The Activism ISSUE: July to September 2014

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THE ACTIVISM A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF

Nº.2 / JULY – SEPTEMBER 2014


INSIGHT

When people started calling me an activist in recent years, I rejected the idea almost immediately. I consider the personal to be political, and live my life as such, but I know too many people who truly dedicate their lives to social justice, to wear that label comfortably. Whether it be for women, animals, sexual minorities, sex workers, migrant workers or the environment, they work tirelessly and endlessly, banging against brick walls of bureaucracy, bigotry and embedded values, in an effort to effect change. So one day, when I was invited to participate in an event as an activist, I asked why. I was told that I’m an “art-activist”, because I often use art or words to address social issues and sometimes, to benefit NGOs. Is such a simple equation possible? How are art and activism even related? Many activists I know are also creative practitioners. A few say that for them, these two strands of work are unrelated. For others, they cannot be divorced from one another. Last year, I had the privilege of interviewing numerous individuals about their roles as

artists and activists. Some conversations lasted hours, meandering into unexpected territory. One of these was with Dana Lam. With her long, sustained history of fighting for gender equality, as well as her varied practice spanning visual art, theatre, film and writing, I’ve always admired her endless supply of energy and enthusiasm. We were speaking about her life when she brought up something that once caused her to question her beliefs: “When 1987 happened, I found that I was thinking ‘Wait a minute. How should I be raising my children? If I raise them to question, to care, to stand up for Singapore, is this what’s going to happen to them? If I teach them well, and they end up having their lives incarcerated, how should I answer for them?’” 1 “Of course now, I know how I should answer for them. You take what comes for your convictions.” A parallel emerged in a separate interview with film curator Vanessa Ho, full-time employee of Project X and co-founder of SlutWalkSG. Born in 1987, she


Vanessa Ho (centre), with friends and organisers of Slutwalk Singapore. Photo credit, Kelly Fan.

mentioned that one of her biggest challenges as an activist was her parents, who insisted she stop volunteering with HOME when its Executive Director organised a protest addressing the rights of migrant workers:

Does the state truly believe art to be so dangerous? It must. I have no other explanations for why one might be arrested for staging a play. Or for some of the ridiculous policies that “regulate” creative content in Singapore. Or for why our Prime Minister once drew parallels between street art and wild boars, both of which he felt needed to be kept under control, lest “Pandora’s Box” be opened.8

“He gave me the spiel about the ‘Marxist Conspiracy’ 2, about how the government will come after you.” Two of the detainees from 1987 were theatre practitioners accused of having used their creative platform for “subversive” activity.3 This got me thinking about incidences of incarceration without trial and the lasting impact they have had on us and our culture; the fear many of us still feel while groping around for “OB-markers”, invisible but assumed.

But perhaps keeping art dangerous is what sometimes makes it a sort of activism in and of itself. Using art to disrupt the status quo does not have to involve transgressing laws, although sometimes, it will. But it does involve creating spaces or conversations that need to exist, but don’t. Take for example, Post-Museum’s Really Really Free Market 9, which creates space for free exchange in hyper-material Singapore. Or Felicia Low using art as a mechanism for connecting with marginalized communities.10

It also got me thinking about a history of artists who veer into “dangerous” territory despite this fear, or, without fear at all. After all, practitioners we associate with “dissent” today, are not so different from some historical figures we might now consider as canonized. For example, when Martyn See 4 or Seelan Palay 5, uploads an otherwise banned video onto YouTube in order to spread information, how different are they from Social Realists who documented working class struggle using woodblocks, allowing images to be easily reproduced?

While I still don’t think of myself as an activist, something else Dana said suggests that artists and activists do have something vital in common: “The artist is the person. The activist is the person. It’s not like you take up projects. If the thing is in front of me, I feel I have to do it. You can’t walk away.”

