Cont

02 78 MESSAGE FROM ICAS THE PRESIDENT Institute of Contemporary Arts

05 82 2012 HIGHLIGHTS East is West: Three Women Artists 33 The LASALLE Show 83 63 Reposition: CONVOCATION Art Merdeka! 47 66 84 Excellence Awards BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chinese Bible: Yang Zhichao & MANAGEMENT TEAM 69 External Examiners 85 Apropos: Jeremy Sharma 50 68 86 ADVENTURE A/BUZZ Encounter: By Provost Royal Academy in Asia 72 Oon Shu An 88 53 The Ingénue Milenko Prvacki: A Survey, 1979 - 2012 MEET THE DEANS 73 Genevieve Chua 90 Journey Into 3 Rooms: 56 The Unknown Object, Design and the Body

HYPHENATED 74 91 Performing Arts Feature Alumni Spotted Rhythm Section

Ents 02 03 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

has been a truly historic year for Morris (Performing Arts) is an experienced theatre 2012 LASALLE College of the Arts. In director, academic and researcher who won a February, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited the BAFTA for her work combining theatre and new campus and delivered an inspiring speech to all our media. Professor Ruth Bereson (Creative Industries) staff and students on the future of arts education in is a leading commentator on arts management Singapore. He confirmed the country’s commitment and cultural policy, whose books include works on to supporting the arts and spoke passionately about artistic integrity and social responsibility, and on the central role it plays in a gracious society. He then opera. Professor Yvonne Spielmann (Fine Arts) is a The college’s international partnerships continue students from animation, music theatre and technical announced that for the first time in the country’s distinguished scholar of video and media arts who has to blossom, from Europe to , Japan and theatre conceived an extraordinary performance in history, Singaporean citizens and permanent residents led many internationally funded research projects and South Korea, while closer to home, our outreach The Singapore Airlines Theatre, creating complex ‘live’ enrolling on practice-based arts and design BA(Hons) published award-winning books including Video: and community engagement work grows apace. This sound and vocal effects to bring animations vividly to programmes at LASALLE would receive Ministry of The Reflexive Medium (2008) and this year, Hybrid includes our continuing commitment to providing life. Education funding, in line with students at universities. Culture (2012). certificate courses in Singapore’s prisons, which this year for the first time included the women’s prison at The seven galleries of our Institute of Contemporary The Prime Minister, together with the Minister for Changi. Another special outreach project, Singapore Arts Singapore were busier than ever before, staging Information, Communications and the Arts, Yaacob Portraits, travelled to five heartland communities with almost fifty exhibitions of both student work and Ibrahim, also witnessed the signing of a formal Our pursuit of academic, a unique roadshow combining a theatre production, a professional artists from across Asia. Highlights include partnership between LASALLE and one of the world’s creative and research documentary film and an art exhibition. Led by Rashid a review of over thirty years of Milenko Prvacki’s work; most elite arts universities, Goldsmiths, University excellence continues, and Saini and created by staff from across faculties, its an exhibition on the theme of ‘Land’ created by twenty- of London. Through the agreement, Goldsmiths will fascinating exploration of local-foreigner relations six visiting international postgraduates during our validate and assure the quality of our BA(Hons) and it has reached new heights drew high praise, including from Acting Minister for annual Tropical Lab residency project (led by Milenko); MA degree programmes for five years, undertake in 2012, one of LASALLE’s Culture, Community and Youth, Lawrence Wong, and Encounter, a major collaboration with the Royal collaborative projects, and share best practices most historic years. guest-of-honour at its premiere. Academy in London featuring some of the finest UK including new innovations in teaching and learning, and Asian contemporary artists. and staff and student exchanges. The Minister for Education, Heng Swee Keat was our esteemed guest-of-honour presiding over the A new initiative, the LASALLE Public Lecture Series Goldsmiths is also providing mentorship and support celebrations of LASALLE’s 26th Convocation. This was launched this year to provide a platform for for the development of an increasingly dynamic 2012 has been a year of considerable achievements was a joyous occasion preceded by an exuberant legendary figures from the arts to share their research culture at LASALLE that will foster for staff, students and alumni. One of our longest- student drumming performance. Members of our reflections on their lives and work with the Singaporean significant new scholarship in Asian arts and design, serving academics, the renowned painter Milenko distinguished Board of Directors were able to public. The series began with visionary theatre and and new knowledge and innovation through practice- Prvacki won Singapore’s highest arts honour, the participate, and our Chairman Peter Seah presented opera director Robert Wilson, followed by one of the based research. Our Board of Directors approved an 2012 Cultural Medallion, while our alumni Genevieve certificates to some 950 graduating students. I would world’s greatest sculptors, Richard Wilson. Each spent ambitious new research strategy in April 2012 and a Chua, Tan Wee Lit and Zhuo Zihao each received the like to thank the Board, and the college’s many over two hours recounting and illustrating their artistic series of staff research workshops and symposia have Young Artist Award in their respective fields. Among other benefactors and sponsors for their continued approaches, methods and careers with inspiring and been staged with speakers from both institutions. The a host of medals won by students, the college was commitment to LASALLE and their exceptional mesmeric effect to packed audiences in our Singapore college also hosted a number of symposia including the highest placed institution at both the Singapore guidance and support. Airlines Theatre. the launch of the Asia-Pacific Network for Cultural Crowbar Awards and the prestigious Design and Art Education and Research (ANCER), a symposium on Direction (D&AD) Awards in London. Students were The range and quality of creative work on display at Our pursuit of academic, creative and research Asian Art Histories, and a forum on ‘Shaping Arts also invited to collaborate on a growing number of the college goes from strength to strength, including excellence continues, and it has reached new heights Festivals.’ industry initiatives including being official education some thrilling collaborations between students and in 2012, one of LASALLE’s most historic years. partner for 100% Design Singapore and Darpan staff from different faculties. Decode: Recode involved Both the college’s research and its academic Bengali Film Festival; and creating projects with fine art, dance, music, theatre and media staff and management have been boosted by the appointment ArtScience Museum, DFS Galleria, Orchard Road students in a four-hour multimedia art performance PROFESSOR STEVE DIXON this year of three new Deans of Faculty. Dr Amanda Business Association, and Land Transport Authority. that was telecast to a ‘live’ audience in the UK; and APRIL 2013 HIGHLIGHTS 06 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 07

