PALETTE Magazine (ADM Issue #4.1) by Neil Brian

YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO ADM LIFE + CULTURE

MAGAZINE VOL 4.1

VOLUME 4 .1

36 EDITOR’S LETTER WORLD VIEW

It features four of our adm professors and asked them for their views on teaching, migration, and the local art scene in Singapore

CROSS CONNECTIONS

Lynn Yang Wolf and Phoebe Imeunbee, two it’s like to be born of mixed ancestries

adm

students, reveal what

INTERNATIONAL INFUSION

How big a part does culture play in the lives and creativity of our students? Here's a feature on student works from various countries

COLLECTING CULTURES

Cherishing memories through the items we collect from around the world

VOL 4.1

12 52

THE WORLD IN TYPE

Translating the world’s languages into visual typography and aesthetic design

COLOUR ME CRAZY

A handy guide to what colours mean to different nations and cultures

A-Z: ADM GUIDEBOOK

Find out what life in adm is truly like: the drama, the coffee, and the crazy antics. It’s adm like you’ve never seen before

SELF-STORY

The team behind the magazine—revealed

94 122

YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO ADM LIFE + CULTURE

Managing Editor, Layout/Graphic Designer, Photographer & Illustrator NEIL BRIAN R AL APIDE Managing Editor & Treasurer TULIK A SUD Layout/Graphic Designer XIAN MIN CHIA Photographer & Transcriber ESTHER GOH Contributors ALICE NG HUI QING, ANG KOK YEOW, CARRIE CAI, HUBERT WAH, NG QI YANG, ROX ANNE LIM, THEODORE ROAN WOON, TRACY THNG, VANESSA CHAN, WAN ZHONG WEI, WILFRED LIM WEI YI, ZHANG QIYIN, & ZU ORZU Special Thanks APRIL ELL A LIANG, ASTRID KENSINGER ALMKHL A AF Y, HEI TOR C A P UZ ZO, JON AT H A N TA N, K ENNE T H F EINS T EIN, KIMBERLY HUANG, LAM NU LIEN MINH, LYDIA WONG, LYNN YANG WOLF, OH SOON HWA, PHOEBE IMEUNBEE, & VEDANT GUPTA

palette

No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without the prior permission of the publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the writers and the editors assume no responsibility for errors of omissions or for any circumstance of reliance of information in this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the views of the School of Art Design & Media or ntu.

VOL 4.1

ON THE COVER

SARGASM (Digital painting by Neil Brian R Alapide, 2012) This year’s cover fits the theme of the magazine to a T. Much like how the local rootbeer drink, Sarsi, is mixed with raw egg to produce this delightful homemade delicacy in the islands of the Philippines (with Guiness here in Singapore), palette

aims to represent the fusion of diverse cultural elements to create a

design experience of sargasmic proportions. Bottoms up!

n e il b ria n.c o m

VOLUME 4 .1

toast from the pa l e t t e team. Every year here in adm, we achieve milestones. And in our time here, coming up with our ver y own magazine (which is what you’re holding now) is one of those milestones—one that we can now conveniently scratch off our to-do list. (Oh yeah!) Pardon my being melodramatic. palet te embodies the power of art in uniting people regardless of their race, language, or religion, including location and nationality. I apologise for the pledge reference—frankly speaking, I’m not even Singaporean—which wouldn’t really matter because art never discriminates. This year’s publication class produced very conceptual works: one on the artistic journey, another on pop culture, and for us, the vibrant life and colourful culture here in adm, hence the name, palette . Even the team consisted of students of different nationalities—Singapore, Malaysia, India and the Philippines. For this issue of adm Magazine (now on its fourth year), we offer you a glimpse of the diversity that resonates within our hallowed walls—not only in terms of visual design aesthetics but also of the various cultural backgrounds that surround students’ works.

VOL 4.1

In World View, we interviewed our professors and asked for their opinions on the art scene here in Singapore as compared to their places of origin. We also featured students of mixed descent—read all about it in Cross Connections. And finally, my personal favourite. The palet te team has taken it upon ourselves to provide you, our dear readers, your personal guide to adm life & culture (as you’ve never seen it before)—in A-Z. Exotic tastes. Delicious experiences. palette will hit you right on the spot —like a good bowl of hot, mouth-watering laksa. Enjoy it with a bit of spicy chili on the side (if you’re adventurous enough). That’s art and design for ya —life would be helluva lot boring without them.

Bon appétit!

NEIL BRIAN R AL APIDE Managing Editor, getme@neilbrian.com

lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;interim KIMBERLY HUANG

Blog: http://the-interim.blogspot.com Portfolio: http://kimberlyhuang.tumblr.com

ASTRID ALMKHL 12

VOL 4.1

After moving to Singapore, four of our beloved adm professors share their experiences, their views on the local art scene, and what makes them tick

HLAAFY

FE AT URE S | W ORL D V IE W WHERE IS YOUR HOME COUNTRY? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STAYING IN SINGAPORE? “My home is San Francsico, California, usa . But I also lived in Tokyo for 11.5 years and London for a year (and went ‘back East’ for my ba and my mfa).” HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ART SCENE/ DESIGN CULTURE IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY? “Depends on the city. San Francisco is very creative —loads of murals and street art, public art and support for creatives. Silicon valley is close, which means we have Google and Apple and the whole internet boom. The city is also experimental and attracts writers, poets, artists and designers form around the world. It’s an interesting place because it is a hub for the computer scene, and also for more experimental art. The fusion is fascinating.” IS YOUR FAMILY BACKGROUND INFLUENCE YOU A LOT? BECAUSE YOU’VE MENTIONED LIKE YOUR PARENTS ARE HIPPIES RIGHT? “My parents friends are very creative artists, very successful. So my life (as a child) was surrounded by art and life was art.” WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY LIFE IS ART? “Well, the choices you make, what you do, how you live, what you eat, what you do during the free time, your own decisions, you sculpt for yourselves. It’s easy to fall into patterns—I have to do this. You can also look at it and say, ‘So I have to do it, this time I’m going gardening.’ I don’t have a garden but I have a garden at my balcony. Forget about the balcony, I’ll garden my window.” “Live as it is—with what you have. A lot of it is political; a lot of it is personal. You choose to eat the specific food you eat. A lot of it is creative Don’t put processed food or garbage into your body ‘cause you don’t know the repurcussion along the line.” EVEN UNTIL NOW? “I drink this thing (lifting coffee sachet). I usually eat only organic.”

VOL 4.1

WHAT IS YOUR EXPERTISE? WHERE DID YOU STUDY TO OBTAIN YOUR DEGREE/MASTERS? “I got my mfa with honors at the Rhode Island School of Design (risd). My thesis explored designed experiences. I looked into performance and the history of graphic designers—using or working in the performance world to communicate and test out their philosophies. I was in Tokyo before risd and before Tokyo, my undergraduate life was in the Ivy League Women’s School—very academic— studying archeology.”

WHAT ABOUT INDIRECT INFLUENCES IN YOUR STYLE? WERE THERE ANY? “I have many direct influences. risd is directly connected to Bauhaus, Basel, Cranbrook and Yale. I mean, I was taught by faculty who were either taught by Bauhaus and Basel people or went to Cranbrook—big in the postmodern scene—or Yale.” DO YOU THINK YOU WERE INFLUENCED BY THE CULTURE OF THE PLACES WHERE YOU STUDIED IN? “I am influenced by my professors, who were Dutch, Swiss, Iranian, and American. I am also influenced by my many years of living in Tokyo and a year in London.” SO, WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE YOUR STUDY OF GRAPHIC DESIGN IN RISD? “Well I was an art director in Tokyo—very sucessful. But I reached a point, while working for the industry where I thought, that my personal creativity, my enrichment has reached a point.” “Number 1, I think I couldn’t grow very much; and then number 2, I was also overseeing many other designers. All of them had a degree in design and I didn’t. So I was a bit insecure. The people I directed were from the Art Centre. I needed a degree to justify what I am doing, but at the same time, I was teaching typography for the time being]. It’s one of the top design schools in Tokyo and I had no credentials—just self taught with a big portfolio.” “I have been teaching on and off since I was 21. Well, I love teaching design so there are a lot of reasons why I want to do so. One was for personal growth, one was to change my career.”

“I am very interested in history. I always think about the history of the location... where I am at. It’s very romantic.”

“I want to have family and by working in the design industry as a designer. Basically you have no life —so it’s impossible for women to have a family. I wanted to be a mum and I want to teach. So, I thought I could fuse all these together and get an mfa .” “When you’re teaching, you’re much more flexible. You get to do your own project. You don’t need to work for the industry, and just basically be able to be around with students. To be a parent—it’s much easier. It’s a well thought-of choice.” ARE ANY OF YOUR WORKS/PROJECTS DIRECTLY INFLUENCED BY OR BASED ON YOUR CULTURE? “Sure. I like using the computer as a tool (one of many), and I like collaborations, performance, and participatory art. These are things that I picked up from my home—but also from Tokyo. I am also open to trying out and playing with technology and materials. I think this comes from my living in San Francisco.” HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE OF WORKING IN TOKYO CHANGED YOU? “I have no idea! I don’t know what is the alternative of this. I mean I can’t imagine living my life without a computer. And probably, I’m more used to Asia and being in Asia.” REALLY? “I’ve been here since I was 21.” SO WHAT IS YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAM? “I wanted to be Indiana Jones! I wanted to travel the world and explore places—which is what I'm doing. I am doing the same thing: I go where I want to go, I map, I walk, I explore, I document and I reflect on the place. It is exactly what I wanted to do but then, I would never have known that I could do it as a kid. I mean, this is not a job description; to be a professor and walk around sacred mountains.” ARE YOU ATTRACTED TO CERTAIN THINGS? ANY FIELD LIKE NATURE OR RELIGION? “I am attracted to history. Historical sites, religious sites, pilgrimages sites—I am attracted to places where people worship, and the extraordinar y things they do to their gods.” “Also, I am interested in places that have festivals. I am interested in the pedestrian, the walk—the walk itself. I don’t have a car, I don’t have a license. It’s tacky, I know. It’s fun to drive, to go on a road trip. If I lived in America I might need one, but I’ve not been living in America except for risd. After risd, I went over to London on the same week that I graduated. There, I didn’t need a car either. I was teaching in a university— [there was] no need for tv, no need for a car.” SO WHAT DO YOU FIND FASCINATING ABOUT IT? “I like people getting together and expressing their—what would you call it? Their curiosity? Their faith? Their—”

VOL 4.1

Catharsis: Mapping and Romance in Caylus Exhibition 2012

VOL 4.1

SOMETHING UNKNOWN? “Yeah. It doesn’t matter what particular religion. Some religions, I think, can get a bit frightening because they want to convert everybody. Instead I like it when people express the poetic. I don't know what my religion is—probably I believe in people.” “I just love it when people get transformed into something higher—it’s not just religion. People seem to reach a certain higher level of expression when they are trying to communicate things that are not likely known. So they built the cathedrals, they built mosques, they built synagogues, they built Borobodour. All of them are just amazing expressions. The kind where we try to grapple, to understand things that we usually don’t understand —it’s amazing.”

