REBIRTH ISSUE 06 CURATED BY JANE SHISHIDO
MASTHEAD
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EDITOR IN CHIEF CORNELYUS TAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF YEO LI JUAN CURATOR JANE SHISHIDO DEPUTY EDITOR THEODORE WOON
MARKETING DIRECTOR DENNISON PHUA CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER LESLIE WONG CONTRIBUTORS NINA LOH LEAH KAMES NARAYANAN ANDY LEE HOSHANA KESTER TAN JAYNE LIM
SPECIAL THANKS TO ISO STUDIO WWW.ISOSTUDIO.COM.SG M.O.D.A.
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MASTHEAD
CREATIVE EDITOR GABRIEL TAN
CURATOR’S NOTE
JANE SHISHIDO
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Art is closer to fashion, music, movies and books than the more functional and rational sector of design. Art is intimate, personal, of the moment. Just like a good dance song, a pair of great shoes or an amazing scene from a film.
First thing, I would like to thank Cornelyus Tan and M.O.D.A. for giving me free reign on putting together a selection of artists, personalities, inspirators and visuals that have left strong imprints on me. It’s a mere dip in the ocean, in terms of depths and glorious explorations, but I hope that it sparks your imaginations to the art world. I could’ve easily picked a 100 more artists, objects and genre’s that moved me, but that will have to be another time.
I am proud to present the art sections of M.O.D.A. #6 entitled REBIRTH. All of the artists, creators, experts you will meet are great people who are smart, prolific and at the prime of their powers in the Asian art scene. They walk among you, and are very accessible. It was a joy and pleasure to work on this project. Mahalo,
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CURATOR’S NOTE
CUR ATOR’S NOTE
CONTENTS
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CONTE NTS 10 SPECIAL FEATURE PERFORMER’S MOMENTS 22 EDITORIAL ACT OF REBIRTH
38 EDITORIAL ACTIVE CALM 50 INTERVIEW ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD 56 ART GALLERY 62 INTERVIEW THAILAND’S TURN 67 MUSIC FEATURE NOISE MAKERS
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CONTENTS
34 FEATURE ARTICLE TOP 5 INDEPENDENT SKATEBOARD BRANDS
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SPECIAL FEATURE - PERFRORMER’S MOMENTS
PERFORMER'S MOMENTS
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SPECIAL FEATURE - PERFRORMER’S MOMENTS
JASON LIM Q - Is performance art easier to do now with age and experience behind you? With age and experience i must admit that i still have the ‘stage fright’ minutes before the performance. A - The approach to each performance is different from the previous one because the physical and psychological conditions on arrival to a performance site varies.
Q - The art scene in Southeast Asia has grown. How has the performance art scene in Singapore changed from the first time you entered it? A - I think the performance scene in Singapore had shrunk. Even though there is a small group of younger artists who are interested and practices performance art, but the practice is not consistent.
Q - What is your process of creating a performance art presentation? Do you start with a story board, a single image or list of objects? A - For me, i start with an image and with a chosen material and in the process, i try to create the image i have in my head.I do not force the process to move toward the imagined image as a definitive and final outcome but rather, with the image i had in mind and allowing the process to evolve into something new.
One main reason is that there are not enough platforms for the practice/showcasing of this art form and secondly artists are more driven into producing work that has potential market value. Q - There is a risk and even danger being among the general public or in a venue at close promixity without boundaries. What is it that drives you to put yourself out there to do performance art rather than just create artworks in private? A - Whether it is in public or private spaces, there is always a risk of a performance being intervene or interrupted unsolicited. In the duration of a performance, boundary or perimeter of creativity space can be create through mutual understanding and respect by the audience and artist.
A path towards new exploration, experimentation and discovery. The materials that i had been used recently in my works are the banal and simple materials. The intention is to free my performances from readings of social, political, cultural and religious connotation and allow them to be understood from the most basic humanistic way.
Q - How do you keep the freshness alive in a performance if it’s a work that you have done before many times? A Personally, if there are still risks be taken and grounds to explore in a performance, the freshness will always be there. Performance art is not theater where it runs the risk of being over rehearsed and performed exactly the same time after time.
