thoughts and processes

of thoughts and processes

2008-11-01T23:55:00.001+08:00

the harmful effect of wanting to know everything quickly.

2008-09-21T23:43:00.003+08:00

a) it becomes an obsession to know the definite answer

b) it becomes a must to find answers quickly

c)somehow - it turns us into 'stalkers' of other's life - that by reading what they have written/uploaded, it gives us clues as to who they are as a person (which is really not true; as when we blog, we are fully aware that others could read what we have written)

d) that we care to know what is going on in the minds of others when in fact we ourselves are in confusion as to how our mind works

e)that we forget the beauty of process of anything (that matters to us)

f)that sometimes the privacy of one's life becomes a reflection of another - in which we assure ourselves that what we are going through is similar to someone else in this world

Human beings needs constant assurance and recognition that they are accepted by others?

To take note:

2008-09-01T20:10:00.002+08:00

The things that matter - Edward Mendelson
Sources of the Self : The Making of Modern Identity - Charles Taylor
Pedagogy of Freedom - Paulo Freire
The Miseducation of Education - Noam Chomsky

***

Fahrenheit 9/11
Harold and Kumar Guantanamo Bay
Jean Luc Godard
P.Ramlee

Dialogical : Constant invisible dialogue in how others see us and how we see ourselves

sketch 2

2008-06-05T23:41:00.002+08:00

Issues of identity and Culture

2008-05-05T00:43:00.003+08:00

in Jebat: Death of a Warrior

.....

Looking back to 1819 or before, the history of Singapore – Sultan Hussein and the Temenggong were paid a nominal sum by the British to have the rights to set a port in Singapore. How are all this linked? These issues of special rights sometimes make things more complicated than they already are. For one, it creates dependency. From dependency, it may create obligation. And obligation can be culturally constructed within a society.

......

Reflecting back: how does this relate back to, how theatres explore issues of identity in culture and society?

History affects the way we look at things – these understanding of history by playwrights (Malay playwrights in this sense) contribute or influence the way the playwright interpret their understanding of the Malay society and culture. This is so as playwrights write based on their observation;

“The process begins with acute observation of our own communities, an ear for language, and an eye for the unusual within the usual; what is unique about the way we live, our blend of cultures and ethnicities, our habits and our habitats.”(Britton, 1997)

Through theatre, there is no definite right or wrong. It is open to endless possibilities – the society we live in, the culture we choose to undertake especially in this era – where we are constantly questioning our intentions and understanding of things (well, at least for me). Theatre explores these issues through the minds of the playwright, the concept of the directors and the play/imagination/believability of the actors. There are many underlying reasons as every one of us come with different experiences and preconceived ideas. It is not just the understanding of one person, but many people for that matter. It is a collaboration of human mind and experiences. That is the beauty of theatre – collaboration, to a no right or wrong answer.

....

SIN – BKK – CNX [re-defining]

2008-05-03T01:04:00.010+08:00

A collaboration, an understanding, different cultural background = Invisible dialogue between the artist and the public

The idea of heritage expands beyond just Singapore and Malay context in particular. I brought my drawings and prints to Chiangmai for Wunderspaze Action Party 2. The work became different – it is no longer just about the Malay culture. It becomes relational art – working with the audience; creating an invisible dialogue between the artist and the audience through interacting with the artwork.

A Thai student started writing on the text of JAVANESE/MALAY. If I’m not mistaken, she wrote the text SPANISH + AMERICAN + JAPANESE

They were one of the first few to actually start the ball rolling. The man wearing the green shirt did the post-its labeling for most of the drawings.

The responses from the audience based on the initial drawing are the most interesting and beautiful. Because of the rawness of the drawings; I felt that the audiences were not hesitant to actually draw on the working drawings. There were a lot of meaning making going on during the process of collaboration. There is a beauty in act of impulse and spontaneity – in the act of not expecting anything in return. Reflecting on the responses of the public is not easy because there is always a constant dialogue between trying to figure out what they are doing – especially since some of the text was written in language that I was not able to understand.

I started writing on the window panels: “can you help me” in Thai

The act of writing on glass – is it an act or rebellion/graffiti? Writing/Drawing on the glass – is it because they didn’t want to work directly on the working drawings/print works? One thing that I realize is that most of the participants who wrote on the glass/window panels are teenagers or the younger crowd. Why is this so? Does it attract the younger crowd more than the older crowd – because it is writing on the window panels?