Or how different is Choo Keng Kwang’s 1954 print of a policeman using violent force against students at a protest 6, from Lynn Lee’s documentation of SMRT bus-drivers sharing accounts of police brutality in 2013?7

While for me that does ring true, it feels though, that this should be the philosophy of every person, doesn’t it? Ideally, as decent human beings, we should be able to ascertain injustice or inequality and want to do something about it.

Lee, Palay and See have all borne the consequences of their convictions, experiencing repercussions ranging from police questioning to jail-time. Choo is said to have hid his work for fear of incarceration.

Or perhaps the role of art in activism, is precisely to fill that gap. To engage us in a desire for justice not just by sharing viewpoints about an issue, but by rendering us unable to simply walk away from it.

1

The incident referred to is Operation Spectrum, which was the code name for a covert security operation that took place in Singapore on 21 May 1987. On that day, 16 people were arrested and detained without trial under the Singapore Governmen t’s Internal Security Act (ISA) for their alleged involvement in a Marxist Conspiracy.

2

The Marxist Conspiracy here again refers to the events of Operation Spectrum. The practitioners referred to here were Chng Suan Tze and Wong Souk Yee, members of Third Stage, a theatre company. Third Stage was allegedly a front to ‘reach out to people and radicalise them’ through English drama. (“Marxist Plot Uncovered” , The Straits Times, 27 May 1987) 3

4

Martyn See is a Singapore filmmaker. He has made films such as Singapore Rebel, a film about Dr. Chee Soon Juan, Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Party, and Zahari’s 17 Years, a video interview with newspaper editor Said Zahari, who was detained under the ISA from 1963 to 1979.. Zahari’s 17 Years is banned in Singapore. Singapore Rebel was first banned when it was released in 2005, but was resubmitted for classification in 2009 and rated M18. 5

Seelan Palay is an artist and activist. He directed the film One Nation Under Lee, which is banned in Singapore. 6

Choo Keng Kwang is one of Singapore’s most renowned first generation artists. The print referred to here is titled The 13th of May Incident, where Choo depicted a clash between Chinese students and the British authorities over the issue of nation education. As the

article later states, the print was given to a friend of Choo’s for safe-keeping, but has resurfaced in recent years. (“Fragments of the Past: Political Prints of Post-war Singapore” by Lim Cheng Tju, The Heritage Journal, vol. 2, no. 1 (2005), pp30) 7

Lynn Lee, an independent filmmaker, was given a letter of warning from the Attorney General of Singapore in June 2013, for uploading her video interviews with two Chinese SMRT bus drivers onto her blog. The drivers were among four Chinese nationals who were arrested for organising Singapore’s first industrial strike in nearly three decades. (“Warning for contempt of court issued to indie filmmaker Lynn Lee”, The Straits Times, 14 June 2013) 8

“PM Lee talks about need to be selectively messy”, Yahoo News, 13 July 2012, https://sg.news. yahoo.com/pm-lee-talks-about-need-to-be--messy-selectively-.html, accessed 9 June 2014 9

Post-Museum, an independent cultural and social enterprise in Singapore, held a series of events called Really Really Free Market (RRFM), where no items were for sale, and everything was for free. RRFM originated in Miami, Florida in 2003, and has since spread outside of the United States to countries such as Malaysia, Australia, England and Taiwan. 10

Felicia Low is a visual artist in Singapore, whose works are community specific. Communities she has worked with include prison inmates (The Visit, March 2006, The Substation Gallery), sex workers (The Unheard Voices of the Red Light District, June 2012, The Substation Gallery), and the hearing impaired (Listening to the World, September 2006, Singapore General Hospital).


COMICS


TOP 5 LIST




PERSPECTIVES

Straight laced, buttoned up Singapore has experienced a surge of civil activism in recent years. Whether it’s a protest at Hong Lim Park, an Online Citizen article gone viral, or a particularly raucous Facebook discussion, dissenting voices are growing in volume and number. But what lies beneath the surface of all this excited chatter? As these activists will tell you, real change is something that happens incrementally.