Q - Performance art is organic. Once you commence a performance, how do you know went to stop? A - First, I perform for myself, sometimes during longer performances, the audience may be absent but that does not mean I stop performing. I continue to perform when the conditions and energy are still conducive to continue and intuitively I know I its time to stop.
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SPECIAL FEATURE - PERFRORMER’S MOMENTS
Q - There is a risk and even danger being among the general public or in a venue at close promixity without boundaries. What is it that drives you to put yourself out there to do performance art rather than just create artworks in private? A - There’s salmonella in sashimi. Red meat is said to shorten your life span, being vegetarian is said to lead to malnutrition, exercise could lead to tendonitis - I could go on! The world would simply not function without taking risks.
Q - How do you describe performance art and what you do to people who have never been to art events or festivals? It is your body in stasis, in movement, against another body, negotiating the environment, the audience and time. A rather new form of visual arts that uses your body as the medium! A - Google probably knows better. Q - What is your process of creating a performance art presentation? Do you start with a story board, a single image or list of objects? A - I pick on the little ironies I encounter in my daily life ironies of my surroundings, or of my thoughts. From there I will select relevant materials, objects and aesthetics / images that will highlight it.
Q - As a new student in Goldsmiths in London this Fall 2014. Will you continue to practice performance art there or explore other ways to to utilitze public spaces and the body? A - I’d expect there to be a lot more truly ‘public’ spaces that can be used, in London.
Q - Performance art is organic. Once you commence a performance, how do you know when to stop? A - I don’t! That is left to the discretion of my physical body, the surroundings and audience.
Right now I would definitely wish to continue with performance art and am excited by the prospect of a completely foreign environment. But who knows check back in a year or two!
Q - The art scene in Southeast Asia has grown. How has the performance art scene in Singapore changed from the first time you entered it? A - I was introduced to performance art in 2012. It was only then that I began watching live performance pieces locally, and thus I do not have long term first hand experience of it. I would say that practitioners of other art forms which share similar elements as performance art, such as dance and theatre, are becoming more aware and accepting of this mode of expression.
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SPECIAL FEATURE - PERFRORMER’S MOMENTS
JOA N LOW
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E ZZ A M
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Q - You and Natasha were the youngsters in TAV (The Artists Village). Do you want to recreate that community as a mentor for the new breed of aritsts such as Joan Low’s generation? A - I don’t think I have the right to “recreate” the community (TAV) of young performers but definitely I like to see young artists practicing this art form. I have the privileged to be one of the organisers / curators of two events (Fetter_ Field Performance Art Event and The Roving Artist under The Substation at the Night Festival) for four cycles and as an organiser, I am always in a look out for new artists who actually does performance art in their art practice. There aren’t a lot performance art festivals or events here in Singapore and when there is one, I like to give equal opportunities to the younger emerging ones this platform to showcase their works. I never consider myself as mentor as I too am constantly learning. But if there are any younger artist out there who want to sit over a cup of coffee with me to talk about performance art, I am willing to share my experiences. Q - Some of your performance art presents a darker or somber vibe? Is a this creative choice or a different side of your personality? A - HAHAHA, I am actually a loud flamboyant extrovert! Funny how my performance pieces happened to be “dark and melancholic”. For me, it is a creative choice, I have done works that are ‘satirical, funny or to a point silly” before but I am most comfortable with quieter pieces, simple body movements but I always try to test what my body
is capable of doing in each piece. The most important thing for me is how I can convey my ideas and thoughts through my performances, whether they leave an impact on the audience, whether I have informed, tease or provoke their thoughts as well. Q - What is your process of creating a performance art presentation? Do you start with a story board, a single image or list of objects? A - I always have a topic that I want to tackle on each work, whether they are interesting topics from the media that I have read or current situations to personal experiences that I want to share. I never sketch or write or draw my ideas out especially on performance art BUT I will go “material hunting”. That’s my favourite part of the process, whether it’s looking for the right suitable outfit to wear during the performance to digging out strange objects in a hardware store or a thrift shop. I allow the objects to “speak to me”, to tell me that they are the ones that I should use in executing my work through performance art.
