By Katrina Stuart Santiago (2,200 words, 8-minute read) When I was first asked to write about “cultural leadership” in the Philippines, I turned up a blank. This is not because we lack cultural institutions that get public funding—we in fact, have enough of those. Neither is it because there are no organisations, nor that there […]
Pandemic in the Philippines: A cultural sector on its own Read More »
As the work of artists evolve with the restrictions of COVID-19, do critics also need to reassess how they look at performance? Four critics, Loo Zihan, Teo Xiao Ting, Jocelyn Chng and Germaine Cheng discuss their responses as more and more performances go online, and whether it has led to a recalibration or softening of
Burning Questions: Can Critics Criticise during a Pandemic? Read More »
Artists today have to grapple with being true to their creative integrities while dealing with the limitations of tech platforms and live delivery methods. With social distancing and restrictions on travel worldwide, is there a way to keep the intimacy alive between artists and their audiences in a way that doesn’t compromise the work? Join
Burning Questions: Is There Still Hope for Integrity and Intimacy in Online Performance? Read More »
On a rainy evening towards the end of May 2020, it seemed like Saigon’s most dapper guys and modish gals all flocked to Galerie Quynh. What was buzzing inside the gallery’s three-storey space was a new exhibition titled “Lunar Breccia”, featuring new works by Hoang Duong Cam, Do Thanh Lang, Sandrine Llouquet, Vo Tran Chau,
Vietnam’s visual arts and COVID-19 Read More »
While the pandemic has resulted in losses of jobs in the arts, less has been said about the fate of craftsmen, artisans and masters of intangible heritage and traditional arts. Artists Khin Maung Htwe (Myanmar), Alena Murang (Malaysia) and Jacob Boehme (Australia) will share their experiences in activating tradition and heritage in their work, and
Burning Questions: Traditional Arts: The Forgotten COVID Casualty? Read More »
Using technology in performance isn’t new, but COVID-19 has forced more artists to explore the digital medium, dealing with lag, latency and liveness while rethinking audience engagement and accessibility. Are we witnessing a new renaissance in the performing arts or an undoing? Is digitalisation just a boogeyman in place of a more difficult conversation? Join
Burning Questions: Tech in Performance: The Great Leveller or The Great Unequaliser? Read More »
As ArtsEquator’s theatre podcast returns since the start of the pandemic, Nabilah Said, Matthew Lyon and Naeem Kapadia appropriately discuss two recent Singapore productions created for digital platform Zoom – Murder at Mandai Camp by Sight Lines Entertainment and Fat Kids Are Harder to Kidnap on Zoom by How Drama. Murder at Mandai Camp ran from
Podcast 80: Murder at Mandai Camp And Fat Kids Read More »
By Jocelyn Chng (1,800 words, 4-minute read) When I accepted the opportunity to write this piece on Purⓔ《纯ⓔ》, I did it feeling a bit like a shipwreck survivor re-approaching water for the first time. As someone who was already struggling to make sense of my triple roles as an artist, audience member and reviewer in
Purⓔ《纯ⓔ》: How do we talk about Art Form X? Read More »
SOURCE X Audible Lands is a film and music programme done in collaboration by The Observatory and filmmaker Eric Lee. The name “SOURCE” comes from an existing programme organised by The Observatory. Commissioned for the Singapore International Festival of the Arts 2020, the initial idea for SOURCE X Audible Lands was to present a short
SOURCE X Audible Lands: Spotlight on Singapore’s migrant musicians Read More »
By Ke Weiliang (2,500 words, 8-minute read) Sunday, 7 June 2020 circa 1230 hrs I press the ‘play’ button on The Heart Comes to Mind for the first time. As per director Claire Wong’s suggestion, I grab my favourite drink – a bottle of Teh Botol Sosro, kurang manis -, plug in my earphones
Emotional asymptotes in Checkpoint Theatre’s The Heart Comes to Mind Read More »
By Nabilah Said and Corrie Tan (5,950 words, 20-minute read) Spoiler Alert: This text contains spoilers for The Coronologues: Silver Linings by The Singapore Repertory Theatre and Long Distance Affair by Juggerknot Theatre Company and PopUP Theatrics. To view this text in its entirety, please read on a desktop. Introduction (Nabilah) It felt like
Coronalogues, pandemic spectatorship (and the critic) Read More »