GET UP STAND UP Louis Ng, Executive Director of ACRES Cause: Animal Rights Age: 36 Years involved in campaigning for the cause: 13 Q: How did you become involved in advocating for animal rights? I started becoming active in campaigning for animal rights when I was an undergraduate student at the National University of Singapore. During that time, I was a volunteer at the Singapore Zoo, and witnessed the abuse of a young chimpanzee. It never occurred to me that using the chimpanzee for photography sessions was cruel until I saw the animal suffering from being separated from her family group and being punished when she didn’t behave correctly. I stopped volunteering at the Zoo, and started a campaign to end the use of chimps in photography sessions at the Singapore Zoo. With the help of the International Primate Protection League, the campaign was successful; the Zoo stopped photography sessions with the chimps in 2001. Q. What have been some of the toughest challenges that you’ve encountered over the years as an animal activist? I started ACRES in 2003 with a group of like-minded volunteers. Running ACRES is hugely challenging. Like any other non-government organisation, funding is a constant battle, but above all, people’s attitudes towards animals need to change. While many people may profess a love for animals and condone animal cruelty, there’s still a certain inertia and pessimism in terms of actually taking action. At the end of the day, the real issue we are tackling is not animals per se, but to

encourage more people to care about animal welfare. That’s why a lot of our fundraising efforts are also geared towards raising awareness. One of the main focuses of ACRES is volunteerism; we have a full-time staff member dedicated to education and volunteer management. We believe the best way to raise awareness is to get people involved in the work we do. A lot of it is moving away from the perception that all animal activists are treehuggers, and promoting a more positive image. Animal rights can be an emotional issue, but we back it up with scientific data to earn more credibility with the public. Q: Have there been any changes in the way activism has been perceived over the years? When I first started campaigning for animal rights all those years ago, there was a pervasive notion that if you spoke up, you would get into trouble. Attitudes towards activism have come a long way since then – I think it’s quite clear when we look at the way social media has changed how people access alternative views and information. Q: Do you think that there are aspects of activism that are unique to Singapore? Activism is quite unique in Singapore, definitely very different to what people overseas would consider to be activism! A lot of the advocacy work that we do at ACRES revolves around working with the government. For instance, we partnered with the government to end cat culling in the Chong Pang district in 2011, and


we worked closely together to obtain the land where the ACRES Wildlife Rescue Centre is currently situated. However, this doesn’t mean that we would think twice about speaking up against the government. As much as possible, we try to give constructive criticism in response to policies that we disagree with, to effect change. In terms of animal activism, there are definitely more people speaking up and taking action, and it’s especially encouraging to see that animal rights are also becoming part of the political agenda. When Tan Cheng Bock campaigned for President, he took a position against the dolphin issue at Resorts World Singapore, it was a sign to me that advocacy for animal rights has moved to the next level. Jolovan Wham, Executive Director of HOME Cause: Labour Rights Age: 34 Years involved in campaigning for the cause: 14 Q: How did you become involved in campaigning for migrant worker rights? It was my experience living with migrant domestic workers as I was growing up. It troubled me when I saw that my parents had a lot of power over the fate of the workers. Even something as basic as a weekly day off or the right to switch employers was argued about and debated. When I decided to study social work in university in 2000, I was struck by how very little emphasis was placed on issues affecting minorities. I was curious about migrant workers because they were all around us, yet we weren’t really talking about them. I started by volunteering with the Catholic Church, and later joined HOME as a founding member. The initial years were difficult. I remember being shocked by how egregious the abuse and exploitation was. What surprised me even further was the government’s attitude to many of those problems. I knew we had a very pro-business government. But I didn’t think it was that bad! In the last ten years, there has been some achingly slow progress, since I started working with migrants. Their stories and their resilience have always inspired me. Q: What have been some of the toughest challenges that you’ve encountered over the years as a labour activist? Creating opportunities to empower workers to speak up and take action is one of the most difficult challenges. They are not allowed to form their own unions and they risk losing their jobs if they become too vocal, critical or are perceived to have over-stepped the boundary. Even as a Singaporean social worker, I need to be mindful of my colleagues’ fears. The heavy hand of the state hangs over you. We are always mentally prepared to be slapped and it is constantly at the back of your mind. It is really soul sapping and mind numbing. I’ve been censured before because I was accused of ‘instigating’ workers or for being too critical of government, and expressing ‘extreme’ views. When we launched a campaign in 2007 calling for legislation for a weekly day off for domestic workers, the government became paranoid and summoned the NGOs involved to a meeting. We were ordered to tone down and change our campaign strategy. There was little room for negotiation. Several years ago, I was also accused by the government of instigating Singaporeans on Facebook to write to then Minister of Manpower, Gan Kim Yong, because of outrage over deplorable foreign worker housing conditions.