the “honesty and sincerity” of my ideas. I never look at materials as props or as things to “beautify” my works. To me, less IS more. Q - Performance art is organic. Once you commence a performance, how do you know went to stop? A - You can never know whether a work is short or long enough. It is all in the mind I suppose, as you perform you, have to be aware of everything, when I mean everything is when you have to listen to your body, be aware of the space you are in, the energy and vibes the audience gives out to you. When I have stretched my ideas to its limit and when my body say to stop, that human instincts happens, when you just know that it is time, It’s Time. Q - There is a risk and even danger being among the general public or in a venue at close promixity without boundaries. What is it that drives you to put yourself out there to do performance art rather than just create artworks in private? A - What I like about performance art is the endless possibilities.
Just like I had mention, as much as I push my own body to see how far to the limits I am capable of doing, same goes to the choices of materials I use. I will stretch these materials as much as possible. Maybe I am formally trained as a sculptor, I am always in love with any materials and even if they are as simple as a piece of soft fragile tissue paper, I will try to study the material’s endless possibilities.
Performance art can take in a Live form, (video, photography – where it is not a documentation of a live work) to performative films. Each form serves a purpose. Some ideas are hard to be painted or sculpted out, some ideas can’t be in a two or three dimensional form, performance art is a moving painting or sculpture therefore you need the audience to experience the work in this rawest form in its space.
I also like to use very little materials as much as possible in each presentation as to keep
What the audience experience is the artists’ presence and the art that is being created.
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SPECIAL FEATURE - PERFRORMER’S MOMENTS
Q - Your works are intimate and personal. Is this something that just happened? A - My works have always been so. As they are drawn from thoughts on life, they are inevitably influenced by happenings around. Q - What is your process of creating a performance art presentation? Do you start with a story board, a single image or list of objects? A - Dream of an idea and paint an artistic vision. I often strut to and fro in the process. Q - Performance art is organic. Once you commence a performance, how do you know went to stop? A - The body and mind will tell you. Q - The art scene in Southeast Asia has grown. How has the performance art scene in Singapore changed from the first time you entered it? A More people are willing to enjoy performance art as an art form rather than something that is always controversial. Q - There is a risk and even danger being among the general public or in a venue at close promixity without boundaries. What is it that drives you to put yourself out there to do performance art rather than just create artworks in private? A Connection. It exists between people. Q - You are also an art teacher with the Ministry of Education and mentor to young students. Is there a moral message you try to convey in performance art to audiences or is it just artistic expression? A - I hope we can embrace our lives spiritually and physically.
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SPECIAL FEATURE - PERFRORMER’S MOMENTS
N ATASH A SOP HIA WEI
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WIL LIS TURNER henry
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Q - There is a risk and even danger being among the general public or in a venue at close promixity without boundaries. What is it that drives you to put yourself out there to do performance art rather than just create artworks in private? A - The idea of putting myself out there is always motivated by the interactions and direct responses that I could get from audiences. I find such responses not always happenning in painting or photography.
Q - How does your background in photography help you in performance art? A - I was introduced to performance art because of my performative photography,however I don’t see my photography having influenced much on my performance art. In fact, it is performance art that really aids my creative thinking process and visual aesthetic. Q - What is your process of creating a performance art presentation? Do you start with a story board, a single image or list of objects? A - I always start my performance with a story or message that I want to address. The visual and objects I have in the performance piece are pretty much to convey the narrative or the idea.
Q - You work with static visuals in photography, movement in video and real time in performance art? How do you keep things separate or is there a thread of connection between the three? A - I always separate my performance with my other visual works because in performance art I am using my body and most of the time I let myself to to just express out the idea even if it is not according to the plan or idea. It the rush of the moment and feeling that choreographs my performance.
I love playing with metaphorical scenarios which is a visual language I always explore. I like words, but I couldn’t find myself doing writing. I see performance like reading a poem. Q - Performance art is organic. Once you commence a performance, how do you know went to stop? A - I will stop when it needs to or when I am mentally tired.
Meanwhile, in my visual artworks like photography and installation, there are alot of thinking and planning involved. Sometimes I could feel that I have crafted it too much and that the real soul may have just gone away; there is no sense of moment.