At the same time, I interact with the public by working in response to the drawings that they did on the window panel (using masking tape). In a way, it becomes a performance in itself. However, I stop doing it after a while, as some of the participants were a bit hesitant to draw/write when I came to close. Maybe they needed the ‘privacy’ to draw.

This drawing of “listen” is repeated a few times in other works too

The works became site – specific, especially for the drawings on the window panels. After the works are removed and the drawings wiped away, is it still an artwork? Or is it an act of letting go, on my part and on the participant’s part? Letting go of my works and allowing the public to take control of it and letting their (the participants) impulse to just draw and interact with the artwork. It is a humbling experience for me especially because, the intention of doing this interaction cum collaboration with the public was to gain experience and input from others.

The act of cleaning and scrubbing off the marker on the window panels became a performance in itself. I was quite hesitant to scrub it off because I feel that the essence that makes part of my work is lost. It is contradicting, because I invited the audience to draw/write, and after that I scrub it off. Somehow, the fact that the work is not permanent, makes it questionable? Should artworks be permanent? Should it always be documented?

The way I have arranged my work actually affects the way the public look and interact with the work. Some of the repeated prints were combined together and was narrated by the public. It never crosses my mind that it could actually be a story. Reflecting on this, makes me realize that the way I paste and arrange the works acts a stimulus to create reaction/impulses within the public/participants.

From 2D drawing to 3D – an architecture student from US

The public/participants came with different preconceive ideas, cultural backgrounds and experiences. The idea of culture became a ‘collaboration’. After a while, looking and reflecting on the works, this act of collaboration can become quite problematic. I was reading an article written by Thanom Chapakdee regarding Public Art and Collaboration and he mentions “Without having a real understanding of the local contexts of that community, artists pretentiously refer to the cultural benefits and improved living standard which community members will receive from art”. It makes me re-questioned whether the act of bringing in a different cultural context (Malay Singaporean) is problematic. What is my intention and how does bringing this into the context is relevant to the audience? How does it benefit them? I would like to end this with a quote “you know, the true essence of being an artist is not only in your art works. Your life, and how you lead it is far more important” (Navin Rawanchaikui, 2006). Sometimes, there is a need for me to constantly question my intentions of doing art and to be sincere about it.

philosophy makes you think, belief makes you lazy

2008-04-26T16:20:00.003+08:00

The ‘problematic-s’ of a society (or so they thought)

: the overflowing number of youth- *apparently, categorized according to their fashion sense = and perceived behaviour of a large number of them)
(thus to be associated seems to be a bad thing?)

high believe in fate (which obviously have to be followed by effort/persistence)

the extremely nonchalant attitude in most?

" When I had finished the first volume of this book, for some little time I
gave myself up to thought because I felt that the period of my lifetime
had witnessed so many wonderful changes and new things which our
grand-parents had never seen. Such events provided me with much food for
meditation. I viewed with particular disfavour the lives led by the Malays
and the circumstances of those with whom I had been acquainted. I had
observed their conduct, behaviour and habits from my youth up to, the
present time and had found that, as time went on, so far from becoming
more intelligent they became more and more stupid. I considered the matter
carefully in my mind and came to the conclusion that there were several
reasons for this state of affairs, but that the main one was the
inhumanity and the repressive tyranny of the Malay rulers, especially
towards their own subjects. The point had been reached at which their
hearts had become like soil which no longer receives its nourishment, and
wherein therefore nothing at all can grow. Industry, intelligence and
learning cannot flourish among them and they are simply like trees in the
jungle falling which ever way the wind blows. I noticed that they were
always railed by men of other races, small fry whose only value is to
provide food for the big fry." (Munshi Abdullah)

2008-04-22T01:45:00.001+08:00

1/3, Act 152, 2008

2008-04-21T01:31:00.002+08:00

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do"

... Mevlana Jalalludin Rumi

To take note:

2008-04-17T01:38:00.004+08:00

Arus Teater Singapura, Djamal Tukiman, Pustaka Nasional 2007
Bisik - Antologi Teater Singapura, Teater Ekamatra dan Pustaka Cipta,2003
Reaksi - Antologi Esei dan Puisi, Abdul Ghani Hamid, APAD, 2001
Tiga Visi - Antologi Tiga Drama, Perkumpulan Seni Singapura, 1990
Munsyi , Dr Hadijah Rahmat

Rendra - Mempertimbangkan Tradisi, PT Gramedia, Jakarta 1984

re-play

2008-04-16T01:11:00.004+08:00

"Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot."