Therefore, Devadas Krishnada’s remarks earlier this year in a forum that there is no culture of fear is ridiculous because the fear is everywhere. (The forum referred to here is “The Role of Public Intellectuals”, held at The Arts House on 17 January 2014) It has become so normalised here that people don’t think they are oppressed anymore, or don’t think it is wrong that the government can do this to you. Even donors freak out when someone like me is too vocal about controversial issues (such as the SMRT bus drivers’ strike and Little India riot) or is too ‘aggressive.’ The important thing is that people should not be scared when this happens. But unfortunately, many are and this is why the political change that needs to happen has not happened. Q: Has there been any changes in the way activism has been perceived over the years? I don’t think so. But the internet has created the platform for activists to meet, share ideas, and build solidarity. A good social support network is essential because activism can be tiring and change takes a long time. It often feels as if you are banging your head against a wall. Q: Do you think that there are aspects of activism that are unique to Singapore? Yes, there is a tendency not to ‘confront’ the government head on and to use very mild language even when you disagree. The argument is that it is important not to ‘inflame’ passions. Activism can be emotional, it can be angry and it is perfectly normal for those who feel strongly about social justice to be enraged and to express those feelings. But you can’t do that here. This is one of the problems of living in a culture of fear. Ultimately, it is bad for us because it normalises self-censorship, and when people start second guessing themselves, they dare not think beyond the boundaries that have been imposed on them. When I started out in migrant rights activism, one of the main things we did was to tell stories and write letters to the press. We worked a lot with mainstream and social media to achieve this. We wanted to bridge the gap between the workers’ lives and the rights they were supposed to have. Talking about human rights would not move anyone. Stories and narratives speak to the heart and this was what we wanted to achieve: an emotional connection to anyone who wanted to know what was happening to migrant workers. Boo Junfeng said that Pink Dot could not be a normal ‘pride’ parade with marches and placards. It was important to normalise the issue and make it appear welcoming. This was achieved by appropriating heteronormative values and appeals to nationalism. I think this is a feature of activism here: we often think about how to ‘mainstream’ the issues without thinking whether mainstreaming should even be the objective because it might perpetuate and reinforce values or attitudes which are deeply entrenched and need to be re-examined. Another example is our day off campaign for domestic workers. We talked about how the domestic worker would be more ‘productive’ if she was well-rested. But actually, the economic imperative shouldn’t be the point. Letting someone rest was just the decent thing to do, who cares whether she could work properly for you or not! But the language of economics resonates here. I don’t think such an approach is necessarily wrong because there are gains to be made in such strategies. But there is certainly more space for other types and forms of activism and it would be great to see more of that emerge from the ground.