CONGRATULATIONS TO CHEVALIER MILENKO PRVACKI!

LASALLE’S SENIOR FELLOW rtists AND FORMER DEAN OF FACULTY OF FINE ARTS RECEIVED THE HIGHEST ARTS Of ACCOLADE IN SINGAPORE — THE PRESTIGIOUS CULTURAL MEDALLION AWARD. THE CEREMONY WAS HELD AT THE The ISTANA ON 17 OCTOBER. Year

Milenko first came to Singapore in the 1980s and has nurtured generations of artists in the fine arts. In 1994 he was invited by LASALLE Founder Brother Joseph McNally to teach at the college where he later served as Dean of Fine Arts from 2004 to 2010.

Besides contributing on numerous arts committees and panels, he has also served as a consultant in the strategic planning panel of the Renaissance City Strategic Plan and the Marina Bay Advisory Committee. Milenko is actively involved in developing an arts rehabilitation programme at the Singapore Prisons.

Milenko is a Singapore citizen, originally from the former Yugoslavia. In November, the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore at LASALLE staged a survey of his works from 1979 to 2012. 08 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 09

YOUNG ARTISTS RECOGNISED Concurrently on the night of the Cultural Medallion Award ceremony, the Young Artist Award was bestowed on three of ZIZI AZAH LASALLE’s alumni — Genevieve (AWARD FOR THEATRE CATEGORY) Chua, Tan Wee Lit, Zhuo Zihao LASALLE lecturer, artistic director of Teater Ekamatra and playwright Zizi Azah is experienced as well as lecturer Zizi Azah. in all aspects of theatre. With a heart for nurturing Introduced in 1992, the Young the next generation of theatre practitioners, Zizi Artist Award is accorded to young is active in community work and runs her own GENEVIEVE CHUA mentorship programme for playwrights. The prolific artists aged thirty-five years and (AWARD FOR VISUAL ARTS CATEGORY) playwright earned a nomination for ‘Best Script’ in below, who have shown promise Genevieve Chua is a Diploma in Fine Arts graduate of the Life! Theatre Awards for her first play, How Did LASALLE. She has exhibited extensively with works spanning the Cat get So Fat? (2007). Her later works include of artistic excellence in the fields a variety of mediums — from drawing to photography, multi- Above Us Only Sky (2008), Suap (2009) and Heart(h) of literary arts, performing arts, media and installation art. Genevieve has participated in (2010). She directed Nadirah which was nominated ‘Best Production of the Year’ at The Straits Times visual arts and film. renowned shows like the 2011 and the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2009. She has also been invited Life! Theatre Awards 2010. In 2011, Zizi was the only to residency programmes abroad (Royal College of Art, Singaporean sponsored by the National Arts Council London; Gyeonggi Creation Centre, Gyeonggi; The Banff to attend the 5th Annual Playwright’s Retreat at La Centre, Calgary) and to exhibit in museums, festivals and MaMa Umbria. Her recent works include Not Counted galleries in Singapore, , South Korea, Malaysia and (2012) which wrestles with various inequalities in . Her body of work is recognised by its investigation Singapore. into the fear of the unknown. In 2012, the prolific artist produced her Ultrasound Series, Bruised Horizons, She Was TAN WEE LIT Here Before, Watching A Tree Fall and, It Eludes Me, But. (AWARD FOR VISUAL ARTS CATEGORY) Tan Wee Lit is an international artist and educator. He has participated in many exhibitions abroad including Identities vs Globalisation in Bangkok and Berlin, featuring artists from all Southeast Asian countries (2004), Emerging Illinois Artists (McLean County Arts Center, USA, 2007), the 5th Evergreen Outdoor Sculpture Biennial (Evergreen Museum Johns Hopkins University, USA, 2008), Contemporary Urban Asian Art Trail (Blackburn Museum and Gallery, UK, ZHUO ZIHAO (AWARD FOR DANCE CATEGORY) 2008) and The Same Rain, The Same Wind (Chiangmai University, , Zhuo Zihao, LASALLE’s Diploma in Dance graduate of 2012). His first solo exhibition was at the 2002, is