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE IDENTITY OF SINGAPORE? “I wish Singapore would look back more to their history. It’s so interesting to dwell on the tradition and being [once] the biggest and most popular port here—it’s both East and West. [Its] location is fantastic, sort of a position for trade, becoming financially successful in such a short time.” “Singapore is global-minded. The people here are all generally bilingual or trilingual. I don’t know if there is a lack of identity. I don’t think that it’s true. What their identity is—I don’t know, because I am not [Singaporean]. But then there is definitely this ‘flavour of Singapore’. You don’t ever need to ‘come out’ with a unified identity.”

WHICH OF THE COUNTRIES THAT YOU HAVE TRAVELED TO INFLUENCES OR INSPIRES YOUR WORK THE MOST? AND HOW? “Tokyo, London, the Netherlands, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Indonesia—all of their sense of identity, their appreciation, their integration of design at both the grassroots level, the street level up to the city, and then, the national level. All these places understand the power of visual communication. I’ve been to other countries, but these are the ones that jump out first.” HAVING TRAVELED TO SO MANY PLACES, IS THERE ANYWHERE IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU FEEL IS A MUST-VISIT FOR STUDENTS, MOST ESPECIALLY OUR ADM STUDENTS? “I’m personally drawn to places that are ver y sensual—like Kyoto. As you walk through the city, the architecture, the fashion, the tea shop, the lifest yle—ever y thing references to the seasons. It’s really interesting, the system they put themselves under. You see a geisha running around in her kimono and up close, while seeing the colour, you’d know, ‘Oh! It’s spring, or it’s summer or it must be April.’ Maybe, more often than in Tokyo? Tokyo would probably be because of the temples, the grid. There, you can become very immersed. It smells good, it sounds good and the dressing, it looks beautiful.” “Others, maybe Bali, because of the architecture, the sounds, and the smell. These are places where religion is part of the lifestyle. The women have strong societal positions and, somehow, they are very present—not hidden. These are very sensual locations; they play with your senses. Scent is very important in Bali and Kyoto. There is incense and [aromatic] flowers everywhere.” “I like Jogja (Jogjakarta)—it’s very interesting. It’s a bit old and traditional, but at the same time, very contemporary in their art. There are some really cutting-edge media people there in Indonesia.” “To understand how a country could be defines by design, I would say the Netherlands. Everything is design, is branded, and reflect their attention to design. There, design is embraced in every level —it’s simply amazing!”

MAPPING CAYLUS: Visualizations of Place and Mind. By Astrid Kensinger Almkhlaaf y. The exhibition showed typographic and topographic maps, and videos of both place and mind, of location and history, of emotions and reactions. The works were from thirty days of a summer artist residency and of daily meanders and musings in the village of Caylus, France.

ANY ADVICE FOR VISCOMM STUDENTS? “Travel. Backpack. It’s easy to go inexpensively. Don’t be afraid what’s out there. I have been to Indonesia all by myself when I was 23 for 7 weeks —alone. Completely safe. It’s not dangerous at all. So travel is a big advice.” “Read. Know your histor y. Be true to yourself. Follow your bliss—this is my advice. You never know where you might end up. You may not be who you think you want to be but it is okay, the journey is everything. Just be creative about it.” HOW ABOUT STUDENTS FROM OTHER SPECIALISATIONS? “Yeah, just travel—it’s for everybody. If you can, explore Singapore. Get to know your Singapore. Go explore your home. It’s also a form of traveling. Just get off the computer, go outside and play.” 

VOL 4.1

HEITOR CAPUZZ 18

VOL 4.1

WHERE IS YOUR HOME COUNTRY? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STAYING IN SINGAPORE? “I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil and I have lived in Singapore for almost 3 years.” HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE DESIGN ART SCENE IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY? “Brazil is the most visible country [in terms of design culture] in Latin-America, and has a significant participation in the international art scene. Brazil’s design culture has strong connections with Africa, the United States and the Latin culture, of course. Sao Paulo City is also the biggest Asian city outside Asia. Brazil is a comprehensive multicultural country and ranks 6th [in terms of] economy in the world.” ARE ANY OF YOUR WORKS/PROJECTS DIRECTLY INFLUENCED BY OR BASED ON YOUR CULTURE? “Yes—specifically inside the academia. It’s common in Brazil to work with collaborative groups. My current research projects are being developed together with several other Brazilian scholars.” ANY INDIRECT INFLUENCES TO YOUR STYLE? “Sincerely put, I don’t know how to answer this question. I am so directly influenced by the environment where I am living. This is a refined question. I think that we, Latinos, are so driven by our feelings and emotions. Do you think that it is possible to be indirectly influenced by your emotions and feelings? If you know how to do that, please, teach me.” WHAT IS YOUR EXPERTISE? WHERE DID YOU STUDY TO OBTAIN YOUR MA STERS / PHD? “My mfa and phd were in Art/Cinema at the Sao Paulo University, from 1987 to 1990. My postdoctoral stage was also in Cinema/Animation at the University of Southern California— usc, in Los Angeles, where I was also a visiting scholar between 2002 and 2004.” DO YOU THINK YOU WERE INFLUENCED BY THE CULTURE OF THE PLACES WHERE YOU STUDIED IN? “Yes. I was in the us and the us was inside me. This is fundamental. We need to be ‘infected’ by life. One reason why we move from country to country is to learn more about the complexity of our planet.”

WORLD V IE W | HEI TOR C A P UZ ZO

Rossiya Insurance Company Poster Russia/Soviet Union 1903

IS ASIAN CULTURE NEW TO YOU? “In the past, there was such a huge barrier in between Asia and the West. Perhaps, because of the language barrier—Asia, from the Western thinking, is unthinkable in learning. We had no idea how to communicate.” “Singapore, 15 years ago, is not as international as it is now. You know, Hong Kong is not Englishbased; Taiwan is not English-based; and, Japan is also not English-based. Like, if you want to go to Tokyo, you will have a hard time if you want to speak in English because a lot people speak the language. We are talking about Tokyo—a culture that was re-colonized by United States after the War. The language barrier may help the West relate to Asia. Another problem for the Western countries: to strategise [colonisation] in Asia.” BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY? “Yes, colonisation—and it was really painful. I am talking about Holland, Portugal, the United States, and uk . That’s why I can understand why China chooses to isolate itself because its experience —being invaded so many times by so many different countries which eventually provoked a civil war.

VOL 4.1

That’s why, I was surprised to have been granted good access. I was a little fascinated as a foreigner.” “I was surrounded by mainly Japanese people with a Chinese influence in their daily lives. If you are from Sao Paulo, it’s not so difficult to have an Asian girlfriend because [of its population of] 3 million people. By the way, I had one. That is how how close it can get.” “But the Asians in Sao Paulo are of a different kind —they came at the beginning of the 20 th century. It means that the Chinese there didn’t have any kind of Communist experience. They arrived a period before that. And when the Japanese came, they came from the time before the World War II. It is almost as if they had no relation with the modern Japan—only the younger generation did. It meant that they were really conservative immigrants with traditions and languages, in-tact. A lot of the Japanese go to Sao Paulo to learn traditional Japanese; to study the old-fashioned Japanese language, because in Brazil, the colony there is still maintained. It is a very distinct point because they came at a time before the big changes took place. It is really interesting—that the kind of

influence they received from Asia is not so big but then at the same time, this influence was also kind of old-fashioned.” “For instance, they didn’t have dvds and videos, but in the past, they had 4 theatres in one neighbourhood. They spoke in languages that could either be Japanese, Mandarin, or Cantonese, depending on the area (or school) they learnt it from.” “And they had theatres running films everyday. In Brazil, there were a lot—usually with Portuguese subtitles. I also watched a lot of Japanese films at the theatres. Personally, I was a little bit more connected to the Japanese culture because I saw the entire Kurosawa and all those directors at the theatres before the dvds were released. Sometimes, I was the only one watching in the audience who wasn’t Japanese.” “I was always fascinated by Japanese film. Well, Chinese, ’cause the Chinese colonies didn’t build their own theatres. Every week, four new films were screened. I’ve watched more than 200 Japanese films at the time. It still remains as my preferred neighborhood at Sao Paulo. The place reminds

me a little bit of Little India over here because it is concentrated, with its culture and restaurants.” WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THE ART SCENE HERE IN SINGAPORE? “This is one area that Singapore is investing deeply in—with amazing results. Of course, in that area there will always be room for important improvements. Here in Singapore, there is a significant room for improvement, mainly in the Stage Arts and Music. I believe that adm is making a difference—by providing a more comprehensive approach for future artists and professionals in these areas.” “If we wanted to show Picasso or da Vinci, we don’t have them here. You may not be from Italy or Europe, but you have really good museums in Asia. I am always thinking, ‘What kind of art history are we teaching here? The kind of art are we looking at?’” ANYTHING SUPERIOR OR INFERIOR? “I love Picasso—he was inspired by African art. I am more interested in that aspect rather than what he ‘made’. This is the sort of thing I need to train myself in—to be more aware of, to try

to educate myself in. The advantage of being in Asia is that here, Asia is new. The role of many foreigners includes coming here to share their expertise when they return. This is also a big issue in Singapore: when foreigners return. Well, I don’t think that is a good idea. They didn’t learn anything nor did they teach anything that can be meditated upon; I don’t think it’s good for both sides. I don’t have an answer for it though.” “The main problem is that, perhaps, there exists this feeling of being underestimated. Singapore thinks it is not ready yet—always hearing that it has is no identity at all. Nobody has no identity. Everyone has a unique fingerprint—it’s the only identity that you have. Perhaps, it can be subtle, or not so well-expressed. The main point is not to be against the idea of the ‘foreigner’, but rather, to establish a dialogue. It’s not about taking something from the foreigners but instead, thinking of what we can exchange with them. In my point of view, we are still looking within a box. If an Asian and a Westerner gets married, their kid benefits from having more insights. Well, unfortunately, I am not seeing that kid right now here in adm.”

“To see yourself in the mirror and later, in a photograph that was taken by another person —it is a completely different experience.”

VOL 4.1

WORLD V IE W | HEI TOR C A P UZ ZO

Perfumery Goods Illustration Russia/Soviet Union 1898

VOL 4.1

HOW HAS SINGAPORE CHANGED/INFLUENCED YOUR DESIGN AND YOUR ART METHODS? “I am still learning about Singapore and South A sia. It is my first contact in this incredible region. My vision about handicrafts expanded significantly after travelling to countries such as Thailand and Indonesia. What I touches about Singapore are the Singaporeans. I am really happy to have this oppor tunity to teach here. Here in adm I get to meet with some of the best students in my life—as compared to the 2,000 students I’ve taught before in the many different universities around the American continent.” DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR DESIGN/ ART STUDENTS TO TRAVEL? WHY? “It is fundamental. It is like leaving your bedroom and being in contact with the world. It is a must for one to see culture outside the country itself.” AMONG THE COUNTRIES YOU’VE TRAVELED TO, ANY PARTICULAR ONE THAT INFLUENCES OR INSPIRES YOUR WORK THE MOST? HOW? “This question needs a long answer. Film is an area that is very internationally-based. I am completely influenced by many different countries and expressions.”