Q - The art scene in Southeast Asia has grown. How has the performance art scene in Singapore changed from the first time you entered it? A - I see that now performance art is more acceptable by many. More young artists explore this genre in their art practices. I also find that performance art is felt as a “need” by people, which could sounds as the sincerest expression one could have.
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SPECIAL FEATURE - PERFRORMER’S MOMENTS
DA NIE L A B E LTR A NI
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Q - You have done works with groups, in duets and with the audience members entering your space and sitting with you or even holding hands. Is this important for your performance art to interact with another person? A - At the very beginning of my performance art practice, there was a need to regurgitate my inner thoughts, ideas and feelings outwards.
it reached my mouth. My piece was about perseverance. I did not know how long it would take for that amount of sauce to reach the bottom of the long glass: as it happens, I was told it was 45 minutes, but incredibly my audience stayed with me emotionally, during my intense physical and mental struggle. I was humbled. It was a successful performance!
As I have been maturing and progressing, particularly within the past year, I sensed an important shift: what now matters to me is to draw the willing audience into my performance. To this end I have been trying to engage the audience either on emotional level or a spatial one.
Q - Performance art is organic. Once you commence a performance, how do you know went to stop? A - For me the end comes either as the final intended action of an imagined sequence (i.e. in For Example II I had set myself the task of standing still in balance for a few seconds on a coconut carrying 30 art books: the performance unfolded in the struggle. Once the purpose was reached, the performance was over) or more organically as the natural progression of a durational. In this latter case, as all my senses are alert, the end feels like the obvious next step.
Q - What is your process of creating a performance art presentation? Do you start with a story board, a single image or list of objects? A Good question. I draw from life much inspiration for my performances, but it is often during my meditation practice that the essential pieces come together. For Example I, which I presented at The Arts House in July 2013, is one such case: I was preparing a flavoured coffee after my yoga practice and I noticed how the thick liquid of the chocolate sauce ran down slowly in the inclined plane of the glass cup. I remember being mesmerised by the slow pace, so clearly visible. Later on I decided to do a performance where I would lie down on the floor, face up, holding a 60x120cm glass panel vertically. From the top of the glass, some treacle sauce I had previously poured, would slowly make its way down until
Q - The art scene in Southeast Asia has grown. How has the performance art scene in Singapore changed from the first time you entered it? A - In Singapore, recently, I sense there is more interest, or perhaps curiosity, towards performance art, but I am not sure how serious or committed it is, only time can tell. Certainly, in the past few years, Fetterfield is happening more irregularly, R.I.T.E.S. has wrapped up entirely, Future Of Imagination is continuing because of the dedication of Jason Lim, even S.P.A.M. is meeting less frequently. In Singapore it seems, perseverance in performance art is a struggle in itself, unlike M.O.D.A.
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perhaps in neighbouring countries. In Singapore everybody has opportunities to start something, but to continue is another issue altogether. Q - There is a risk and even danger being among the general public or in a venue at close promixity without boundaries. What is it that drives you to put yourself out there to do performance art rather than just create artworks in private? A - Offering the vulnerability of my humanity and finding out how people I know and I do not know react to it. To me art and life in performance art are connected. There is no escape, no safety net: this is the danger, but also the beauty. Every second of our life is a chance to be the best we can, the potential we can unlock from within. The question is: what do we choose? Our actions define who we are. Q - How do you keep the freshness alive in a performance if it’s a work that you have done before many times? A - I have only “repeated” three of my performances between two to four times only. I put the word in inverted commas, because it is not a repetition as such. As they say in Singapore, “same same but different.” The image may be similar, but the unfolding and/or the result are never a pre-determined outcome. Each performance is different, because all the elements are different. The Heraclitean “panta rhei” - literally translated as “everything flows” - can explain this idea: in one of the fragments, Heraclitus observed that even as we enter the river, the water is never the same at any point in time, but it continually flows.
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AC T OF REBIRTH
PHOTOGRPAHY : LESLIE WONG STYLING : GABBY G ASSISTED BY : KAMES NARAYANAN MAKEUP & HAIR : LEAH M.O.D.A.
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Dress: WOMB, Necklace: HO5HANA, Shoes: Stylist own.