well-known as the lead dancer of T.H.E Dance Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Company. He has been invited to perform in numerous in 2008. In Singapore, his public works overseas festivals including Guangdong Modern Dance include a two-storey artwork situated Festival, as well as residencies in Hong Kong and within the new MRT Circle Line and Australia. He co-choreographed Within.Without for an outdoor sculpture in the heart of the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival in 2009. In 2010, he the financial district, Raffles Place. He ventured into experimental dance and 3D technology received his BA(Hons) Fine Arts from in his innovative work Contemplation. During the LASALLE in 2003 and Masters from Singapore Arts Festival in 2011, Zihao co-choreographed The School of Art Institute of Chicago one of the acts In the Middle. Zihao also trains students in 2008. under ITE’s co-curricular programme. In 2007, he was awarded an arts bursary by the National Arts Council to pursue a Dance degree at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. 10 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 11

BEST OF SHOW (AGAIN) CROWBAR AWARDS For the second year running, LASALLE won the most number of medals at the Crowbar Awards in 2012. With a total college score of forty-four medals, Design Communication students stole the limelight by taking home ten gold, ten silver and twenty-four bronze medals. The dynamic duo of Uni Lee and Neville Hew snagged ‘Best of Show’, ‘Best of Advertising’ and ‘Best of Interactive’ for their submission titled DHL FriendExpress, while David Goh took ‘Best of Design’ for his project, Ethics for a Starving Designer. All three winners BEST POP SINGER BEST INTERIOR DESIGNS were final-year students from the BA(Hons) Design SUNSILK NIPPON YOUNG Communication programme. Students from the DESIGNER AWARD Fashion Design & Textiles, Product Design and Music student Seah Hui Xian was crowned the Three Interior Design students excelled Animation Art programmes made an inaugural inaugural champion of the Sunsilk Academy Fantasia as the top young designers in the appearance this year. Between them, they bagged competition, a television reality-show that puts Nippon Young Designer Award challenge another two gold, two silver and six bronze medals. contestants through nine weekly sing-offs and daily B regimes of intensive training. At the announcement to redefine spaces for more eco-friendly of her victory, an anonymous sponsor contacted the living. The award recipients were college to offer her a scholarship to fund her final Yeo Shao Jie, Robert Chow Song Ling year of studies at LASALLE. Head of LASALLE’s and Lani Diana. Launched in 2008, the School of Contemporary Music, Timothy O’Dwyer Nippon Young Designer Award aims to said, “Hui Xian is one of our stand-out vocalists with inspire students to be more innovative a bright future. A seemingly shy girl off-stage, she has and to motivate them to a higher degree BEST OF SHOW continuously brought strong performances to our of professionalism. The event also D&AD, LONDON practice stage over the past academic years.” Her provides a platform for young budding designers to interact with the local LASALLE made waves for Singapore once again, victory prize includes a two-year singing contract and creative industries. this time in London, at the Design & Art Direction an album recording with Ocean Butterflies Music. (D&AD) Student Awards. Nine teams from the BA(Hons) Design Communication programme were crowned ‘Best of Year’ for their design pitches for famous brands like Aviva Open, Microsoft, Interbrand, Pitch & Sync, Boots, Pentagram and Little White Lies, minting the college’s top spot among all participating schools from Asia. In terms of global ranking among schools, LASALLE ranked second place, tied with one other Europe-based college. The D&AD Awards are keenly watched by the industry and award-winners are regarded as the cream of the crop among fresh graduates.