THE NEW WOMAN Curator: Prof. Heitor Capuzzo School of Art, Design and Media Exhibition / Research

2012 “The collection of posters in Utopian Constructions provides the opportunity to trace some of the significant metamorphoses in the representation of women. In the beginning of the 20 th century women were represented in some posters stereotypically as the bearers of sophisticated elegance and contemplative beauty, much sought-after trophies of the succe s s of the tr iumphant masculine bourgeoisie, annexes of the desired consumer goods. It can be said that the industrial era could not resist the appeal of the poster girl, often emancipated only for consumption. Af ter all revolutions, wars, conflicts and utopian constructions of the 20 th centur y, humanity enters into the 21st century without having yet settled a shameful historical debt: to let a woman, one day, carr y only a baby without simultaneously needing a weapon to ensure minimally her basic rights.”

JOB, Cigarette Paper Alphonse Mucha France 1894

“Well, in Latin America, beside the plurality of my own countr y, I would also mention Bolivia, Argentina, Cuba, and Mexico. The way these countries have touched my soul expanded my vision about what it means to be Latin-American.” “In Europe, I would say Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy. It was a strong experience to realize how much the Europeans influenced Latin-America. At same time it was painful to see how the Eurocentric side of Europe still have increased numbers of prejudice.” “The United States was also a big influence in my life. Firstly, because of their art production and later, their technological expertise, mainly in film production. I learned a lot there and at same time my Latin-American identity became more refined. Latin-America is so far from God and so near the us.” “In Asia, I am completely touched by Vietnam. Visiting Vietnam was one of the most powerful experiences in my life. The Vietnamese people really deserve [ownership of] their country. They paid millions of their lives their freedom. This is a living of unconditional love.” “Indonesia and Thailand are also magical countries. The energy there is contagious. They know how to express beauty—one of the most refined ways of expressing one’s identity.” “What really impressed me about Vietnam, is not Ho Chi Minh—but the inlands. I am preparing a short film about experiences during the Vietnam War. I decided to go to areas highly damaged by the bombings and underground tunnels. Well, the Vietnam War was close to my generation, near the 60s. Brazil didn’t participate in the war but we were highly influenced by the United States.”

“Brazil was very afraid but still, we sympathized. That is one thing about me that I always pay attention to: commentaries, free speech, construction of the countr y, the fight for freedom —things like that. It’s something that has always touched me a lot. I take time to ask, ‘How is life there? Who has the right to decide the destiny of their country?’ Vietnam was something I was deeply interested in. I was a bit afraid to have this romantic view about Vietnam. But when I went over there, I realized my romantic view wasn’t equal to theirs. They were amazing. In Hanoi, I was fascinated by how they traveled around in bicycles having no traffic light, and the way they just arrange things.” “Also, their culture, their food and their country’s simple way of living. Sometimes people set this certain kind of agenda, saying bad things about the countr y, or even rumours of Communist nature. I may not be able to tell if this is good or bad —in a way they are really happy.” “Vietnam is one of the few countries I’ve thought of migrating to if I ever left Brazil. Of course, I don’t speak the Vietnam language nor was I sure that they would want me—but I myself am keen to learn more about them.” “After the Holocaust, almost half of the country’s population passed away, the country completely destroyed. Even now, there are still places that remain contaminated. I visited their hospital and the problems still exist today.”

“We see these kinds of problems lead on from the Communist idea where people continued to work in an environment filled with corruption. We are all aware of it. Putting all these problems aside however, the Vietnamese people are strong—their desire to live, and the way they communicate.” “The country is always changing. I cannot imagine it if the country does nothing at all. If their land is taken away, they will still live.” WA S IT HOW THE WEST WANTED TO SEE VIETNAM A S, AND WHAT THEY PERCEIVED? “Yes, I think that is absolutely sad. One thing that I really enjoy seeing is how [the locals] are able to carry their entire world on their bicycles. Baskets and cages of chicken, their babies, their familes —their creativity in transforming their bicycles. Sometimes even a tiny bicycle can carry a huge wardrobe. It’s just simply amazing!” “This is the beauty of life in Vietnam. Their world has their own set of rules, and their idea of beauty is different. It’s different from Las Vegas and Hollywood.” “We need to immerse ourselves in this experience —to change ourselves and the way we look at things. Only after that can we start producing through a medium. Because in this area of diversity, it’s so big. What I am really interested to learn now is to see things (which I thought I already knew) through the locals’ eyes.” 

VOL 4.1

OH SOON HWA 24

VOL 4.1

“I am, no more, the traditional Korean, nor the Westerner-to-be. [I’m] a fusion of it. Both ways influence my thinking and also shape my practice.”

Rice Field Archival inkjet print 170×100 cm 2012

WORLD V IE W | OH S OON H WA

Tide Out Archival inkjet print 170×100 cm 2012

The Abandoned White House

IS IT POPULAR FOR PEOPLE TO GO INTO THE ARTS? WHAT IS THE ART SCENE IN KOREA THE TIME? “At the time, it was limited. But after 10 years, there was like a boom. A lot of artists studied art in Korea and went overseas. Korea then was ver y traditional, and in some ways, Eurocentric. The country was very quiet up to 1990s and all of a sudden, Koreans started going overseas—and a lot of artists as well. A lot of it was due to politics, as you know. Some of them went overseas—to Europe, to New York and among them, some artists came back to Korea. And it’s ver y interesting. They are trained both in Korea as well as overseas. Coming back with their new-found knowledge [combined] with our own culture, they created something that was unique. And that become an interesting platform.”

Archival inkjet print 170×100 cm 2012

WERE THERE ANY FEMINIST PRESENCE? “Yes, certainly. A feminist ideal. Growing up in some regions, there are particular gender issues. There is a gender issue, this gender role play —what men and women should do. It is sort of an old ideal, but is still [ver y much] a part of our culture.” “I come from a generation where girls are placed under abortion. If the family has a new-born girl, they will consider abortion as they preferred boys. It has come to a point where the doctor chooses not to even inform the mother of her newborn’s gender because of the fear they might choose abortion. I came from a generation who thought girls cannot do what boys can.”

Christian Church Archival inkjet print 170×100 cm 2011

VOL 4.1

“I went to the States with a mindset that women are not supposed to speak up and express their opinions. Nobody said don’t do it, but you sort of feel that it’s not your place. That it’s not encouraged to even think that your opinions are equally important. In the States—it’s different. America has passed through that stage 30 years before Korea had. That became an eye-opener.”

The Lively River Archival inkjet print 130×80 cm 2011

“I studed the philosophy of the feminist theor y and even some psychological studies indicate that the male and female differ in their reasoning. That became the cultural background of my ar t work. I star ted looking at the issues of women and basically, all that resonated into my photography.” WITH KOREA AS YOUR PLACE OF ORIGIN, AND THEN THE US AS YOUR PLACE OF LEARNING, HOW HAVE THEY INFLUENCED YOU, YOUR THEORIES ON FEMINISM, AND THE ART SCENE? “It is more on how you convey an issue through the photographic medium. Photography is not just taking pictures of what you see, but also how you reveal the complexit y under neath — the reality. So how do you use the medium to explore this? For me, it works well because photography is able to deal with sociological and psychological issues. Painting was a bit too abstract for me. When I got to know photography, I found that there was a great potential in it. That is also when my cultural upbringing and my being a Korean overseas came into very good use.” “Even my husband—he’s French. On a daily basis, we both have our different approaches. I am no more the traditional Korean, nor the Westernerto-be. [I’m] a fusion of it. Both ways influence my thinking and also shape my practice.”

WHAT ABOUT SINGAPORE? HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU CAME OVER? “I feel I right at home.”

the same roots, education becomes integral in getting the countr y up and running in terms of their economy and political situation.”

IS IT BECAUSE IT IS A N A SIA N COUNTRY? “That’s one thing. It’s like coming back to your comfort zone—but in someways, the working environment is pretty much Western-oriented. The system is ver y transparent, and there is a place to speak up. In Korea, I can still feel the cultural pressure.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OUR ARTS SCENE? “When I first came, it was hard for me to even find a job as a part-time lecturer. I was new, and I tried to go ever y where photo-related, tried to look for other colleagues to work with.”

IS IT AN UNSPOKEN ONE? “Yes, but then again, Singapore is still a foreign countr y. I can be my new self and express it. That’s why it’s a perfect place. I understand the culture as close to my culture with my family having close connections to China. I have also been traveling to China for the past 10 years.” WERE YOUR PARENTS FROM CHINA? “No, but my father used to have a business there before China really opened up—like in mid-1990s till 2005. I went to China every year a couple of times. I feel like I can connect and understand their education system because I went through the Korean education, which is similarly an Asian education. In some places, schools do ‘spoon-feeding’—they can get very competitive. Singapore is a bit different. On the other hand, Korea is now improving. I think that, coming from

“For me, it is important to have a local and international balance. There are also the connections that we have with our students. I understand things that I didn’t understand before. So, I also heavily rely on them. Now, we have a lot Singaporeans who go overseas and have come back. They are like me. They have been exposed to and understood the local art scene, and learnt from it. Coming together and working with them, it creates great dynamics here.” “Even the photo scene is experiencing the same phenomenon. Some of my students go overseas —some have gone and are already back. They are now becoming the new generation of artists. The Singapore arts scene is becoming more vibrant and dynamic. It’s expanding, becoming richer. Student works here are of the same standard of work as those by students in New York or in London. Here, we even have a programe where we take students overseas—even overseas

VOL 4.1

FE AT URE S | W ORL D V IE W

AS A PHOTOGRAPHER AND A LECTURER, HAS THIS EXPERIENCE CHANGED YOUR PERSPECTIVE? HOW MUCH HAS PHOTOGRAPHY INFLUENCED YOU? “Photography is my life. My life has shifted ground. Once I began to know photography as a medium, it became a world—a small world to me.” “I also see the power of photographic image. Now I am working on a book with the Minister of Affairs in Tunisia. We are working on photos and images on politics, of power. Photos of the woman, of politics, and the woman in Asia and Middle East—on how the photographic image can be used to empower women and to show the women’s situation.”

The Ship Archival inkjet print 170×100 cm 2012

[Continued from previous page]

photographers get invited over to adm. Every year we have overseas faculty coming over to critique all our students’ work. It’s happening every April or May. Last year, we had a professor from the School of Visual Art, Charles Traub.” JUST LIKE LAST YEAR, CHIEN CHI-CHANG WAS INVITED OVER. “Yes, Chien Chi was another guy I got to know in New York. He’s a friend of mine. I invited him over. Photo history is important. If you are not going to develop your own, no one is going to develop histor y for you. We have to cultivate our own local photographers—to nurture and teach them to become international thinkers. International recognition is not given only by international community—it is also up to us to develop them, to

push these artists further. Singapore now has an international arts festival. We have adm . We have a strong and intelligent photo community. Our works have now become more fun and more internationally recognized. When Chien Chi Chang came, he loved it. That’s important because when he goes to other places, he will talk about us. When you mention photography he would immediately say adm .” “Charles Traub, who is the mfa chairperson in the Photography Department in New York, is also the most influential photo figure in the United States. Upon seeing our students’ works, he immediately offered scholarship. That’s an indication that our student work is good. We’ve even had a few students already in the m fa program. They don’t seem to have problem to get into top graduate school.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN THE PHOTOGRAPHY FIELD? “To tell you the truth, there is no full-time job as a photographer.” “If you are looking at to be employed for a full-time photography job, that is not a smart idea. But if you develop your own studio, that’s great. Photography is not just about developing still images—we also do moving images and sound. That is the area where we invest more [of our time in] to prepare students. People only think of event photography at first, but that is just a simple means of doing it. Photography can be developed further into a research-based project—it can be approached as a documentary, photojournalism, fashion and commercial. Some of our students even have their own business.”