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Top: ODDS, Skirt: ODDS, Necklace: ANDY, Shoes: Stylist own.
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Dress: MU, Necklace: HO5HANA
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Top: WOMB, Necklace: ANDY, Shoes: Stylist own
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Jacket: AWOL, Skirt: AWOL, Shoes: Stylist own. Top: MU, Pants: MU, Bracelet: ANDY M.O.D.A.
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FEATURE - TOP 5 INDEPENDENT SKATEBOARD BRANDS
TOP 5 INDEPENDENT SK ATEBOARD BR ANDS
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FEATURE - TOP 5 INDEPENDENT SKATEBOARD BRANDS
Want to be part of the rad af skate culture but don’t wish to don that fake Supreme tee that almost everyone has in this era of skate cultural hegemony? Don’t sweat it, cuz we’ve got the lowdown on the 5 raddest skateboard brands that you need to get your hands on to be the next cool skater dude on the block.
Top to bottom: FTC, Loser Machine, Welcome, Roger, Magenta M.O.D.A.
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FEATURE - TOP 5 INDEPENDENT SKATEBOARD BRANDS
F TC
WE LCOME
Humbly established in 1986 as a collection of skate gear stashed at the back of a ski shop by Kent Uyehara, FTC was the in thing before skate culture even becme cool.
Illuminati skaters, weirdly shaped skateboards, call them whatever you want, but you’re welcome to make a complete fool of them. These jokers take their jokes pretty seriously, but don’t think for a second they’re messing around with their skateboards.
After it opened its doors in the streets of San Fransisco back in 1994, skate culture took on a surf-inspired turn, revolutionizing the style of city street skating. With it’s constant reinvention of the skate culture, it’s pretty safe to say that this godfather of skate is here to stay.
They’re a bunch of weirdos alright, but we’re crazy ‘bout the ingenious humor that the Welcome Skateboards crew brings with them. After all, in the words of Gotham’s favourite villain, why so serious?
LOSER M ACHINE Founded by pro-skater Adrian Lopez back in ’09 to explore various other facets of skate culture (yeah, besides the actual skateboards) such as apparel and art, Loser Machine conveys skate culture through their pieces, each a special work of art, dressing up the newage pro-skaters to the nines. Who needs boring ol’ tees, jeans and snapbacks, when there are leather gloves, denim vests and sweet-ass floral button-downs you could don while showing off that sick new 720 Gazelle flip you learned yesterday? M.O.D.A.
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ROGER
Well if you haven’t already figured, they’re a funny bunch, and we’re semi-kidding about the “Sieben’s dad” part. They’re actually pretty rad, and we’re sure many of you Ollie masters concur.
M AGE NTA From board to sidewalk, Magenta Skateboards make it their promise to cut out the midde-man and deliver pure skate material, owned and operated by skateboarders and skateboarders only. Founded back in 2010 by Soy Panday and Jean Feil in Paris, this unique French brand is at once classic and contemporary, featuring selfmade graphics by none other than co-founder Soy Panday. It’s a definite oui from us!
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FEATURE - TOP 5 INDEPENDENT SKATEBOARD BRANDS
Conceived in the summer of ’08 by the strangest pair, Stacy Lowery and Michael Sieben (who doesn’t actually know how to skate), the number one skateboard brand in the world, which is also the largest and coolest and most awesome according to Sieben’s dad.
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AC TIVE CALM
PHOTOGRPAHY : LESLIE WONG STYLING : GABBY G ASSISTED BY : KAMES NARAYANAN MAKEUP & HAIR : LEAH MODEL : DIANA LO (UPFRONT) M.O.D.A.
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Wardrobe: Ong Yun Yu Accessories: HO5HANA Skateboards: Kester Tan & Jayne Lim M.O.D.A.
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INTERVIEW - ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD
ALL THAT GLIT TERS IS NOT GOLD
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INTERVIEW - ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD
guo yao Q - Congratulations on your success with the NOISE Apprentice Programme! Considering your unique style, how would you like your work to be known to the local audience? A - Beauty is the new ugly.