Charlie Chaplin

2008-04-14T00:13:00.001+08:00

2008-04-13T00:44:00.003+08:00

in the midst of meyerhold, grotowski, lecoq and the never ending journals

it's good to be reminded:
may we do something for the love and passion of it rather than for the grades and approvals that are only temporary

29 March 2008, See Scape, Chiangmai

2008-04-02T00:47:00.010+08:00

2008-03-22T11:06:00.002+08:00

2008-03-20T01:20:00.004+08:00

:obsessions

2008-03-20T01:10:00.002+08:00

video for introspection 08.

the irony of things

2008-03-20T00:46:00.006+08:00

"The magic of first love is our ignorance that it can ever end."

... Benjamin Disraeli

and the power of story telling and romanticizing through mtv.

Melly and Evan : Tentang Dia

Sehitam
Langit di angkasa. Yang mendung
Memurungkan bumi.Takuti kemasa yang lalu
menorengkan.luka dalam hati
kekasih yakini cintaku. disinilah cintaku berlabuh
perjalanan mencari jawapan. berakhir karam dihatimu
Cerita. cinta anak remaja
Menggauli kidung kasih. punahkan takut dihati
Terkutuklah, bila kita berpisah
Selamanya harus bersama. buktikan kita bahagia ?
Tentang dia. tak perlu kau risau
Lagu cinta. hanya untuk kita ?
Dan kini. tidurku tersenyum
oh gadis.aku cinta padamu

2008-01-20T23:20:00.000+08:00

it's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get highit's time to get high

simple thrill

2008-01-15T23:37:00.000+08:00

hungry

2008-01-13T23:57:00.001+08:00

words does not justify one's emotions but creates a storm that may stir one's emotions.

sometimes, excessive knowledge may do more harm than good

and back to square one where ignorant is actually bliss?

2008-01-08T23:17:00.000+08:00

2008-01-08T22:50:00.000+08:00

we should not be held hostage to the slings and arrows of life

stereotypes are the exaggeration of the norm?

2008-01-08T22:36:00.000+08:00

cluttered-part 1

2007-12-11T21:54:00.000+08:00

exhibition catalogue as a valuable/sacred form of documentation of artist works?

Collecting exhibition catalogue especially one that is from the artist's solo exhibition became a necessity due to the limited resources of credible documentation of local artist works. This week alone, i've got hold of two catalogue; Juliana Yasin's and Joshua Yang (JY= coincidentally similar shortforms).The excitement to read the two catalogues; with the hope of having a glimpse understanding of what they are doing is the current motivation. This is often followed by the urgent need and thirst to do artworks (especially for one whose attention span is extremely short).More often than not, these catalogues will be re-read over and over again sometime later (maybe 4 or 5 months later). For the very basic reason to try to re-capture the essence of the work again.

A complicated and ever-changing process and maybe this is due to one's unfixed and cluttered mind.

2007-11-25T17:41:00.000+08:00

Kita guyah lemah
Sekali tetak tentu rebah
Segala erang dan jeritan
Kita pendam dalam keseharian
Mari tegak merentak
Diri-sekeliling kita bentak
Ini malam purnama akan menembus awan

-Chairil Anwar
22 juli 1943

Scribbles

2007-11-23T13:05:00.000+08:00

2006 -2007

Collage

2007-11-12T20:31:00.000+08:00

2007

Future of Imagination 4 - excerpt from 20th century theatre essay on drama as life imagined and possibility

2007-11-08T01:55:00.000+08:00

Vasan (Thailand)

Khai Hori (Singapore)

Kim Youn Hoan (Korea)
.........

What is life imagined and possibility in performance art? In terms of themes that the artist touches on, a lot of times, it is based on issues that are personal to the artist. Their actions or gestures became a medium for them to express their emotions and thoughts. It is how the artist imagined their life and society to be and not an exact reproduction of life itself.

An example of a performance artist that I believe is about life imagined and possibilities is Korean artist Kim Youn Hoan. During the recent Future of Imagination 4 (FOI) he painted a 3 metre flag that reads “ARTISTS AS WORLD PRESIDENT – KIM YOUN HOAN, Seoul Presidential Election 2007/2008”. He paraded the flag for an hour on a trishaw that brings him around from 72-13 to Chinatown. Is he playing with the idea of imagining artists as world president and the possibilities of it in the future? At the same time, he is also an activist in Korea, would this influence the way he look at the possibilities that he can be Korea’s president? Or could it be a mockery of the state of how artists are perceived as?