AUNT AGGIE

ASK

Q: Dear Aunt Aggie, I am in a dating dilemma. I have been going steady with a man who looks like a post-op K-Pop boyband member, carries my brand name bags, and even volunteers at art organisations like The Snubstation. But there’s just one problem with this fairytale romance – he is a truegreen vegan rebel with a cause and I am a true-blue, meat eater who hates veg! I love the man but I cannot love his vegan life! What do I do!? Ms Kentucky Fryed Qi Kern Ms Kentucky Fryed Qi Kern, I feel you Ms KF Qi Kern. As a fellow feminist foodie, I love meats and sausages in all shapes and sizes. I even like them cut and raw (yes, I am still talking about food here). In fact, my favourite brand names are Wooloomooloowaterloo and Air Porky. So I feel your pain when your man only likes chucking green stuff down his piehole. I know you have tried embracing his lifestyle and failed so why don’t you try be a meat activist and convert the man? Sprinkle bacon bits on his salad and lie that they are exotic dried peanuts. Replace all his animal fat-free toiletries and cosmetics with off the shelf products (stick on fake ingredient labels) and compliment how selfie-sh he looks since he’s used them. Afterall, the point of every woman in a relationship is to better her man by either battering or buttering him up, no? Make him submit to your cause of sausage loving feminism and down with chau-vegan-ism! Aunt Aggie

Q: Dear Aunt Aggie, I am an artist! I believe that artists need to not only be seen and heard, but also respected in society. As such, I believe that we need to be accorded rights that ensure that we are valued. Rights such as: being allowed to paint all over public property as we add colour to the concrete jungle, getting free work studios since artists need conducive environments to loll around in, and getting limitless funding to create works as art is priceless. street performance-sculptor Tang WenLee Da Kuning Dear pish-posh willy-wash,

Q: Dear Aunt Aggie, I have started a campaign against something or another, and so far, the only supporter I have garnered is my mom! I’ve stood on soapboxes, started a website, and have a sneaking suspicion that my friends have blocked me on Facebook because of incessant posts about my cause. Please teach me how to spread the word about my campaign, which would catch on like wildfire if only more people knew about it! Ardently-against Something Dear Ardently-against Something,

Are you actually asking a question or are you just declaring an artist statement? But my demanding dearie, I sooo totally agree with you – artists do need rights! Like the right to remain silent. Like the right to an attorney when one is caught perving with a yellow paintbrush in nude public painting activities. And the right to get $5000 funding to make a work and sell it for $25 000 through a gallery at a 1st world moneyed, 3rd world taste, consumer-speculative market like Art Basil and Art Staged because yes, Art is pricey, I mean, priceless. Some suggestions to securing these rights: use social media and start a movement like “Preoccupy!” or “Squatter!” or “Free Dumb!” (but first apply for the necessary permit and licence okay?). Aunt Aggie

First of all, take a page from the book from our friends at the Campaign for Plain English, and learn how to communicate your key messages clearly and concisely. No one likes hearing angry, incomprehensible ranting, not even if you’re a newly married superstar rapper. Secondly, find the right communication channels for your cause. Fighting for animal rights? Volunteer with ACRES! Concerned about the plight of migrant workers? Contact HOME! Think that it’s your god given right to demand seats on the MRT? Sign in to STOMP! As long as you’re armed with a thick skin, a list of easy to remember talking points, and an internet connection, the sky’s the limit. Aunt Aggie


EVENTS

SEPTFEST 2014 Septfest is The Substation’s month-long annual anniversary celebration, and we turn 24 this year! For 2014, Septfest aims to bring the community together in support of The Substation, by bring the focus back to our historic building. Highlights for the month include a fundraising exhibition for The Substation Gallery, featuring works from Singapore artists, and our very first crowdfunding campaign, which will offer unique rewards specially designed by Singapore artists such as SKL0 and MessyMsxi. The building facade will be brought to life with a special installation by craft duo Momshoo, made up of woolly creations by over 200 members of the public.

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL We’ve let the superstars of Australia’s biggest comedy festival off the leash on the road! From Hobart to Hong Kong and back, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow is a comedy odyssey, bringing a raft of the world’s best comedy to one big show for a raucous night out.