Q - What were your inspirations behind All That Glitters Is Not Gold? A - It happened one day when I was on the bus and the idea of “painting myself gold” just struck me when I saw several workers planting trees along the roadside and some others clearing land. I find it very comical the way we treat nature; we remove it and try to put it back again, and sometimes we alter it till the extent that it is as precious as gold and other times, we handle it just like how we wipe dust off our hands.
Q - How would you describe your artistic identity? A - I always like my work to be visually raw yet simple and straight to the point, sometimes with a sense of minimalism. My work is always about my thoughts and expression of my environment. When they are translated into pictures, they tend to appear in bright colours of stark contrast.
That day, I picked up a dried leaf from the street. I went home and painted the leaf gold. It was interesting how the gold on the leaf appeared just like another tone of brown. My attempt to beautify the leaf turned out futile. This is how “All That Glitters Is Not Gold” came about.
I am very much into the issues of our natural environment. Recently, I am exploring the realms of performance art and how I can express myself through performance art. I would like my work to define my artistic identity.
Q - Most of your work center around issues regarding environmental conservation and destruction, mind sharing with us the reason behind this? A - Ever since I was born, I lived in a kampong located at Old Choa Chu Kang road. I spent 3 years of my childhood in the kampong. The early years of my childhood was spent around my wooden house, my dad’s farm and the greenery beside my house. I was always playing at the field or my dad’s farm. I would follow my parents to collect papayas, rambutans and durians from the forest. These fun memories still remain fresh in my mind till today. Living closely with nature has developed my love for it. Hence my work often revolves around a longstanding M.O.D.A.
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emotional investment towards environmental conservation and destruction. In 1990, my family was told to move out of the kampong because of the government’s plans to redevelop the area. I had my first major experience of being detached from nature and a deep sense of loss of leaving something dear to me.
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It still disturbs me today when I see our nature giving way to many unnecessary constructions. I am aware of the gifts our natural environment brings. The piece of land where my old house stood still remains bare today. Given a choice, I will very much prefer to stay there. Q - How do you decide on the music that accompanies your work? A - The music in my work is the actual recording of ambient sounds from the forest during the duration of my performance. I wanted to bring this masterpiece orchestrated by nature’s symphonic band into my exhibition for people to appreciate. It is my hope to heighten the senses of my audience and increase their sensitivity to these beautiful sounds muffled by the din of urban living. Q - Must have been quite a challenge chalking up such an impressive portfolio at your age. What were some of the challenges you faced along the way? A - I must thank the people who have faith in me and my work. There is still a long way to go. There are many things that I am still learning and coping. These are my three main challenges: The environment: I feel that for an artist, a holistic environment plays a big part to the whole artistic development. I get disheartened to encounter people whose ideas of art are M.O.D.A.
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all about consumption, profits and survival. In my opinion it is important for an artist to fill his/ her environment with positive and creative energy. I am finding my “energy field” and staying focused on my work. The lack of space: We have very limited space in Singapore and rental here is expensive. It is costly to rent an art studio here unlike overseas where artists can get their studios at a cheaper cost. I hope there will be more support for emerging artists trying to establish their careers. Coping between work and art: It was a challenge to balance both fulltime work and art. I am glad to be able to establish a balance between sustaining a livelihood and pursuing my artistic practice now. Q - What are your thoughts on the local performative art scene? A - I think the local performance art scene is still quite underground but there are more performances these days. The authorities once restricted funding and licensing of performance art for ten years, but now that regulations have relaxed, a slight revival of the artform can be observed. More young artists are also exploring performance art as a form of expression too. Yet the level of familiarity among the general public remains low towards this artform. Hence I feel there is a need for artists to create more platforms to expose and educate audiences to this captivating art form. Q - How do you figure out which of your works make the cut? A - I don’t really have a guideline. For me, art is an expression. If I feel that my artwork conveys what I want to say, I will go ahead with the plan. I make the cut based on my gut feel.
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ART GALLERY
ART GALLERY
We’ve always had our finger on the pulse of what’s trending in the arts. Now, MODA is providing a platform, Art Gallery, for all you photographers, artists, designers and illustrators eager to show off your works to the world. Every month, MODA will curate a selection of original works submitted by all
our readers. If you’ve gotten wind of something cool in Singapore or you have some new art work you wish to share, suggest it to us and if we like it, we’ll either feature it on the website or in our Art Gallery published quarterly. Email your suggestion or your work to Contribute@ modamagsg.com! M.O.D.A.