VOL 4.1

“Photography has changed—it’s more of how you use the photographic image to speak. My role here is to think: how to push the medium, where to draw the boundaries, and what else can be done with the photographic image. The experience can be very different. I was engaged with a computer scientist to develop the computer software, and then with politicians, to teach them how to use the photographic image to reshape and rebrand the image of woman [hoping to empower them].” “Photogr aphy is not only picture taking, nor how to shoot food or a kind of fashion—but how you juxtapose certain imageries to convey your message. Now that is the power of photography, not the actual photo-taking.” AN IMAGE MAY EVOKE CERTAIN EMOTIONS OR FEELINGS, BUT MOST OF IT IS UNSPOK EN. HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO SEE THE MESSAGE OR ITS POTENTIAL TO CARRY ONE? “Yes, that is what I want our students to get it. It is not about who can shoot fast, nor who can make beautiful prints—but what these prints are going to do to the viewer, which imagery can convey a certain sensitivity and let the audience be aware of it.” “Because photography is not also just about the message, but more importantly, its sensitivity. When you see something beautiful, you feel it. That is very important—to be straight-forward in delivering a message. Photography these days have expanded into many things: digital painting, designing, graphics and typography. It’s no longer an area where you take pictures and just be a commercial photographer. That is a very narrow view of it. Now, it’s more like the power of the image, the politics around it, its power to change or to evoke sensitivity. If you look at it this way, photography is not a small area—it encompasses many different fields. It can connect to different disciplinaries, like psychology, sociology, philosophy, politics, and even engineering in some areas. The things we print on are no longer just paper—we print on aluminium and glass—we even make 3 d images. The area has expanded into many different directions. It’s the common misconception of photography in Singapore.”

ADM STUDENTS ARE TRULY BLEST TO HAVE PROFESSORS FROM ALL OVER—TO OFFER THEM A BIGGER VIEW OF THINGS. WHAT DO YOU THINK? “We want to really convey that photography is not only about making a living, but to also use photography for intellectual debate.” “I’m starting to see students making statements through their works about Singapore and it is as if adm is a pioneering ground for these.” “Yes, we would like to bring that in—not just in a journalistic way, but also a way of debating, to get the audience to relate to it. We hope that we can reveal complexities through a photographic way of thinking.”

HOW LONG DO YOU THINK STUDENTS WOULD HAVE TO WAIT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR FIELDS? “I think since I came, a lot changes have happened in Singapore. Even the photographic scene is m u c h m o r e h a p p e n i n g . We w o r k to g et h e r w i t h g a l l e r i e s a n d m u s e u m s . We’v e t a ke n students to the Pinyang Photo Festival where we interacted with 20 other universities—given a presentation in front of 20 different lecturers overseas and thousands of students.”

A light moment with Soon Hwa in her adm office

“All these schools are connected to us. We do invite whom we consider are cutting-edge, to look at our students’ works and to engage our students. Of course, we also have external guests to assess and critique our works.” 

“Photography is not just about the message, but more importantly—its sensitivity.” VOL 4.1

KENNET FEINSTE 30

VOL 4.1

TH EIN

Big Man 2007

WORLD V IE W | K ENNE T H F EINS T EIN

“...the act of taking a photograph is investigated as an act of placing oneself in a re-lationship with Otherness... It is seen as the ethical embodiment of one of our most fundamental acts, our responsibility to those around us.” (Excerpt) Published by Atropos Press (May 2010)

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? “I’m from the United States. But American culture is an obscure thing at times. I could say that I’m an American citizen but I could also say I grew up in Boston, New York so I don’t know if I’m necessarily American. New York is not the United States. It lives in its own little land. Especially up until September 11th if you ask most Americans they’d say New York is not America. It’s not Chicago or the Midwest, it’s New York, where those people are.” DON’T PEOPLE IDENTIFY THEMSELVES BASED ON THE STATE OR REGION THEY ARE FROM? “Some do more than others. It depends on where you’re from, what region. If you ask most people where they’re from, they’ll say the US. If they’re from Texas, they’ll say Texas. You’re a Texan first and an American second.” SO DO YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF AS MORE TO BE BOSTONIAN? “No. The United States, especially the major cities, is a conglomeration of such different cultures that you don’t really see yourself as part of one overriding model culture. If you get to the Midwest you’re basically either black or white. If you’re white you’re Irish and you’re in a sort of model culture. If you’re in Minnesota you’re probably Swedish, a par t of a model culture —all sort of absorbed into Anglo-Saxon culture. If you live in a major city like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, l a , Chicago then you grow up in the neighbourhoods.”

VOL 4.1

“I used to work for a guy, a really great graphic designer. He has been the art director for Encyclopedia Britannica for year s that has now stopped publishing. If I tell a New Yorker that he grew up in Bensonhurst they will know exactly what his background is ethnically. He grew up in Bensonhur st so he is therefore obviously Italian. My father’s parents were from the lower east side in the early 20 th century therefore they are Eastern European Jews. They are obviously not Irish because the Irish lived in a different neighborhood. If I said they’re from Chinatown, they’re Cantonese. It becomes that obvious.” “You can look at the development of things like American music culture. I lived on the lower East Side, which was Ukrainian. But it was right next door to the Puerto Rican neighborhood so you have a mix of both cultures. The American urban culture is a mix of all these different, few diverse links.” “But from where I’m coming from, being part of the Jewish culture, we all also see ourselves as being part of a worldwide Jewish culture.” “My grandparents were from different parts of Eastern Europe. They grew up in an Eastern European ghetto. There are still lots of connections. We have the histor y of the holocaust that ties us together as a group. We have a tieback to Europe, all over. I have relatives all over that I know of, in France, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, and Israel. What about the ones I don’t know?

My family has more of a rootless culture than most Americans. I know American art but there’s also the European contemporary tradition.” “The idea of American culture is not particularly tied to the United States. For example, I have only ever really had a contract with one gallery. I’ve worked with people off and on but only with one galler y on a contract. That was in Berlin. So the only place that I can say my work has been really exhibited by the galler y that repr e s ente d me is Germany. It’s not like ‘I am Italian therefore ever ything I think about is only about the Italian tradition’. Par t of it is western ar t histor y.” “The western ar t tradition is more cosmopolitan any way. If you look at Paris in the 19 20s and the great artists who were there—there’s Picasso. He wasn’t even a French citizen. He grew up in Spain. Max Ernst is German. After Paris stopped being the centre it became New York. The French and the Russians came to New York, and the Germans and the English. It had this cosmopolitan thing of ever ybody mixing together especially if you’re in the arts. You are in a greater western tradition; there isn’t necessarily a local tradition.” “The localness of stuff may be a more specific issue but you know that you’re fitting into a much greater tradition. Anyone dealing with contemporary art has to be aware of it. You’re conscious of being part of a cosmopolitan tradition.”

“The culture I grew up in, there was an urban culture and also a Jewish culture in which not everyone who I grew up around from my parents’ generation was from the United States originally. We have an understanding of a greater world whereas other people who have been growing up in ver y small towns like in the Midwest had to come to places like New York to discover that. I already grew up with the idea of that. I know people who grew up in Latvia, in Poland, and they all have different kinds of strange stories. There is a greater world but the concept that held us all together was that we were par t of this Jewish culture. We were held together by something greater than a regional culture. It has its own variations and changes.” “I grew up in a time that was kind of at the end of a process that my parents’ generation had, which was a process of simulation into the greater white culture. That means there were elements of our culture being absorbed into the dominant white culture. It was a culture where we still saw ourselves as outsiders, maybe being allowed in but not being comfortable with the idea of being inside. That relationship to culture is a very different kind of relationship to culture. There’s an understanding of what the dominant American culture is. The most obvious way you see it where I come from in American culture is 20 th centur y American comedy. The Three Stooges, Woody Allen, Jon Stewart, the Marx brothers—they’re all about looking in and being out.”

WHAT ABOUT SOUTHEAST ASIA? WHAT DRAWS YOU TO SINGAPORE OUT OF ALL THE OTHER COUNTRIES AND THEIR CULTURE? “Honestly, what brought me here is that I was offered a job. When they originally set up a committee to create an art school that would be at adm to find the vision of what it was, the person that was offered the position to be the head of the school was my boss back in New York. In that sense it was the idea of a job that got me here, but that has very little to do with what the experience of being here is.” WHAT DO YOU THINK OF OUR FLAVOUR? WAS THIS YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH SOUTHEAST ASIA? “It is the first time I’ve lived in Southeast Asia but I’ve spent time in a bunch of different places. In Indonesia it was mainly Jakarta. I have friends working in media there. I know a lot of people in Manila too.” WAS IT EVER HARD FOR YOU TO ADAPT TO THE SINGAPORE CULTURE WHEN YOU FIRST CAME? “No. There are three ways you can come to a place —you can come in saying I know everything about it, what is right and what isn’t; you can come in saying I have no idea what’s going on. Or you can come in saying this place is whatever it is and the only way I’m going to understand what it is is not by saying it’s strange and exotic, but by asking what is it that is similar to what I know. From the commonalities you can find understanding. I personally came in saying I’m open to what it is and I’ll find out what I do and don’t have in common.”

Yogya Afternoon 2012

VOL 4.1

FE AT URE S | W ORL D V IE W

WHAT DID YOU FIND YOU HAVE IN COMMON AND WHAT IS DIFFERENT? “Some things about Singaporean culture can be understood out of the British tradition. There are some things that I learn about Chinese families that are ver y different from Jewish families. I meet people, I get to know them, and they get to know me. If we get along we start to learn about each other and you figure it out that way. If you live in a place long enough hopefully you’ll take the time to understand it—the culture, the politics. There are still things that confound me about Singapore. That’s just part of living anywhere. I also make comparisons to where I’ve lived before but that does not mean the US is the best and whatever you compare it to is always inferior. It is just a measurement system.”

make a comparison. The conclusion is that the HDB system is definitely superior. People are not homeless here. They have decent quality homes. Comparison doesn’t have to be one sided, one way or the other. I’m not coming in saying I am a westerner and so I know better and I’m superior.”

Exotic tends to say that it’s not human. For the most par t, most of the people I’ve met here have been human! There have been plent y of things that have been difficult but most of them haven’t been specifically because I’m in Southeast Asia.”