Another example of a performance artist is Singaporean artist Lynn Lu. For FOI 4, she set up a large tent. The audience has to queue up to know what is happening. The act of inviting audience’s curiosity - having to queue to know what is going on inside the tent. As I wanted to feed my curiosity, I queued up. What happen inside was the play of imagination and maybe creating possible friendships in the future. The interior of the tent was simple – 2 chairs were placed near each other and Lynn is seated on the one of the chairs (left). She ask me to close my eyes and she spelled words like ‘sweethearts, darling’, (sweet-nothings that your loved ones may call you) on my left palm. After that, she asked me to give her something back. The act of spelling on one’s hand with the eyes close plays with the idea of senses and sensitivity of the audience. It is intimate and the experience of each audience is different. While she is spelling the letters out, one’s thoughts may fly to imagine what she is doing and why. I feel that, that simple act is about the possibilities of how life is played thru one’s imagination, pushing the limits of realities (as normally, we may not want a stranger to touch our hand and spell out sweet nothings on our palm). The idea of trusting a stranger or someone we may not have met before.

The international performance art event that is called the Future of Imagination is itself interesting. Are the organizers (Lee Wen, Kai Lam and Khai Hori) looking at performance art as the future of imagining thoughts, dreams and desires? It is possible. The postcard itself reads; “The future is not enough”. So what does the future holds for these performance artist? Perhaps, it is the power of possibilities based on imagination.

......

Global- Local, Arjun Appadurai (4)

2007-11-02T00:21:00.001+08:00

The term primordialism which means constructed originality is vital in relating to idea of globalisation and the imagination. Imagination is deemed as a social practice in which one's future can be made possible. Primordialism which consist of ethnic, religious identification and original culture may changed due to globalisation. Globalisation can be loosely translated as ideas that came from the West. This is so as the West is constructed to be more advanced than the rest of the world. So to be advanced, we have to follow the West. As one become aware of the 'dangers' of being too globalised, we protect ourselves from globalisation by primordialism. In terms of art, the artist may choose to create works to defend his constructed identity.

Orientalism is the way the West looked at the east as self and the other. How is this linked to globalisation? As artist makes artworks that are primordial, are we actually agreeing to the Western's idea of us? The term constructed originality is problematic, as who constructs this identity? Is it the West?So, the act of defending oneself against globalization, it is actually a contradiction as one is actually conforming to the how we are perceived by the West. Global recognition is thought as a stamp that says that you are the best. At the same time, to be the best in the global arts market, we have to stay primordial.Looking back at Kai Lam's performance work. There is something about his work that shows a certain Asian-ness in it. Is it in the ritual-like performance that he does? In his performance, Anthology Blues, Kai was burning joss stick/incense and playing chant-like music on a modern instrument. What does this mean to him? It is related to his race and maybe a religious symbol to him. It could be a form of adapting his understanding of the traditional in his culture and appropriating it to his urban context. The understanding of how human condition change through time and at the same time how one takes, receive and change to suit themselves.

Playing the chant-like music and combining it with the sounds from his electric guitar, Kai was trying to put together his understanding of culture and Western instrument. Is his work primordial in one sense and neo-traditional in another aspect? I would think so, and would the act of combining culture and Western idea actually be more of a destruction rather than a route to globalization?

The context of art making 2 [6]

2007-10-28T00:58:00.000+08:00

Art and human relationships

Relational aesthetics is a theory of aesthetics in which artworks are judged based upon the inter-human relations which they represent, produce, or prompt.
"the role of artworks is no longer to form imaginary and utopian realities, but to actually be ways of living and models of action within the existing real, whatever scale chosen by the artist."
Relational Art..."main feature is to consider interhuman exchange aesthetic object in and of itself." -Bourriaud.
"Relational Aesthetics is a way of considering the productive existence of the viewer of art, the space of participation that art can offer." -Bourriaud.

Who judged the artist? The audience? It also reaffirms the idea that art have a social responsibility - as artists are working with the environment that they are in/or not? Inviting the audience into their space - creating the 'space' = art now is about the "interaction" between the social environment that the artist create and the audience encounter with it. The invisible wall between the artist and the audience in the process of art making 'dissolves'. So, is this to say that the final 'product' of art making is the audience encounter with the environment that the artist creates.