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Page 55 Serene Yip A Retrospect On Chinese Clans Page 56 - 57 Esther Goh By The Sweat Of Their Brows
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ART GALLERY
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ART GALLERY M.O.D.A.
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ART GALLERY
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ART GALLERY
Page 58 Lisa Lee Inner World, Outer World
Page 59 Alexis Hy Cro-Armor Zhang Fuming
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INTERVIEW - THAILAND’S TURN
THAIL AND’S TURN
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INTERVIEW - THAILAND’S TURN
Thai contemporary art is in the spotlight, shinning bigger and brighter than ever. Indonesia may have gathered more mainstream media coverage these past few years with listings in catalogue auction sales, but a revitalized economy, art spaces and new global ambitions launches Thailand forward with aplomb. If you’re looking for the next art city destination, add Bangkok to the top of the list.
Q - What were the reactions of the New York crowd at Sundaram Tagore in an almost historic first group show in Manhattan you curated of Thai and Southeast Asian artists? A - The show was incredibly, and surprisingly given the fact that the artists and I are new to the NYC art scene, well received! Judging by the opening night we had close to 400 people attending. Sundaram Tagore Gallery in Chelsea, where we held the opening event (ANTHROPOS is also presented at the Madison Gallery location), is very spacious but despite the space the galley was packed and we had to have one person of the staff by the entrance door to prevent more people from stepping in. I think the attraction was the novelty of the art from Thailand and Singapore, two countries in Southeast Asia not so familiar to the western audience, and the freshness of the works. All the artworks are extremely engaging aesthetically and conceptually but they are also attractive and hence easy to relate to. The show also features a variety of mediums so that too helps in terms of engaging with a larger audience. Q - Besides Bangkok and Chiang Mai are there other cities or towns which we’ll see more Thai artists from? A - I would say the most important art hubs in Thailand are Bangkok and Chiang Mai. There are of course artists coming from all parts of Thailand. One of the artist featured in ANTHROPOS, Chusak Srikwan, for instance comes from Songkhla province in southern Thailand, however he moved to study in Bangkok at Silpakorn M.O.D.A.
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INTERVIEW - THAILAND’S TURN
University. His practice though is informed by the cultural legacy of his native town, that is the shadow puppet tradition particularly strong in southern Thailand. Q - Are political messages or religious themes important to Thai aritsts? A - Of course these are very prominent themes. Buddhism is, more then a religion, a whole culture embedded in the hearts and minds of most Thais I would say in one way or the other. The current political context on the other hand is pervading all aspects of life particularly in the last few months / years. So yes these are important elements in the artistic practice of the younger generation of Thai artists as well as the senior generation. We need to look for these themes however beyond the stereotypical imageries of lotus flowers and Thai flags. Contemporary art practice in Thailand is very sophisticated, aesthetically attractive yet conceptually layered so do not necessarily expect a literal work when it comes to religion and politics.
Q - Do you feel that Asia and Thai artists can offer something different to European art and Western art? A - I am not an expert in European and Western art in general so I cannot really compare the two worlds. However by attending art fairs, major art platforms and Biennales I feel the younger generation of artists worldwide is very concerned with topics close to heart. That is for instance the social and political context we live in and themes related to identity and displacement for example as we all seem to loose our native roots in favor of being citizens of a globalized world. On this regard there is a great book tilted ‘Cosmopolitanism and Culture’ by Prof Papastergiadis that debates precisely the developments of a cosmopolitan culture and its impact on the new concept of ‘global knowledge’. The freshness brought in by Asian and Southeast Asian artworks is in that they are locally relevant but adopt visual narratives, which can be easily relatable by the western audience.
LOREDANA PAZZINI-PARACCIANI M.O.D.A.
