia share their thoughts about Singapore theatre in 2021, including observations and shows they found memorable. Mentioned in this episode: ArtsWok, Brown Voices, Checkpoint Theatre, Double Confirm Productions/Sight Lines Entertainment, Drama Box, Eng Kai Er, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay,
Podcast 100: Singapore Theatre Year In Review Read More »
cw: Contains mentions of suicide There appears to be more local books and writing about mental health in the Singapore lit scene in recent years. In Mahita Vas’ book A Good Day To Die: Inside A Suicidal Mind, published this year, she details specific issues of discrimination in Singapore, such as being rejected by all
How the Singapore literary ecosystem tackles mental health Read More »
By Vithya Subramaniam, in conversation with Karthikeyan Somasundaram Why stage a piece about, and play your own father? What is Tamil Theatre in Singapore? And did Karthik really need to put on a full face of paint just for that one 12-minute scene? Vithya Subramaniam and Karthikeyan Somasundaram chat about Re Somma—a ‘bioplay’ on Singaporean
Re Somma and Tamil Theatre in Singapore Read More »
This article is published as part of the inaugural AE x Goethe-Institut Critical Writing Micro-Residency 2021/2022. Last year, I embarked on a two-month research that sought to sketch a possible genealogy of “Vietnamese contemporary art” that foregrounds female art practitioners. Spanning two print issues of a magazine, roughly twenty-one pages, the final essay celebrates more
Phuong M. Do: The Puzzle of Photography, or What Fits and What Does Not Read More »
Where did 2021 go? As part of our annual event Year In Review 2021, statistics about 2021 shows were gathered, including those postponed or cancelled. These infographics are produced by ArtsEquator. Discuss, respond and listen as we unpack these statistics and more in Year In Review on 18 Dec 2021. [See details below] You can
Year In Review 2021: Singapore Theatre in Statistics Read More »
A new interactive showcase is shining the spotlight on the 130 artists who have been conferred the Cultural Medallion, Singapore’s highest accolade for the arts. Titled Our Cultural Medallion Story, the exhibition consists of a physical exhibition–with artefacts, write-ups, books and multimedia components—and a companion website, which introduces the public to these renowned artists from
Our Cultural Medallion Story: 3 ways to explore this showcase of Singapore artists Read More »
In this episode of the ArtsEquator theatre podcast, Naeem Kapadia, Matthew Lyon and Nabilah Said discuss two productions: The Mother by Pangdemonium, and ________ Can Change by The Necessary Stage. Stream Podcast 99: ArtsEquator · Podcast 99: The Mother and ________ Can Change Also available on Spotify. Podcast Transcript Nabilah Said (NS): Hello and
Podcast 99: The Mother and ________ Can Change Read More »
In this episode of the ArtsEquator theatre podcast, Naeem Kapadia, Matthew Lyon and Nabilah Said discuss Love & Information by Young & Wild, which is the youth arm of Singapore theatre company Wild Rice. Stream Podcast 98: ArtsEquator · Podcast 98: Love & Information by Young & Wild Also available on Spotify. Podcast
Podcast 98: Love & Information by Young & Wild Read More »
We asked 11 writers and translators of poetry, fiction and non-fiction to participate in an exquisite corpse-like Q&A session, with each person answering a question and then asking one. These writers, who hail from countries in the Asia Pacific such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Japan, are part of the 2021 cohort of
WrICE 2021: Writers Ask Writers, Asia Pacific edition Read More »