Monday 1 to Saturday 27 September 2014, The Substation, Admission: Free, www. substation.org/septfest

MEDEA BY TAN SHOU CHEN This new staging of Medea rips down the curtains to bare a naked stage, and audience sits onstage with the actors. Using theatrical languages borrowed from the culture of Singapore’s past, present and future, this staging features original compositions by Benjamin Lim Yi (Teng Ensemble) and movement inspired by Bharatanatyam. Directed by Tan Shou Chen, under The Substation’s Directors’ Lab programme.

NIGHTFEST @ THE SUBSTATION Expect two weekends filled with raucous activity as The Substation gears up once again for Nightfest. We’ve got something for everyone, from live local music, to romantic comedies by young Singaporean filmmakers. Savour local delights in our hawker alley, create your very own souvenir for the night at our screen printing workshops, or enjoy some hilarious wrestling antics! Friday 22 and Saturday 23 August 2014, 8pm to 2am; Friday 26 and Saturday 27 August 2014, 8pm to 2am The Substation, Admission: Free

Tuesday 8 to Friday 11 July 2014, 8pm; Saturday 12 July 2014, 6pm and 9pm, DBS Arts Centre – Home of SRT Admission: Tickets from $46, available from SISTIC No entry for people under 16 years of age

Friday 26 September 2014, 8pm; Saturday 27 September 2014, 3pm and 8pm, LASALLE Collge of the Arts - SIA Theatre Admission: $20 / $15 (concession). Tickets from The Substation Box Office. IF YOU LOVE ME & I KNOW IT BY THE SUBSTATION LOVE LETTERS PROJECT Poet Cyril Wong curates a brand new series of love poems by local poets, writing on the theme: If You Love Me & I Know It. These poets spell it out in moments of ecstasy, tinged with fear and from the deepest vulnerability. Each month will feature a new poem on a specially designed postcard. Pick up a different limited edition postcard from The Substation each month

FIRST TAKE BY THE SUBSTATION MOVING IMAGES First Take is a monthly screening of new local short films, followed by a QnA with the filmmakers. It’s a platform for filmmakers and anyone interested in filmmaking to meet and share their work. For more information, email aishah@substation.org or call 6337 7535.

FISH BY ENG KAI ER Eng Kai Er in collaboration with Alvin Koh, Lim Jun Jie Jey, and Vincent Chia present an experimental, devised, physical theatre performance. Through a series of interrelated scenes incorporating dance, singing and storytelling, the performers present different aspects of the theme, freedom. Part of The Substation’s Directors’ Lab programme. Friday 5 September 8pm; Saturday, 6 September 8pm LASALLE College of the Arts - Creative Cube, Admission: $15 / $10 (concession). Tickets from The Substation Box Office

First Monday of each month, 8pm LASALLE College of the Arts, F208, Block F, Level 2 Admission: Free

CCD FORUM: REFORM & CONFORM OR COUNTERCULTURE? BY COMMUNITY CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT How does an artist uphold beliefs and ideas in the business of the arts & community in Singapore? How do we render bold strokes in form and meaning to demonstrate beliefs, and ideas in the practice of social and political dilemmas in the community? This forum will explore these questions with speakers Kristen Han, Chua Beng Huat, Bani Haykal, IFChina, and Syed Jamil Ahmed Friday 12 September 2014, 9am – 1.30pm, Aliwal Arts Centre Admission: $38, visit www.ccdforum2014.com to register Opening: Thursday 10 April 2014, 7.30pm HAND GUN ZEN BY BEN PUAH AND KAI LAM This exhibition will showcase new works by Ben Puah and Kai Lam, curated by Cultural Medallion recipient, Lee Wen. It celebrates the achievements of humankind and the poetry of every day life. Friday 18 to Wednesday 30 July 2014, 12pm to 9pm, The Substation Gallery, Admission: Free Opening reception: Thursday 17 July 2014, 7pm