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Southeast Asian art is growing fast locally and internationally and so is the collectors’ interest towards it. So I think this is the future of the arts: to hopefully go beyond geographical barriers. Q - What type genre and ground breaking artwork can we look forward to in the future by the younger generation of Thai’s who are still art school students? A - It is difficult to predict what type or genre of works will be developed in the future in Thailand, but if anything I am sure installation works adopting a variety of mediums will be more and more explored by the younger players. Mix media installations have always been a strong component of Southeast Asian art in general, and the use of craft based materials. That I feel will continue to develop together with new media and digital works, which may or may not be combined with mix media installations. Overall I think this is a very exciting time for contemporary art in Southeast Asia in general and Thailand in particular so I am very happy and honored to be part of it.
Q - Our M.O.D.A. magazine theme is “Rebirth”. What does “Rebirth” mean to you? A Interesting that you mention ‘Rebirth’ as your theme. ‘Rebirth’ is a concept very close to Buddhist philosophy so to me it immediately relates to the idea of Karma and the perpetual cycle of life and death. I have lived in Southeast Asia for very long and I have grown closer to Buddhist predicaments so ‘Rebirth’ is a charged word for me, and a positive one too.
INTERVIEW - THAILAND’S TURN
I have recently moved to London to be geographically able to facilitate a Southeast Asian discourse between East and West, so I am still discovering new key words in the western system. However judging by the response we received in New York to ANTHROPOS, which is about life and death and the short interval in between, I would say the West is indeed open to embrace Southeast Asian culture!
Page 60 Chusak Srikwan Man with Strength 170 x 170 cm 2014 cowhide Page 63 Chatchai Puipia Life in the City of Angels War one 180 x 155 cm 2014 oil and pigments on canvas, Kamin Lertchaprasert Impermanent (Anijja) 172 x 6 x 30 cm 2010 - 2012 wood, Tawan Wattuya Soapland Girls#2 1,00 x 2,00 mt 2013 watercolor on paper, Kamolpan Chotvichai Person 111 x 115 cm 2014 C-Print & Hand cut canvas M.O.D.A.
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PROJECT HUEMANITY
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NOISE MAKERS
LINE ATH
E LIP SIS
One of the up and coming talents in Singapore’s Hip Hop scene, LINEATH started himself off as a self-taught producer back in ’07, and has been mixing up some fly beats since. From his ‘Solo Medley’ EP (2011) to his first sold out show back in ’12, this new-age bar-spitting maestro has been blazing the local Hip Hop trail with his heavy-hitting basslines. Reppin’ the GGC this time in NOISE Singapore’s Music Mentorship Programme under the wings of mentor Don Richmond, LINEATH is here to well, serenade the best of us with his ingenious wordplay and ground-rattling beats. Lend our fellow Lion City Kia a listening ear and get your grind on because LINEATH’s bout to bring Hip Hop back. M.O.D.A.
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Forget cigarettes as metaphors, psychedelic post-rock quartet Ellipsis prefer earmuffs as their metaphor for communicating music to their audience. gave the festival a smashing closing with their beastly headbang-worthy set, along with the release of their Permanent Distractions EP. Their varied rhythms and dreamy croons brought out the hot (and very sweaty) mess in us, but who’s complaining? We relished every moment of it. There’s a lot more to this group than their varied rhythms and dreamy croons. They’re a bunch of fun-loving beatmakers and Star Wars buffs. With Zhengping as brains behind most of their songs, and the array of psychedelic pants constantly seen on female drummer Yenhui, it’s pretty obvious the force is already with them.
MUSIC FEATURE - NOISE MAKERS
Here at M.O.D.A., we’re huge advocates of the local music scene, and the recent NOISE Singapore Music Festival has sent us in a frenzy, a good one (with loads of screaming) that is. Sure we’ve all heard of local rapper Shigga Shay and his crowd-pleasing posse, the Grizzle Grind Crew, but how many of us have actually familiarized ourselves with the other members?
STOCKIST
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STOCKIST Andy www.andy.mysirclo.com Odds by Reckless Ericka www.therecklessshop.com WOMB www.womb.com.sg ho5hana www.ho5hana.com MU Bugis Junction 200 Victoria Street #01-48/49 Singapore 188021 Magenta www.magentaskateboards.com
FTC ftcsf.com Loser Machine www.losermachine.com Welcome welcomeskateboards.com
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STOCKIST
Roger www.rogerskateboards.com
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