FOR AVIVA OPEN ADVERTISING BRIEF Uni Lee, Marcus Yuen FOR INTERBRAND OPEN BRIEF Uni Lee, Marcus Yuen BEST DESIGN FOR MICROSOFT ADVERTISING BRIEF TRIUMPH INSPIRATION AWARD Uni Lee, Marcus Yuen, Yeo Yong Peng, Fashion student Josiah Chua won first BEST DESIGN CONCEPT Allan Zhang, Neville Hew place in the Singapore leg of the Triumph IN INNOVATION FOR PITCH & SYNC ADVERTISING BRIEF Inspiration Award for his couture lingerie DFA STUDENT AWARD Kooichi Chee, Andry Suryadi Wijaya garment called Punkcelain. His dramatic FOR BOOTS INTEGRATED strapless maillot was made of dye-processed Sunwoo Jin Young, known simply as COMMUNICATION BRIEF denim embellished with ornate oriental detail. Jay to her friends, received the Hong Allan Zhang, Sunwoo Jin Young, Soomin Kim The judges lauded his ingenious integration Kong-based Design For Asia Student FOR PENTAGRAM GRAPHIC DESIGN BRIEF of punk street style and traditional Chinese Award in December. The annual event Germaine Chen, Muhammad Reza, Jolene Siow, motifs. Josiah went on to represent Singapore is organised by the Hong Kong Design Devin Japiter, Judith Lee in the international competition held in Centre to recognise an individual student FOR AVIVA OPEN ADVERTISING BRIEF . The Triumph Inspiration Award is or team of students in the region who Allan Zhang, Ezra Tadeo Adhitya an annual competition for students from all produce innovative designs. Jay’s entry FOR LITTLE WHITE LIES ILLUSTRATION BRIEF over the world to design distinctive lingerie titled Daily Korean is an interactive tool Michael Santosa showpieces for each year’s theme. This year’s for learners to master basic spoken and FOR LITTLE WHITE LIES ILLUSTRATION BRIEF theme was ‘Dragons and Butterflies’. written Korean. A student from India also Ivan Law, Izzat Rahmat, Donna Lamsyah, received the award. Together, they beat Yun Ru Tan, Chae Park eleven other contenders from the region to the accolade. 12 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 13

TheCULTURE at LASALLE encapsulates the college’s purpose, values and ambitions, and its founder Brother Joseph McNally first instilled its abiding precepts of inclusivity and empowerment. Today, LASALLE’s culture also embodies energy, engagement, positivity and critical reflection that enables students to develop and hone high-level skills, understandings and creativity. A caring, supportive and dynamic learning environment is coupled with a strong aspirational ethos in arts and design practice and research. The culture stimulates and sustains high levels of creative ambition, confidence, freedom and innovation, and encourages both students and staff to reach their highest possible potential. DECODING TURING’S CODE In celebration of the centenary of mathematician, logician and computer scientist Alan Turing’s birth and his exceptional achievements in the fields of computer science and artificial intelligence, the University of Salford in UK organised a 24-hour ‘live’ telematics event on 23 March. The event was called Decode/Recode, making reference to his important contributions to code-breaking during World War II. More than thirty institutions from around the world participated in this worldwide ‘live’ digital media performance. For LASALLE’s performance, Professor Steve Dixon, staff from the Faculty for the Creative Industries, Faculty of Media Arts, Faculty of Performing Arts and Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, as well as students collaborated to perform the rite of ‘eating an apple and thinking of death’. http://decoderecode.tumblr.com/

COLOUR EXQUISITELY BOLD Fashion student Nguyen Phan Ha Anh was among the top three winners of the Colour Solutions International (CSI) Award. Her winning entry titled Exquisitely Bold received commendations on its daring and elegant colour palette that exudes a youthful and fresh outlook. Ha Anh who aspires to be a textile designer said, “The CSI Award D is truly a wonderful opportunity for me to challenge myself, showcase my work and gain recognition. Many thanks to the Society of Dyers and Colourists for holding such a valuable competition for students!” Leading brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas and Nike turn to CSI for textile colour options and solutions. 14 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 15

THE PUTTNAM SCHOOL OF FILM MAKES ITS MARK During the 22nd European Union Film Festival (EUFF), LASALLE’s Puttnam School of Film (PSOF) students had the opportunity to showcase fifteen home-grown films alongside EUFF’s key selections. The short films covered subject matters close to Singaporeans’ hearts — from housing and foreign- worker policies, to the fantastical and unreal. The screenings ran from 10 to 20 May at Golden Village VivoCity.