YOUR VIEWS ON THE LOCAL ART SCENE? “I find the art scene here very interesting. There are a lot of good artists and people doing great work. But show me a place where that isn’t true. I like it here; I don’t have any big problems. Like I don’t find that every chance that I get that I have to go back to Europe or the United States. Here I have a lot of friends; I like what’s going on. I don’t see any problem. There’s an interesting ar t scene going on.”

“For example, if I look at the hdb system in Singapore of the government financing money to give the middle class a form of housing; and compare that to the projects in the United States which initially attempted to be that but ultimately became lower income housing, I can

“I was teaching when I was back in New York and there has always been a large Asian student population so it isn’t something completely new. Some people have a certain place in the world that they gravitate to. Singapore isn’t completely alien for me. It isn’t exotic, it’s just human.

EVER BEEN TEMPTED TO SPEAK IN SINGLISH? “No. It’s great but it is foreign to me. I would never attempt to talk to people in Singlish because it isn’t natural to me so it might appear condescending and that’s not something I want to do. One of the things that really scares me is going native. I am who I am, we meet as equals. I don’t want to pretend I am what you are and I’ve had the same experiences that you have when I haven’t. Nor do I want to seem like I’m reaching down from a better place. The only w ay for me to deal with someone in a w ay that is truly authentic is to acknowledge who I am and acknowledge who they are but not by pretending to be par t of their culture. It will come off as condescending. Singlish is not par t of my language.”

VOL 4.1

Speaker 2006

“On the other hand, I wish I could speak it because it has a musical flow and quality to it, I wish I could do that but I can’t. Over the years I’ve started to understand the phrases. You have to know more than that though to start speaking it. It has to be natural.” YOU’VE TAUGHT IN BOTH NEW YORK AND ADM. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OUR STUDENTS? “I taught at the School of Visual Arts and Parsons. I taught the mfa program at the school of Visual Ar ts. I’d say that American students come in with more background. They’ve seen more shows and been to museums, they have more experience and exposure. The student body was smaller. Parsons at one point had a lot of Japanese students. There were people from all over the place—Korea, Japan, and South America.” “A dm students work a lot harder. When it comes to the quality of student work that I see here compared to Parsons and the School of Visual Ar ts... You guys come in knowing nothing and come out equal if not better in the long run. You

work harder. Some people go to school in New York just because it’s a great place to live. The quality of what you guys put out is phenomenal. The average work that I see coming out of every department here is certainly equivalent to those at Parsons. You come in knowing nothing, which is bad in some ways and good in others. You come in with a blank slate so you can start from scratch.” “School here in Singapore for the most par t teaches you to look at the world in a bunch of lit tle boxes. You don’t take something from Math class and tr y to apply it to histor y. This is a problem for us as teachers. You’ve been tr ained to keep things ver y separ ate, so the first three years is spent just tr ying to break that down, hopefully by F YP. That’s probably the most negative thing. You’ve been trained to think a certain way. By coming here you’re a little more open to putting things together and self-selecting exceptions to the rule. This is true of art school any where in the world but it is especially true here because of what you’ve been taught.”

“I have shown work from here to other people. I have a friend in the uk who I sent the catalogues of two of our a dm shows and honestly, he was very impressed. He’s been teaching arts in the uk for a long time and he was very impressed.” ANY ADVICE FOR ADM STUDENTS? “Go to shows! You guys don’t go to enough gallery shows and museums. You should all take a tour of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Look at things; see what’s out there. Read books. Go see some live music.” HOW CAN WE DEVELOP OUR OWN CULTURE? “People (and especially governments) are so concerned with trying to create their own culture, they need to stop and just do, make things without worr ying about it and it will happen.” “This is a politically based issue. When you stop talking about this stuff and just do it, it just happens. People don’t need to worr y about what it is to be Singaporean once they just are Singaporean.” 

VOL 4.1

S T UDENT INTERV IE W

C R CONNEC +IONS O S S

Art truly brings people together. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exactly what happens here at adm.

For this issue, we spotlight on two students of mixed descent that we could only beg to dream of.

VOL 4.1

S T UDENT INTERV IE W |

CONNEC + ION S

Lynn Yang Wolf Film

This half-German half-Burmese beauty is definitely easy on the eyes. Much to our surprise, she actually prefers to be behind the camera lens more than to be in the limelight. Spot her around adm if you can.

HEY LYNN! DO TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR MIXED CULTURE. “My dad is German and my mom is Burmese, but I grew up in Hong Kong. Ever yone in my family has traveled and lived in different countries [much so] that we’re all a muddle of r aces and cultures. Even the food we eat at home is usually a mix of Western and Asian. I think it is interesting to see how my parents raise my siblings and I by meeting in-bet ween the East and the West. The German side says I am supposed to leave home by 18 but the Burmese side says I can visit anytime. It is also funny how people can never guess where I come from.” WHAT L ANGUAGE DO YOU USE TO SPEAK TO YOUR FAMILY AT HOME? “Mainly English, but sometimes my mom speaks Mandarin and Burmese (especially when she’s scolding us). My dad isn’t so fond of speaking German though.”

VOL 4.1

HOW DIFFERENT IS YOUR UPBRINGING COMPARED TO THOSE WHOSE FAMILIES ARE ALL FROM THE SAME COUNTRY? “I was taught to be more adaptable and less judgmental. You’re pretty much a loner when it comes to culture differences with people of the same countr y because they will never see you as one of them. People in Singapore think I’m ang moh even though I grew up in Asia my whole life and don’t have any German connections—but people don’t see that. You definitely stand out a lot more.” HAS YOUR WORKS BENEFITED FROM YOUR MIX? “I actually tr y to stay away from cultural topics when it comes to my artwork. My work represents what I feel or what moves me, and being exposed to many cultures makes one feel that it’s normal. I tend to emphasize on life, love and death, more universal topics that I feel are relatable to viewers rather than where I come from.”

WAS THERE ANY NEGATIVE INFLUENCES? “I guess when you come from so many different cultures you don’t feel that nationality/race is important. This can be ver y confusing and so I focus more on myself as a person, not as my nationality. This results in me not really being patriotic to a certain style or tradition; instead I feel like a citizen of the world. My artwork tends to show that by being completely different every time. I guess I can’t find my style till I find myself first.”

I tend to emphasize on life, love and deathâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; universal topics that are relatable to viewers rather than where I come from. Image courtesy of Lynn Yang Wolf VOL 4.1

S T UDENT INTERV IE W |

CONNEC + ION S

Phoebe Imeunbee Animation

Talented in animation, passionate about animé: and she’s got the exotic looks to prove it. Of KoreanChinese descent with a Malaysian nationality, she shares with us the quirky experiences she’s had with her truly unique Asian descent. Japanese? Close enough.

ANY INTERESTING EXPERIENCE YOU’VE HAD WITH YOUR MIXED CULTURE? “The most interesting thing is when our family drives down to Malaysia in one car and the immigration officer looks at us funny when we present to them two Korean passpor ts (my brother’s and my dad’s) and three Malaysian passports (mine, my mum’s and my sis’). The three gir l s in my family w ill w alk str aight through the automated gates when crossing over from Singapore to Malaysia and back while my brother and father have to get in line, while we all get to use the automated gates when coming back from Malaysia to Singapore.” WHAT LANGUAGE DO YOU USE WHEN SPEAKING TO YOUR FAMILY? “English, but occasionally Korean when I am joking around with my dad. To my grandmother who only speaks Cantonese, I learnt to speak basic Cantonese.” HOW DIFFERENT I S YOUR UPBRING ING COMPARED TO THOSE WHOSE FAMILIES ARE ALL FROM THE SAME COUNTRY? “I’m luck y I get to celebr ate many holiday s: Singapore’s holiday s, Korea’s holiday s and

VOL 4.1

Malaysian holidays, like Korean Chul Seok, which is around Chinese New Year I believe. My family goes through some activities that are commonly performed during this occasion, like children bowing to their parents and playing this game called yut nori.” HAS YOUR WORK BENEFITED FROM THIS MIX? “I don’t think my art has really benefitted from me being mixed, but if anything, I was exposed to ar tworks from different cultures. During an Asian Ar t presentation, I was supposed to present on the Malaysian Kris, and my mum was extremely knowledgeable on the subject because she is from Malaysia. My dad occasionally introduces me to artworks from popular ar tists in Korea, so I’m exposed to many good ar tworks. In shor t, I get a lot of reference for inspiration for my own work.” WERE THERE ANY NEGATIVE INFLUENCES? “Not that I can remember offhand, I only remember the good. Well , I don’t really get influenced by my being mixed; in fact, I think I’m prett y Westernized.” 

I get to celebrate many holidays: Singaporean holidays, Korean holidays and Malaysian holidays! Image courtesy of Phoebe Imeunbee & Loh Voon Yew Terry VOL 4.1

S T UDENT INTERV IE W

INTERNATIONAL INFUSION adm is filled with outstanding talent. How does culture

play a part in inspiring our studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; works? 42

VOL 4.1

A collection of some of Kimberly’s still life paintings. Oil on wooden panels, 2012.

Kimberly Huang HOW HAS YOUR CULTURE HAS INFLUENCED YOUR WORK? “My culture doesn’t have much of an influence on my work, not that I can think of anyway.” DO YOU FEEL AT HOME IN SINGAPORE? “I do, actually. I really enjoy the independent lifestyle I have here, and after almost 3 years of living in Singapore, I can say that it’s pretty much my second home.” DO YOU FEEL AT HOME IN ADM? “I have a bunch of great friends that make adm feel like home to me. Besides, I spend so much time here doing work, that in a way it is my home already! This year’s student club is also doing a great job in building the school spirit; adm ’s student body is in good hands.”

DO YOU THINK NOT BEING A LOCAL STUDENT IS AN ADVANTAGE OR A DISADVANTAGE, (FOR EXAMPLE) IN YOUR DESIGN WORKS? “I don’t think being an international student affects the evaluation of my work in any way. The only downside I can think of is that international students are not usually eligible for design/art competitions and sometimes even festivals.”

IF YOU COULD LIVE AND WORK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? WHY? “Ever since I was 15, it has been my dream to work in the film industr y, and Holly wood has always been my dream destination. I’ve always been partial to California in general; I love the lifestyle, the weather, the people. It would be great if I could work and live there one day.”

HAVE YOU FACED ANY DIFFICULTIES? “I’m happy to say I haven’t experienced any dif ficult y that any other student, local or international, hasn’t already faced in this school.”

Kimberly is a third year Animation student from the Phillipines.

ANY PROBLEMS THAT YOU HAVE FACED IN YOUR DESIGN WORK BECAUSE OF YOUR NATIONALITY OR CULTURAL DIFFERENCES? “None.”