It started out as a “small project” amongst friends. Peter Ong, a musical theatre performer based in Malaysia, wanted to do a recording of the song Seasons of Love, from the musical Rent by Jonathan Larson, to create a message of positivity and solidarity with the region and the larger global community. The initial texts he
Seasons of Love: Southeast Asia-style Read More »
By Nabilah Said (3,200 words, 10-minute read) “Boosted by online efforts, support for Singapore theatre through the roof.” That would be a dream headline, wouldn’t it? Bit lengthy, sure – but it would tell us that the theatrical technological shift happening right at this very moment would be worth it. With COVID-19 shuttering live arts
Is this thing on? Singapore theatre in the midst of a pandemic Read More »
By Katrina Stuart Santiago (1,000 words, 6-minute read) February 2020 seems like years ago, and it feels like escapism to even go back to that time. To some extent, it’s almost like a dream, where for over a week, one had nothing else to do but to watch stage productions from across the world; the
From dream to dystopia: The cultural critic in the age of pandemic Read More »
Theatre stalwart Ong Keng Sen returns to helm Singapore theatre company TheatreWorks, after being away for a decade to complete his PhD in Performance Studies at Tisch School of the Arts in New York. He was also director of the Singapore International Festival of Arts from 2013 to 2017. The company has been rebranded as
Ong Keng Sen: Pushing the conversation Read More »
By Fasyali Fadzly (2,100 words, 7-minute read) No one would have guessed that the COVID-19 situation would become this bad. The Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia was first ordered on March 18. To date, it has been extended twice, most recently to May 12. This pandemic has greatly impacted everyone, including me, someone who
Theatre goes online: Call me a purist, I don’t care Read More »
The news that Germany rolled out a 50 billion bail-out for the arts during the Coronavirus pandemic made headlines worldwide the week it was announced. The aid package was for individuals as well as for small businesses that boosts artists and galleries. The announcement was made within weeks of their lockdown. “Our democratic society needs
Reflections on Art, Angin, Sickness and The Soul of Malaysia Read More »
1. Sharul Channa’s Am I Old? Virtual Edition What: A comedy monologue by Singaporean comedian Sharul Channa, Am I Old? will introduce you to 68-year-old retired teacher, Savitri. Listen to her hilarious stories of love, life and ageing. This live performance will be delivered via Zoom. Tickets are by donation, with proceeds going to
Let’s get digital: 12 online efforts by Southeast Asian artists and creatives 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: April 2020 (Singapore/SEA) Read More »
In the performing arts, timing is everything. In music, rhythm is a dance among units of time. While dance is the body in time and space. And we all know in theatre, timing is everything: it makes for comedy, and when characters say or do the wrong thing at just the wrong time (as with
Letter from Esplanade: A reflection on the arts, lessons from SARS, and COVID-19 Read More »
By Nabilah Said (1,720 words, 7-minute read) To sum it up in a nutshell, what we need is a place with soul. – From Tan Tarn How’s The Lady of Soul and Her Ultimate ‘S’ Machine My back has been killing me, so I have resorted to doing yoga via YouTube tutorial. Turns out my
COVID-19 and the arts: There is a light Read More »
By ArtsEquator From 26 March 2020, 2359 hrs, all theatres in Singapore will go dark in response to COVID-19 measures. We pay tribute to the shows that have been cancelled or postponed in Singapore, through photos – looking at the work that has gone on for the past few months (for some, years), from photo
World Theatre Day: Tribute to Singapore shows affected by COVID-19 Read More »
by Nabilah Said As the world contends with the new normal of temperature checks, home quarantines and travel restrictions in the age of COVID-19, artists find themselves reckoning with a lack of paid jobs coupled with an existential question of the meaning of art in these times. There has also been an awakening of sorts
COVID-19 and the arts in Southeast Asia Read More »
by ArtsEquator (1,520 words, 5-minute read) It’s World Poetry Day on 21 March. Is there still a place for poetry in the unfamiliar world we find ourselves in? COVID-19 could remake the world in a few short weeks. There is the immense human cost with lives lost and thousands ill. Money can’t shield the privileged
World Poetry Day: Verse vs. Virus Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Art in the time of COVID-19 and more Read More »