If this is the case, what happens when there is a lack of audience? Would the work be deemed unsuccessful? Failing is part of the process of art making. In the case of the audience - must they be informed (art ) audience or would it be better is they are the public who may not have any experience. But then, are we dividing the line between public audience and informed audience?Relational aesthetics talks about the context of art making at this point of time. It is more about the inter-human relationships between the artist and the audiences. Artist gives meaning to gestures/symbols based on their knowledge and experience.

Kai’s intention is based on his understanding and negotiation of life and relationship. This could be seen in FOI 4, the poetic symbolism of the fish and life - how often we may be deemed/perceived as pushing ourselves away from the conformity of life, when in actual fact, we are clearly misunderstood?

For the performance, it was held indoors and at a theatre space, 72-13. Are his audience known/informed audience? What kind of environment does he put his audience in? I feel that for that performance, most of his audiences are people who have knowledge in art. It did not reach out to those outside the space in which he was working. However, his work, Anthology Blues, which was held at Post-Museum, Rowell Rd, attracted foreign workers who were having their off days. I think that the venue in which the artist is working in affects the kind of audience that came. At the same time, one would ask if the audience intervention are actually permitted at performance art shows and how would the artist react to this intervention.

The context of art-making [5]

2007-10-28T00:52:00.000+08:00

The fine art of gentrification talks is about the issue of gentrification at New York, Lower East Side in which artists are indirectly involved in. Can artists be held responsible for this? It is unavoidable that they find the area to be 'bohemian' - suitable for their artistic practice. This will make us question their initial intention - after a while, the place was 'revamp' to create something like an 'arts village'. Gentrification is an example in which artist chooses to ignore the impact their action may cause to the environment and in this case, it cause thousands of people homeless.

In Singapore context, the social responsibility of the artist will also depend on the audience that comes to watch the performance or the exhibition or the space in which the artists works in. I feel that the performance (FOI 4) - being a durational one, in a way manage to get audience to look at his process of art making or meaning making. The responsibility would then be to how much the audiences are involved in his work. How much is he willing to share - or is it up to the audience interpretation? In his performance, he was performing with a fish. Is it an act of questioning our morality?

I do believe what Kai said when he says that the fish is able to live on water and on land. Is he questioning our preconceived idea/knowledge that all fish live in the water and that having it 'walking' on land is a form of cruelty? Is the artist in control of the situation? Is he in a way 'controlling' the mind/actions of the audience?

The words 'free live' that was written on his hand - is this a reflection/response? This act is contradicting as the fish is on the floor and it is not free. Furthermore, using a fish may be questionable as the fish (which is a living thing) has its own rights. Are we actually deciding for it to perform (just because it may talk in a language that we may not understand)?

thoughts

2007-10-12T02:37:00.000+08:00

paradoxical :
1.a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
2.a self-contradictory and false proposition.
3.any person, thing, or situation exhibiting an apparently contradictory nature.
4.an opinion or statement contrary to commonly accepted opinion.

ambiguous:
1. open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal: an ambiguous answer.
2. Linguistics. (of an expression) exhibiting constructional homonymity; having two or more structural descriptions, as the sequence Flying planes can be dangerous.
3. of doubtful or uncertain nature; difficult to comprehend, distinguish, or classify: a rock of ambiguous character.
4. lacking clearness or definiteness; obscure; indistinct: an ambiguous shape; an ambiguous future.

(Foucault - Madness and Civilization)
Discursive Formation - allows some modes of thought and deny others

Workable Conformism - defined as normality,maturity,developedness

Antithesis -opposition,contrast,direct opposites - the autonomous assertion of pure, spontaneous self

Homi Bhabha [3 ]

2007-10-07T00:34:00.000+08:00

Homi Bhabha talks about the interstitial space, on how the difference is articulated. It is always imagined that Europe is the centre. The idea of in between-ness and hybridity. Culture which interact, transgress and transform each other, thus destabilizing the idea of binary opposites.

The question of what is East and what is West is a paradox. This is so as we are acknowledging the term east and west and trying to combine the difference. This is called hybrid. The idea of the original culture may not even exist. This is link to the act of translation in which we translate our understanding of the guest culture to our work.