VOL 4.1

S T UDENT INTERV IE W | IN T ERN AT ION A L INF USION

Vedant Gupta HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR CULTURE HAS INFLUENCED YOUR WORK? “ Whether we realize it or not, culture does influence the style, notions, and preferences of a designer (fashion/graphic/interior). I am no different here. My approach is feeling-based.” DO YOU FEEL AT HOME IN SINGAPORE? “Not really.” DO YOU FEEL AT HOME IN ADM? “No.” DO YOU THINK NOT BEING A LOCAL STUDENT IS AN ADVANTAGE OR A DISADVANTAGE, (FOR EXAMPLE) IN YOUR DESIGN WORKS? “I take it as an advantage. Since I am from a different culture—I have something new to learn from and offer my peers and teachers here. I feel an intercultural influence might make my work different.”

VOL 4.1

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES YOU HAVE FACED? “ What I have noticed here in a d m is that the teachings focus on training your thought process and approach to a design problem. Ver y little attention is given to the technical aspect (in Visual Communications). I am not really sure how it is for students from other adm majors.” WHAT ARE SOME PROBLEMS YOU FACED IN YOUR DESIGN WORK BECAUSE OF YOUR NATIONALITY AND THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES? “Not problems exactly, but maybe a disadvantage. Local students have a stronger background in the field (along with some work experience) due to the education system here which allows them to take up design at an ear lier stage. On the contr ar y, our e duc ation s y s tem in India does not of fer design as a par t of its curriculum or specialization for students in high school.”

IF YOU COULD LIVE AND WORK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? WHY? “I would not want to settle down in a particular part of the world. I would want to change base every few years.” Vedant is a second year Visual Communication student from India.

This illustr ation was done by Vedant for

a dm ’s

Illustration for

D e signer s mo dule. Student s were asked to design a poster on ‘Beauty’. A quote on beauty had to be implemented in the poster.

S T UDENT INTERV IE W | IN T ERN AT ION A L INF USION

Lam Nu Lien Minh H O W D O YO U T H I N K YO U R C U LT U R E H A S I N F L U E N C E D YO U R W O R K? “This is what I feel for the most, I understand the most, I love the most—I am most proud of. It’s inside my blood. Hence, if there is any design brief regarding culture, my country’s culture is the initial thing I think of.” DO YOU FEEL AT HOME IN SINGAPORE? “Of course, initially I did not. However, Singapore is no longer as tedious as it used to be to me.” DO YOU FEEL AT HOME IN ADM? “At first, I felt very lost and isolated in adm . This feeling lasted for around two years. However, I encouraged myself, believing that the situation would get better, as long as I got along well with some close friends who never regretted spending their time sharing with me. It is great that at the moment, I can tell myself that I will miss adm like crazy once I graduate, although the community integration challenge has not yet completely been surpassed.” DO YOU THINK NOT BEING A LOCAL STUDENT IS AN ADVANTAGE OR A DISADVANTAGE (FOR EXAMPLE) IN YOUR DESIGN WORKS? “Personally, I think it is a disadvantage. The first adversary comes from the friendship zone. Most adm ers are Singaporean and not a large proportion of classmates are enthusiastic about international students. Hence, if a foreign student comes across with a project that needs more than one specialized discipline ability, it will be hard for him/her to call for help from other friends.

VOL 4.1

This results, perhaps, partly from the individualism culture in Singapore as well as the fact that people are too busy to help anybody else. However, I have encountered some cases where works were implemented in a tremendously professional way due to others’ assistance.” “Secondly, we hardly have direct support, both physical and sentimental, from parents and relatives if we are in need. For example, I had group work for a t ypo project in which we needed to set up a huge swing. The parents of one of my group members offered incredible help with logistics and swing construction. If this was my personal project, the idea would have never been implemented. But if I had done this at home, I know that my parents would have done the same.” “Thirdly, there is the limitation of financial budget, and its accompanied consequences. I guess most of you understand this issue. Lastly, it has taken some time for me to understand the aesthetic trends in Singapore and what kind of designs will appeal people in here.” “There are a lot of other difficulties. However, the situation is not that bad. My complaints are not aimed to discourage any other international students from studying at adm . I believe these sorts of challenges are faced by any overseas student, even Singaporeans going abroad. I promised myself that I would accept all these difficulties which are also a part of my learning. And they occasionally train my design thinking,

provoking my attempt for creative solutions within such constr aints.” WHAT ARE SOME PROBLEMS YOU HAVE FACED IN YOUR DESIGN WORK BECAUSE OF YOUR NATIONALITY AND THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES? “If I do any w or k r el ate d to my indigenous culture, not all the professors understand what I am tr ying to channel to the audience. The look of a foreigner towards any countr y is not aligned with the perspective of that countr y’s native people towards his/her home countr y. Despite these misunderstandings, I have been really encouraged to be creative with my personal unique local experiences, as most of theprofessors, I guess, want to see the diversity of designs strived from abundant cultural backdrops.” IF YOU COULD LIVE AND WORK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? WHY? “I am still not sure. If I had the oppor tunit y, I would want to experience living and working in as many different countries as is possible. The differences in environments among countries attract my curiosity. Maybe when I reach the age of 30, I will think of settling down in one of the countries that I liked the most among my previous voyage experiences.”

Lam Nu Lien Minh is a fourth year Visual Communication Student from Vietnam.

A third year graphic design project about traditional festival promotional campaigns. Minh featured a full-moon festival celebration in Hoi Anâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;an ancient town in Vietnam with all of its miracle secrets characterizing a full-moon occasion.

VOL 4.1

S T UDENT INTERV IE W | IN T ERN AT ION A L INF USION

Jonathan Tan

RUNNERS is a series of 10 images about Singaporean youth running throughout various locations in Singapore. They are a celebration of the Singapore landscape. Above: Shawn Capitol Theatre 11 Stamford Road, The Runners series. Right: Jo, Under Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim, The Runners series.

VOL 4.1

HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR CULTURE H A S INFLUENCED YOUR WORK? “ T he biggest takeaw ay w as to exper ience another culture from my own. It gave me the awareness that I am just a small part of what makes up the world.” DO YOU FEEL AT HOME IN SINGAPORE? “Yes, I think I can say I do now. This wasn’t always the case though.” DO YOU FEEL AT HOME IN ADM? “Yes, I feel at home in adm . I like my peers and we’re blessed to have access to great equipment.” DO YOU THINK NOT BEING A LOCAL STUDENT IS AN ADVANTAGE OR ADISADVANTAGE (FOR EXAMPLE) IN YOUR DESIGN WORKS? “Well it depends on what you choose to dwell on. But it has taught me to relate to different types of people and I find it less intimidating to do so.”

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES YOU HAVE FACED? “I think ar my pr et t y much pr ep ar e d me for w hate v er I w as going to ex p er ience in a d m , minus the dr awing skill s!”

with Singapore. But I will travel to other countries in order to make the work that I do. I’m interested in China and Japan in particular.”

Jonathan is a third year Photography student from Singapore.

WHAT ARE SOME PROBLEMS YOU HAVE FACED IN YOUR DE SIGN WORK BECAUSE OF YOUR NATIONALITY AND THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES? “It was more of a language problem at fir st —I couldn’t under s t and diale c t s . I’m s till not totally sure what the hawker uncle says sometimes but I manage enough to order my food!”

He lived in China for fourteen years.

IF YOU COULD LIVE AND WORK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? WHY? “I used to hate the idea of living in Singapore because ever ything was so controlled. There s e e m e d to b e r u l e s a n d r e g u l at i o n s f o r ever ything. But I’m starting to come to terms with that. It’s a great place to live, so I’m happy

VOL 4.1

S T UDENT INTERV IE W | IN T ERN AT ION A L INF USION

April Ella Liang

VOL 4.1

HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR CULTURE H A S INFLUENCED YOUR WORK? “I like finish wor k as soon as pos sible and prefer to finish work earlier than the deadline. Therefore, I like to star t and plan my work earlier (as my culture taught me that I will be screwed badly if I can’t finish it on time)—it is always good to start earlier.”

Ever y star t of a new academic year, I have to worr y about t h e a l l o c at i o n . T h e e x t r a commitment is ver y tiring for adm students because we always have a lot of work to do. Renting a room outside campus is not a good option for me b e c aus e the r ent al is high and also living with a landlord is just not as comfor table as staying in hall.”

DO YOU FEEL AT HOME IN SINGAPORE? “Yes, I came here five years ago, so I definitely feel home in Singapore and the culture is kind of similar.”

DO YOU THINK NOT BEING A LOCAL STUDENT IS AN ADVANTAGE OR A DISADVANTAGE (FOR EXAMPLE) IN YOUR DESIGN WORKS? “I think nationalit y is not a big issue in ar ts, I don’t think there is any disadvantage. Hmm... advantage? Yes! I feel that I know more about the culture of other races because I spent five years studying in a Malay school back into my hometow n. Hav ing quite a number of close friends in school, who were not Chinese, I got to know more about Indian and Malay culture. Therefore, I feel that it does help me to have more ways to generate ideas.”

DO YOU FEEL AT HOME IN ADM? “Depend on who I’m spending time with, I feel more at ease w hen my close fr iends are around me.”

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES YOU HAVE FACED? “A place to stay! As we all know that, we have to work very hard in order to get a place in hall.

IF YOU COULD LIVE AND WORK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? WHY? “The us. Because it has a lot of culture and a lot of popular culture began from there. I feel that the us might be a good place for me to find new inspiration after staying in the same place for too long.” 

WHAT ARE SOME PROBLEMS YOU HAVE FACED IN YOUR DESIGN WORK BECAUSE OF YOUR NATIONALITY AND THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES? “Don’t really have any problems.”

April is a third year Interactive Media student from Malaysia.

This interactive flash is based on an imaginary hut in the forest. The visitors will be able to explore different parts of the house and also interact with objects within the house. The idea behind this website is to allow the visitors to interact with and reveal every part of the house. As they navigate through it, they are able to view different places and objects within the hut.

VOL 4.1

FE AT URE S

Keeping memories, cherishing moments

COLLECTING CULTURES 52

VOL 4.1

DAYS OF NS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I got the gloves from Bangkok during a ns trip with my army buddies back in 2008. The Spider-Man figurine was from Taiwan, also bought at the same year during the trip.â&#x20AC;? Collection of Ng Qi Yang, Visual Communications Year 3

FE AT URE S | COL L ECT ING CULT URE S

VOL 4.1

REMINISCING TRAILS “The spoons were from Cambodia, while the matchstick box was taken from a restaurant back in Kyoto.” Collections of Zu Orzu, Animation Year 3

VOL 4.1

FE AT URE S | COL L ECT ING CULT URE S

VOL 4.1

CRAZE FOR PRINTED EPHEMERA “Hmm.. the countries I collected from are England, Japan, and Macau. The collections from Japan were a mix of my family’s travels as well as souvenirs from my friend.” Collections of Hubert Wah, Visual Communications Year 3 (previous page, left and above)

VOL 4.1

FE AT URE S | COL L ECT ING CULT URE S

BITS & PIECES “These figurine dolls are from Sarawak. They were gifts from my grandmother.” Collections of Vanessa Chan, Visual Communications Year 3

VOL 4.1

“The items I collected were from China, South Africa and Egypt. The peanut-like stone is a gem to me!” Collections of Tracy Thng, Visual Communications Year 3

VOL 4.1

BRIT INVASION “Oh, England. The transit card, the one which has Prince William and Catherine Middleton on it, is a limited edition piece!” Collections of Roxanne Lim, Visual Communications Year 3

VOL 4.1

LOVE FOR KEYCHAINS

“These keychains were brought from Taiwan, Australia, China and Vietnam. Some were also given to me by my friends.” Collections of Zhang Qiyin, Visual Communications Year 3

VOL 4.1

FE AT URE S | COL L ECT ING CULT URE S

EVERY SEASON’S CHANGING 2009 – Thailand, Kuching

2010 – Hong Kong, New Zealand, Macau 2011 – Hokkaido, Taiwan, Paris “Travels with my family. For leisure and for Christmas celebration.” Collections of Carrie Cai, Visual Communications Year 3

VOL 4.1

“The pair of chopsticks was a gift I received from the Thai school students during a school trip in Chiang Mai, Thailand back in 2001.”