DAYDREAMS + NIGHTMARES BY MONSTER GALLERY Showcasing original prints by: Michael Ng aka Mindflyer, Tilen Ti, Lee Ruixiang, Michy Witchy, Sidd Wills, Lindsey Bailey, Ong Lijie, Philip Hemnell, Joseph Chiang (Monster Gallery), Holycrap (Renn & Aira), and PHUNK. These artists and art collectives will open their hearts and bare their souls to show you their most vivid daydreams and darkest nightmares through printmaking! Friday 22 to Saturday 30 August 2014, 12pm - 9pm Opening night: Thursday August 21 2014, 7.30pm Silkscreen printing workshops on 22, 23, 29 and 30 August. Email registration@substation.org for details Workshop admission: $12, pay before start of session.


About the Contributors Tania De Rozario, artist / writer Tania De Rozario is an artist, writer and curator interested in issues of gender and sexuality. Co-founder of EtiquetteSG, she is the author of Tender Delirium (Math Paper Press | 2013) and was the 2011 winner of the NAC-SPH Golden Point Award for English Poetry. She is currently penning her second full-length book, And The Walls Come Crumbling Down. Tania is an Associate Artist with The Substation (Singapore), where she is currently working on Making Trouble, a research project documenting links between activism and visual arts in post2000 Singapore. MessyMsxi, illustrator Born in Singapore, Msxi has learnt to find beauty in the vernacular, the “everyday”. From this little isle, she often dreams of a bigger, better world – a brighter “everyday”. Msxi now works independently as a full-time illustrator and held her first solo exhibition at The Art Studio, Old School in Singapore in 2010. She has received numerous accolades for her work. Most recently in 2013, she has been nominated for ‘Women of Our Time 2013’

under the Design & Style category by Women’s Weekly Singapore. She also won The Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award 2013 for Where’s Grandma?. Visit http:// www.messymsxi.com for more of her work. Xian Yan, Comics illustrator Xiao Yan recently graduated from the School of Art, Design and Media in Nanyang Technological University. She enjoys drawing and painting drag queens, comics and other absurdist misadventures, some of which can be found at thirdtentacle.net. To date she has illustrated The Girl Under the Bed, a full length graphic novel in collaboration with local writer Dave Chua, published by Epigram books. Lim Morrison, Comics writer Lim Morrison used to write for BigO. He still dreams of the lizard king.

Would you like to contribute to ISSUE?

A chat with illustrator MessyMsxi about her inspiration for the centrefold illustration, Bring the Girls Home. Q: The title of the work of course refers to the recent kidnapping of the Nigerian schoolgirls. Are women’s issues something you feel particularly strongly about? No, not in particular. Sometimes I pick up on news articles that I connect with, and that may lead to more research and then I build a thought around that. Q: Do you think art can be a form of activism? Yes, it can make a huge positive difference in the world. I greatly admire John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

ISSUE is a publication by The Substation that features a different theme every quarter. If you like what you see, and would like to contribute as a writer, illustrator or help distribute ISSUE, please get in touch with Chelsea at chelsea@substation.org.

About The Substation The Substation was founded in 1990, and is Singapore’s first independent contemporary arts centre. We promote research, experimentation, and innovation in the arts, and have worked with some of Singapore’s finest artists, writers, and intellectuals. The Substation is a non-profit organisation. It is 100% reliant on financial and in-kind support from the general public, commercial organisations, and foundations. The Substation is a registered charity, and as such, donors receive a 250% tax exemption on any amount donated.

Contact Us 45 Armenian Street, Singapore 179936 www.substation.org The Substation Gallery Open daily, 12pm – 9pm, closed on public holidays

For courses, ticket sales, and enquires about our events, please contact The Substation Box Office

For all other enquires, including those pertaining to venue rental, please contact The Substation Office

Open Monday to Friday 12pm – 2pm / 5pm – 8pm

Open Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm, closed on public holidays

One hour before start of show on weekends

T: 6337 7535 E: admin@substation.org

T: 6337 7800 E: boxoffice@substation.org

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