Artist are agents who generate knowledge and ideas in the act of receiving and producing things. They unconsciously or consciously would be speaking about the West and the East at the same time. In Kai’s work, the combination of medium between installation work/performance art (Western ideas) and themes/ideas/subject (local context) matter of the artist Kai's subject matter is a hybrid. His works have Singaporean elements in them due to the fact that he is based in Singapore.

Kai sees installation art or performance art as a progression from sculpture or painting. Through the use of performance, he is able to capture the audience to be more sensitive and aware to his art making process. In a way, installation art also does not restrict the viewer to just one image but many multiple images.The categorization of the symbols in Kai's work as being 'Singaporean' is problematic. It reaffirms the given meaning to these objects. There exists a conflict between his understanding and the historical narrative - or preconceived idea. This is unavoidable as experiences, heritage and culture influenced the way the artist defines his work. I feel that as Kai is born, educated and working in Singapore, his work is very much influence by the cultural context of Singapore. Singapore is itself very much a hybrid of different cultures and Western ideas put together. Due to this, the source of origin of any particular culture may never be known. His ritualistic acts (Anthology Blues), altar, incense and playing of chants could actually a combination of different cultural practices.

210907 [2.1]

2007-10-07T00:24:00.000+08:00

terms: [ given definition by people]

modern = west material ?
traditional = east spiritual ?

how the idea of traditional or primitive is being adopted or categorized?

dictionary definition of traditional:

traditional :
1.of or pertaining to tradition.
2.handed down by tradition.
3.in accordance with tradition

primitive :
1.being the first or earliest of the kind or in existence, esp. in an early age of the world: primitive forms of life.
2.early in the history of the world or of humankind.
3.characteristic of early ages or of an early state of human development: primitive toolmaking.
4.Anthropology. of or pertaining to a preliterate or tribal people having cultural or physical similarities with their early ancestors: no longer in technical use.
5.unaffected or little affected by civilizing influences; uncivilized; savage: primitive passions.
6.being in its earliest period; early: the primitive phase of the history of a town.
7.old-fashioned: primitive ideas and habits.
8.simple; unsophisticated: a primitive farm implement.
9.crude; unrefined: primitive living conditions.
10.Linguistics.
a.of or pertaining to a form from which a word or other linguistic form is derived; not derivative; original or radical.
b.of or pertaining to a protolanguage.
c.of or pertaining to a linguistic prime.
11.primary, as distinguished from secondary.
12.Biology.
a.rudimentary; primordial.
b.noting species, varieties, etc., only slightly evolved from early antecedent types.
c.of early formation and temporary, as a part that subsequently disappears. –noun
13.someone or something primitive.
14. Fine Arts.
a. an artist of a preliterate culture.
b. a naive or unschooled artist.
c. an artist belonging to the early stage in the development of a style.
d. a work of art by a primitive artist.
15. Mathematics.
a. a geometric or algebraic form or expression from which another is derived.
b. a function of which the derivative is a given function.
16. Linguistics. the form from which a given word or other linguistic form has been derived, by either morphological or historical processes, as take in undertake.

the artist as a translator - subconscious
- not what the artist say as the truth

Future of Imagination 4

2007-10-05T23:34:00.000+08:00

durational performance @ 72-13

Kai Lam

2007

neotraditional in Art [2]

2007-10-05T22:37:00.000+08:00

The neo-traditional in art deals with the question of traditional. What is traditional? Who defines it? What is traditional in present context? Before we touch further on the idea of traditional in Kai Lam’s work, we would have to look at what is the constructed, motivated belief of Kai, and how does it came about? Kai was trained in Sculpture at Lasalle- SIA College of the arts. There is this constructed belief that Lasalle students are “contemporary” and are influenced by Western Art History.

Neo – traditional art is the reinterpretation of the traditional art form which is influenced from the Western style art through colonization. Different community preserve a particular culture differently, thus varies according to culture.

With knowledge of his education background, maybe it would put certain things into place. I feel that Kai’s work have strong influences of Singapore. An example is the use of national symbols - 5 stars, a crescent and the statue of merlion. This questions our preconceived meaning of objects, which is due to our constructed belief of the symbols of Singapore. As mention by him, the symbols are owned by Singaporean, as the country is owned by all of us. It is also about the idea of empowering ourselves, how we define ourselves in the state control society.