“The tin candy boxes and the cat pencils were from the Taiwan/ Taipei trip in 2011 together with my mum & my sister.”

VOL 4.1

“The two glass bottles of tiny food and the miniature rattan basket w e r e b o u g ht a t t h e f l o a t i n g market in Thailand during the same school trip in 2001.”

MEMORIES ARE CONSTANT

“The rough cut crystals where from a crystal mining factory in Yunnan, China during a holiday visit with my dad back in 1999. The butterfly hairclip was also from Yunnan, but I picked it up from the streets.”  Collections of Lydia Wong Visual Communications Year 3

VOL 4.1

The fusion of different characters

VOL 4.1

THE WORLD IN TYPE A look at the unique characteristics of different languages in their typography, culture and characters

The most distinct feature when it comes to differentiating cultures of various nations is the language spoken. Different spoken languages create unique characters, and stylistic typographic elements.

VOL 4.1

THE JAPANESE LANGUAGE Japanese is an agglutinative language and a mora-timed language. It has a relatively small sound inventory, and a exically significant pitch-accent system. It is distinguished by a complex system of honorifics reflecting the nature of Japanese society, with verb forms and particular vocabulary to indicate the relative status of the speaker, the listener, and persons mentioned in conversation. Japanese vowels are pure. GRAPHICAL PLAY: the interesting swirls and curves FONT: Hiragino Mincho Pro DISPLAYED WORDS: Good Morning /

VOL 4.1

THE KOREAN LANGUAGE Modern Korean is written with spaces between words, a feature not found in Chinese or Japanese. Korean punctuation marks are almost identical to Western ones. Traditionally, Korean was written in columns, from top to bottom, right to left, but is now usually written in rows, from left to right, top to bottom. GRAPHICAL PLAY: Lines and circles FONT: Nanum Gothic DISPLAYED WORDS: Hello /

VOL 4.1

THE HINDI LANGUAGE Devanagari, the Hindi script, is written from left to right and can be distinguished by the horizontal line at the top of each word that links the letters in it together. This is a feature that exists in Hindi today. There is no system of upper and lower case. While the English or Latin letterform can generally almost always be related to the three reference measures of ascender, descender, and x height, there is no universal consensus on reference lines for Devanagari letters. GRAPHICAL PLAY: A bar that holds the curves FONT: Devanagari MT DISPLAYED WORDS: Welcome and Thank you /

VOL 4.1

THE THAI LANGUAGE From the perspective of linguistic typology, Thai can be considered to be an analytic language. The word order is subject—verb—object, although the subject is often omitted. Thai pronouns are selected according to the gender and relative status of speaker and audience. GRAPHICAL PLAY: Little loops within the Thai characters FONT: CordiaDSE DISPLAYED WORDS: Bangkok /

VOL 4.1

THE HEBREW LANGUAGE Modern Hebrew is written from right to left using the Hebrew alphabet, which is an abjad, or consonant-only script of 22 letters. Modern scripts are based on the “square” letter form, known as Ashurit (Assyrian), which was developed from the Aramaic script. GRAPHICAL PLAY: Confined in an invisible ‘square box’. FONT: Arial Hebrew DISPLAYED WORDS: Israel and Judah /

VOL 4.1

FE AT URE S 4

RED

A F B G Know what different colours C H mean all D around the world I E

COLOUR ME CRAZY

RED

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 A. Asia B. China 10 C. E. Europe D. India 11 E. Japan 12 F. Russia G. Singapore

H. S. America I. Western

VOL 4.1

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 1. Anger 2. Beauty 22 3. Celebrations 4. Danger 23 5. Desire 6. Excitment 7. Erotic 8. Energy 9. Fertility 10. Fire 11. Good Luck 12. Heat 13. Happiness 14. Love 15. Life 16. Power 17. Purity 18. Passion 19. Sacrifice 20. Success 21. Vitality 22. Wedding 23. Wealth

8 9

H G

D C

15 16

20 19

FE AT URE S | COLOUR ME CR A Z Y

YELLOW / ORANGE

ORANGE/ YELLOW

A B C D E F G H

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

VOL 4.1

I J K L M N O

India Japan Middle East Russia Singapore Thailand Western

18 Illness 19 Imperial A. Asia 1. Autumn 20 Jealousy B. Africa 2. Auspicious C. Burma 3. Balance Joy 21 D. China 4. Beauty E. Europe 5. Buddhism Masculine 22 F. Egypt 6. Cheerfulness G. France 7. Courage Mourning 23 H. Greece 8. Cowardice I. India 9. Creativity Prosperity 24 J. Japan 10. Desire K. Middle EastPower 11. Energy 25 L. Russia 12. Friendly M. Singapore 13. God 26 Respect N. Thailand 14. Happiness O. Western 15. Hazards 27 Royalty 16. Hope 17. Honor Evil 28 Repels 18. Illness 19. Imperial 29 Sacred 20. Jealousy 21. Joy 30 Sadness 22. Masculine 23. Mourning 31 Spirituality 24. Prosperity 25. Power 32 Strength 26. Respect 27. Royalty 34 Warmth 28. Repels Evil 29. Sacred 30. Sadness 31. Spirituality 32. Strength 33. Warmth

6 5 4 3

A B C D E F G H I

32 31 30

10 11

12 13 14 15 16

I J K L M N O

O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

19 20 21 22 23

29 24

28 27

FE AT URE S | COLOUR ME CR A Z Y 4

GREEN A B C D E F G

GREEN

01 02 03 04 05 06A. Africa 07B. Asian C. China 08D. Egypt E. India 09F. Indonesia G. Ireland 10H. Japan I. Middle East J. Muslim 11K. Saudi Arabia L. S. America 12M. Western 13 14

VOL 4.1

3 H I J K L M

15 16 17 18 19 20 1. Balance 2. Compassion 21 3. Death 4. Disgrace 22 5. Eternity 6. Exorcism 23 7. Family 8. Fertility 24 9. Forbidden 10. Freshness 25 11. Growth 12. Greed 26 13. God 14. Good Luck 27 15. Happiness 16. Harvest 28 17. Heaven 18. Hope 19. Life 20. Love 21. Jealousy 22. Nature 23. Regenerate 24. Religion 25. Strength 26. Success 27. Wealth 28. Prestige

A B C D E F G H

10 11 12

M L K J I H

H I J K L M

G F E D C B A

17 18

19 23

20 22

FE AT URE S | COLOUR ME CR A Z Y 4

BLUE A B C D E F

BLUE

01 02 03 04 05 06 07A. Africa 08B. Asia C. Belgium 09D. China E. Egypt 10F. Europe G. India 11H. Iran I. Japan 12J. Korea K. Mexico 13L. Western

VOL 4.1

G H I J K L 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 1. Art 2. Autority 22 3. Baby boys 4. Baby girls 23 5. Calm 6. Cold 24 7. Creativity 8. Depression 25 9. Freedom 10. Gods 26 11. Healing

12. Heaven 13. Immortality 14. Life 15. Loyalty 16. Love 17. Mourning 18. Peace 19. Porn 20. Protection 21. Religion 22. Sadness 23. Spirituality 24. Trust 25. Virtue 26. Wisdom

A B C D E F G

24 23

8 9

H I

J K L

L K J

I H G F E D C B A

17 18

22 21

FE AT URE S | COLOUR ME CR A Z Y 4

PINK / PURPLE

2 F G H I J

PURPLE/ PINK

A B C D E 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13

VOL 4.1

Japan Korea S. America Thailand Western

14 Love 15 Mourning 16 Mystery 17 Power 18 Rank 19 Religion A. Asia 1. Autority B. Belgium 2. Baby boys 20 Romance C. Brazil 3. Beauty D. Europe 4. Celebration 21 Royalty E. India 5. Children F. Japan 6. Cruelty 22 Sorrow G. Korea 7. Death H. S. America 8. Decadence 23 Trust I. Thailand 9. Erotic J. Western 10. Fame 24 Virtue 11. Fermininity 12. God 25 Wealth 13. Healthy 14. Love 26 Wisdom 15. Mourning 16. Mystery 17. Power 18. Rank 19. Religion 20. Romance 21. Royalty 22. Sorrow 23. Trust 24. Virtue 25. Wealth 26. Wisdom

A B

C D E

F G

24 23

8 9

H I

H G

F E

D C B A

17 18

22 21

FE AT URE S | C OLOUR ME CR A Z Y 4

BLACK / WHITE

2 A B C D E

VOL 4.1

Japan Korea Middle East Thailand Western

14 Marriage 15 Mourning 16 Mystery 17 Peace 18 Penance 19 Purity A. Africa 1. Auspicious 20 Respect B. Asia 2. Authority C. China 3. Bad Luck 21 Sorrow D. Europe 4. Celebration E. India 5. Darkness 22 Style F. Japan 6. Death G. Korea 7. Eternity 23 Truce H. Middle East 8. Evil I. Thailand 9. Funerals Wealth 24 J. Western 10. Heaven 11. Innocence 25 Wisdom 12. Luxury 13. Marriage 26 Virginity 14. Mourning

BLACK/ WHITE

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13

F G H I J

15. Mystery 16. Peace 17. Penance 18. Purity 19. Respect 20. Sorrow 21. Style 22. Truce 23. Wealth 24. Wisdom 25. Virginity

A B

C D E

F G

24 23

8 9

H I

H G

F E

D C B A

17 18

22 21

FE AT URE S

So you think you know all about adm and its students? Flip through these pages and let palette offer you a glimpse of what life in adm is truly like. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this ar ticle are those of the authors, and do not reflect in any way the views and opinions of the ntu School of Ar t Design & Media. Read with caution. And please, take it with a pinch of salt. Okaaay, a LOT of salt.

VOL 4.1

al e n o lif s r e adm e p r to tur u o Y ide cul gu and

ADM GUIDEBO OK

A is for AMBITION

adm ers have all kinds of big dreams— winning Oscars, taking photographs for Harper’s Bazaar, and more. For sure, we’ll have rich and famous alumni in the years to come.

B is for BOOTS

We are obsessed with this footwear; it’s almost the ultimate adm staple. Looks good with every outfit, and gives you that added “designer-edge”—certified by the world-famous doctor himself, Dr. Martens.

VOL 4.1

C is for COFFEE

Coffee is a NEED for all admers.