Is he questioning the traditional idea of the symbols and coming up with his own meanings of what it means to him? The act of using is actually in a way 'preserving'? It is interesting to ask ourselves, who actually came up with the urban myth of the Merlion. I believe colonization may have a part in influencing the creation of symbols to create a sense of shared history (cultural identity of Singaporeans?). To me, the traditional in his work are the themes/symbols that he used in his work. Kai thus combine this with ideas from the West – performance art.

The use of symbols in his work (which may seem ritualistic and traditional) is combined with the idea of performance art. Based on the readings, we know that tradition is not neutral or natural but is motivated and constructed based on experience. It built through time, recirculating the ideas from the past ("stereotyping of the past"). We want both modern and tradition and at the same time we don't want to lose our tradition [problematic].

misinterpretation of meanings put together?

2007-09-26T12:10:00.000+08:00

To take note:

Translation: understanding ideas from 1 culture to translate in their work, for translation to happen there exist - guest culture and host culture.

Representation: The artist understanding/representation of the object/culture/host/guest culture

Interpretation: Our reading of the artist work

Translation: (Reflection 1)

2007-09-13T20:27:00.000+08:00

The reading talked about how translation is itself a problem and not a solution. Why do we see a need to translate? The term “the translator is a betrayer” is also true as the way we translate is based on our cultural background and preconceived knowledge. Nietzsche states that “truths are illusions of which one has forgotten that they are illusions.” It is an irony that although we know that translation in itself is a problem, we are constantly trying to find meaning in things around us. When it comes to Art, are we actually being biased? Like when we interpret, we are actually coming up with new meanings instead of understanding the original intention of what the artist is trying to say.

It is necessary for me to try to understand the cultural, academic, socio-economic background of Kai Lam, to understand what makes him do his art work as it is. Is it his translation of the socio-economic situation in Singapore? What is his source (object of enquiry)? How does he translate it? Is he trying to be critical by re-emphasizing/repeating the images? Is he doing it through humour? His 56 hour durational performance according to the artist statement is “…an ongoing attempt by Kai Lam to relate and translate physical art objects, sounds and visual texts randomly into art actions and creating an installation environment..”[1]

At one point it may seem ritualistic with the smell of incense burning, added on with the raw (half-completed renovation) look of the interior of the building (107+109 Rowell Rd). The bag that says “the music shall not be ipodised” when translated may mean that the sound/music that was being played will not be played repeatedly unlike a music that can be played on an Ipod. The term ‘ipodised’ is itself a translation of Kai’s understanding of the device, Ipod. Is he talking about things that are repeated and lost in the act of repetition? If that is so, why does he repeat ‘5 stars and a crescent in his work’? Repetition may be an act of emphasizing the importance but too much may also cause a lost of meaning.

At the end of the day, my interpretation of his work may be biased and may be totally different from the way he define his work. It is interesting to see how an artwork can have many meanings which can be an irony as an artist does Art to share his/her opinion of things around him.

[1] www.p-10.org

2007-09-05T13:32:00.000+08:00

Anthology Blues

56 Hour Durational Performances (Part 1)

Kai Lam

2007

Kai (Lam Hoi Lit) is a Singapore based artist that does works like drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media installation and performance art. He is the president of Artist Village and co-founded Pink Ark (a sound collective) with Zulkifli Mahmod. He is also known as Singlish Punk.

I find Kai’s work interesting as there are many elements/symbols in his work that evoke certain response from the audience. Kai’s work have certain influence that is very much ‘Singaporean’. I feel that his passion to do art at a full-time basis is motivating as it is something that is not very common (although it is growing now). I feel that there are a lot of things that I can learn from the way he does his work (the gestures that he uses in his performances). Also, I normally take a very long time in analyzing an artist’s work and this project will allow me to analyze an artist work step-by-step. When we translate our own meaning from looking at the art piece, are we actually coming up with new meanings of the work ourselves? Is this act a contradiction, because we are trying to understand the work but are actually coming up with our own meanings?

The aspects of his work that I am going to analyze are the repeated elements/symbols in his work. Examples would be the mini merlion statue, the slogan-“More Good Years” and 5 stars and a crescent. When I look at his recent work, Anthology Blues, it gives a ‘ritualistic’ kind of feeling as there are repeated gestures and symbols. What is the message that he is trying to bring across? What did he do to bring the message across? These are some questions that I hope I would be able to answer or at least have an understanding of by the end of this project.