We will never pull through all the late nights chiong-ing and intensively xiong project assignments without caffeine. If hipster kids bleed glitter, then coffee runs deep in our veins.

VOL 4.1

D is for DEDICATION

adm

is all about dedication.

Which other school can boast of such an enormous number of students camping on weekends to work? The speed at which our vending machines empty is enough indication of the presence of these hard workers in school late in the night.

VOL 4.1

E is for EXHIBITION

Be it the end of semester show or the final year project exhibition, it is always very exciting to see people applaud our craft. Of course, it’s also a great opportunity to meet new people and ahem, “be inspired” with new ideas.

100

VOL 4.1

F is for FLORA & FAUNA

Our eco-friendly building is truly ntu’s pride and joy. Even people from other schools want to roll/swim/party in it—that’s when the Campus Security hotline comes in handy.

VOL 4.1

101

G is for G–SPOT

We admers are suckers for good design. Incredibly-good design excites us— leading some into a climactic chorus of “This is orgasmic design!” In adm, we strive to create works that hit you right on the spot.

H is for HOT

We’d like to think we’re among the better-looking people on campus. Let’s face it, nobody can match up to our clothing sense. Plus, we’ve got exotic, creative and vibrant personalities all over. First impressions last.

VOL 4.1

103

I is for I

Making strong statements and a confident pitch in projects will always bring you to higher ground. In adm, people boldly declare, “This is how I want my art to be.” Don’t give in to the pressure. Stand out, be proud!

104

VOL 4.1

J is for JOBS

Who says artists and designers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t churn out the bucks? There are a lot of opportunities and competitions within admâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hallowed walls. You just gotta know where to look.

K is for KNOCKOUT

adm ers have tons of assignments and sleepless nights, so whenever we have the chance to sleep, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bother to make our bed, nor brush our teeth, nor even care about anything elseâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; we literally just knockout.

See one of us snoozing at one corner? Wake us up at your own risk.

106

VOL 4.1

L is for LAST MINUTE

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re from adm, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve probably finished an assignment exactly three minutes before class is scheduled to begin at least once in your time here. Or is once a week more realistic?

M is for MONEY

The amount of money we spend on buying supplies and printing homework is probably more than what we spend on anything else. Empty bank accounts by the end of the semester are expected.

108

VOL 4.1

N is for NIGHTLIFE

It’s true. adm holds the best parties in ntu. Period.

Shots at Chupitos, Horrific Halloween, an Indian Wedding for Valentines’—there’s never a reason not to have one! Nuff said.

O is for SHAPE OF OUR MOUTH

“WOW!” when we see good design; “OH!” when we think of a brilliant idea; “AWWW...” when people help us out with work; “AHHH!” when we can’t finish work in time. The shape of our mouths is constantly in a big wide ‘O’. Most especially since we yawn from the severe lack of sleep.

110

VOL 4.1

P is for PREPARATION

When attending class, you need to be at the top of your game. In need of art supplies? Art Friend is your best friend. The newlyopened Buona Vista branch is a lifesaver for those living on campus.

VOL 4.1

111

Q is for QUIT

Yes, you read that right. Quit. How many times have admers secretly considered quitting school?

As the Queen herself said, quit whining, keep calm, and carry on.

112

VOL 4.1

R is for RESEARCH

Researching in our massive library is the best way to start on any project. The place is great for chilling, too. So many books, so little time!

VOL 4.1

113

S is for SHAG

Shagâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the evil monster that chases admers around 24/7. Monster Shag makes our mind shag, eyes shag, and bodies shag, transforming all admers into mini shag monsters.

T is for TIME MANAGEMENT

Surviving in adm is all about time management. What’s the minimum amount of sleep you’ll need to meet those deadlines? Prioritising classes, getting your designs ready to be printed and bound—managing your time here is essential.

VOL 4.1

115

U is for UNDO

It’s common here in adm to be forced to take a step back and undo your own work. Yes, it’s painful sometimes. Next time when you have to hit the Command+Z button, always remember, you’re on your way to perfection.

116

VOL 4.1

V is for VAIN VENDETTA

adm Fashion Rule #124: Putting on a scarf does NOT make an outfit evening-wear. Remember the infamous n.t.u. Style battle with another school?

We take our fashion very seriously.

VOL 4.1

117

W is for WAIT

adm ers should take some time to apologize to the people around us—our friends, families and partners. Due to the intensive workload, we’re guilty of making our loved ones wait endlessly for us.

Now, how ‘bout we show ‘em some adm love?

118

VOL 4.1

X is for MAC OS X

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in adm, you love your Mac. Enter an adm lecture theatre and be amused as seventy identical Macbook Proâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emerge.

VOL 4.1

119

Y is for YUPPIE

Owning a Macbook, drinking Starbucks and carrying a leather bag: admers are certainly on their way to becoming yuppiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Young Urban Professionals.

120

VOL 4.1

Z is for ZOO

is filled with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em wild party animals. We work hard, we party even harder.

adm

And we deserve it.

IN-DEP TH LOOK

SELFSTORY

122

VOL 4.1

Inspired by their places of origin, we reveal the team behind the magazine and the palette identity

IN-DEP TH LOOK | SEL F-S TOR Y

GOH SHAN LEI

Resting in a hammock under the mango tree of her backyard, she stares at the clouds in the sky —creating forms and starting her own creative journey. I doodle a lot when I was young and I ask (still asking) a lot silly questions like why dogs have 4 legs. I enjoy imagine things around me coming alive and just have great fun in coming out nonsensical ideas. Home is where my heart is. We live in rural areas. We walk to kindergarten and along the way we will stop at playground near many coconut trees (that is why me and my brother are always late to school!) My mum will sing us C-O-C-O-N-U-T song and rainy days were the best because we don’t have boots but mum will tie plastic bags over our feet and only change our shoes when we reach school. We enjoy taking slower pace and enjoying these little moments of everyday life. Nature is also a big par t in me. We go to the seaside almost every 3 days and fold paper boats to release them. Even now as I grow older, still enjoy taking quiet moments into the nature and believe there is always a loud voice behind the silent reverie. Environment inspires me and it’s my way of getting inspirations— walking, talking and listening.

124

VOL 4.1

These backgrounds I have influence a lot in my works. It is always about the nature, slowing down, people and cultural values. Malaysia is a colourful place, we have people from different ethnic, culture and religion. The multicultural background is one bright shiny match that sparks curiosity for different communities and things in me. I always envisioned myself as a multifaceted artist. I believe art comes in any form, even in the littlest thing we see, we feel or we adore. With the eyes to see and hearts to feel, artist set these littlest things into another platform to be heard. Art is contagious and infectious. This is the whole fun of the creation process and art making. Ideas influence ideas, creations create.

IN-DEP TH LOOK | SEL F-S TOR Y

TULIKA SUD

Tulika came to Singapore for her undergraduate degree at adm three years ago. She is Indian—having spent most of her life in Bangalore, India, with her parents and two siblings. Coming from a culture where the accepted career paths to follow are basically medicine and engineering, it took a lot of contemplation before I decided to go ahead and do design. I studied science all the way through school, and I wasn’t bad at it, but it was never what interested me, with the exception of Math, which I loved. For tunately, my parents were ver y supp or ti ve of this de cision as the y recognized that I should be doing what I love. Looking back, I’m surprised that I had the courage to do it when my friends and my teachers were all telling me that I should be doing science because I was good at it. My dad worked for a multinational company and so we moved around a lot. I’ve been in six different schools and lived in three countries. My family moved to India in 19 98 when my brother was born. India is extremely rich in culture and diversit y, a countr y alive with colour, and has ver y interesting histor y in terms of its ar t. There are a lot of incredible sources to dr aw from and be inspired by. I think my ar t is a ver y obvious reflection of my upbringing and culture. My professors and classmates often tell me that they can see the Indian influences in my work. I think even if I tried, I’d be unable to take it away completely

126

VOL 4.1

from my designs; and in any case I wouldn’t want to, because I think this is what makes me unique and all artists strive to be one of a kind, so why mess with a good thing? I strongly believe that there is nothing more inspiring than tr avel. The exposure that you get from visiting museums, monuments, c afe s , and jus t b y me eting p e ople f r om all over the world is something that can never be matched by books or the Internet. I think I hav e b e en v er y luck y in this s ens e as my f amily lo v e s to tr av el and w e go o v er s e as at least once ever y year. France, Switzerland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Britain, Australia, America, Dubai, Singapore, India. Each of these pl ace s has t aught me something different, something that reflects in my work in some way or the other. Nobody has had the same experiences as I have and this is what I strive to take advantage of in my ar t, what shapes my design identit y.

IN-DEP TH LOOK | SEL F-S TOR Y

CHIA XIAN MIN Visual Communications YEAR 4 2011/2012 Some information about her: Obviously camera shy here / She is a Singaporean / Cheerful / She loves Dogs / Lives with her brother and mom / Dad stays in her heart / Dad is her inspiration and role model in her interest in art and design / Red is her favorite color / She tries her best to always wears a smile on her face / She believes that a smile is capable of making more smiles / Mixing paint colors makes her happy / She plays the Clarinet and Piano / She loves to eat but she is not a great cook /

128

VOL 4.1

IN-DEP TH LOOK | SEL F-S TOR Y

NEIL BRIAN R ALAPIDE This is a story of a boy, named Brian, who dreamt of a world filled with meaning. Once in a while, amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life, Brian would dream for that solitar y moment when he’d be free of the world’s ills and have the time to paint what he felt at that time. Growing up in a small family in the Big Cit y, he got used to living a fast-paced way of life at an early age. His working parents, both architects, have bestowed upon him the talent of expression: through art, music and dance. Encouraging and all-knowing as parents are (and should be), they gave him what would be known as the best birthday present ever that early morning of 4 th of October 1997: an art kit. Filled with numerous colours in various forms one could only imagine: crayons, water-colours, coloured-pencils, oil pastels and a cute little pair of plastic scissors, he carried that huge box of art materials around proudly—knowing he could create a world of possibilities. And for a small boy, that made him ver y happy. Brian lived with his parents, his elder sister, and within their big compound, his grandmother, his aunts and uncles, and his cousins. On his birthday in 2004, he bid goodbye to all of them as he was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to pursue his education overseas.

130

VOL 4.1

Thankful for the guidance and support they’ve always given, he remained grateful and brave as he left. This boy, Brian, had big dreams. He loves art, and would want nothing more than to be given the chance to express it. He also loves visiting art galleries, just as it was back then in his childhood days, when his parents would take him out to view the museums at the Big City. He humbles himself down as he viewed the masterpieces of true artists, and all bright-eyed, wonders when he himself would be painting masterpieces. Art, as most people would put it, runs deep in the family—even his great god-father is a worldfamous national artist. Brian looks up to them as inspiration, and is admittedly highly-influenced by their styles when it comes to his art. Most noteworthy, he is in awe of their bravery when it comes to expression in their craft. Besides art, this boy, Brian, also has a deep passion for dance and music. He loves staying indoors on rainy days, curled up with a good book and piping hot cup of coffee.

132

VOL 4.1

135