In September, Head of PSOF Gisli Snaer was spotted at the Darpan Bengali Film Festival as one of the festival’s discussion panel members. As the official film school partner, PSOF was commissioned to produce the festival’s promotional trailers and posters for screening at The Cathay cinema. Additionally, the students Forganised a seminar ‘Global Cinema, Local Eye’ with a focus on how Bengali cinema has influenced contemporary filmmaking. It was open to all film students in Singapore.

GOING FOR GOLD LASALLE celebrated its validation partnership with Goldsmiths, University of London in February. Singapore Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong was present to grace the BUDDING MUSICIANS AT ESPLANADE occasion. He announced that the government would subsidise fees for the second and WATERFRONT THEATRE third year of studies in fourteen Goldsmiths-validated BA(Hons) programmes offered In May, Level 2 BA(Hons) Music students performed from August 2012. Only Singaporean citizens and permanent residents may apply. Eoriginal compositions as well as their own renditions of popular songs to a roaring crowd at the outdoor theatre The programmes are: Design Communication, Fashion Design and Textiles, Fashion situated along the Esplanade waterfront. Entertaining Media and Industries, Interior Design, Product Design, Fine Arts, Animation Art, Film, the audience with their Jazz and Pop repertoire were Acting, Dance, Music, Musical Theatre, Theatre+Performance and Arts Management. Benjamin Thia, Han Nay Lwin Lwin, Hendry Gemi, Anson Fung, Janette, Alicia Soh, Mohamad Izzat Bin Abdul At the celebrations ceremony, Mr Peter Seah, Chairman of LASALLE said, “Singapore Manan and Mohamed Arif Bin Zulkipli. needs to continually enhance our education system. We are glad that the government is giving the best possible opportunities for local talent who want to excel in art and design. Partnering with Goldsmiths, University of London is not only in the best interests of the college but also in the best interests of Singapore in developing the next generation of arts and cultural leaders.”

Goldsmiths also validates LASALLE’s Master of Arts in Fine Arts, Art Therapy, Arts & Cultural Management and Asian Art Histories. 16 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 17 I

CHAIRMAN CONFERRED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER Mr Peter Seah was conferred The Distinguished Service Order 2012 (Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang) by the President of Singapore, Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam in August. The award recognises him as having played a critical role in the transformation of Singapore’s banking and financial sector into a world-class hub. Besides serving as the Chairman of LASALLE, Mr Seah is concurrently the Chairman of DBS Group Holdings Ltd and Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd. The Distinguished Service Order was instituted in 1968 and the Order may be H awarded to any person who has performed within Singapore any act or series of acts constituting distinguished conduct.

INTERACTIONS SERIES The School of Arts Management’s Interactions series of public lectures took on a different but provocatively interesting character on 16 February when it organised a forum featuring a panel of speakers, rather than a lecture. A Critical Divide? A Forum on Arts Criticism Today was convened by Dr Robert Liew, and featured panellists Chang Tou Liang, Edith Podesta, Tara Tan and Matthew Lyon.

In December, the series hosted another panel discussion on the subject of Shaping Arts Festivals: Whose Role Is It? It provided a timely forum for critical debate as the government had been reviewing the Singapore Arts Festival. The panel of festival experts included Graham Berry (Board Member of ), Chew Boon Leong (Journalist, Lianhe Zaobao), Goh Ching Lee (Executive & Artistic Director of CultureLink), Janice Koh (Nominated Member of Parliament representing the arts), and Audrey Wong (Programme Leader, MA Arts & Cultural Management Programme at LASALLE).

Open to the public, the series brings together practitioners and professionals from the arts and business worlds to share their knowledge and expertise. 18 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 19 K

KIDDIES LEARN ANIMATION AT LASALLE In November, the Animation Art programme partnered with Kindernomics to run an intensive two-day workshop, Kindermation, held during the school holidays for children aged five to ten. Under the guidance of our teaching staff, the Animation students took on an active role in mentoring the young participants who each got to create a little original animation storyboard and clip. This collaboration provided a fantastic opportunity for the Animation LIGHT MEETS ASIA students to apply their skills in a ‘live’ project. Programme Leader, Chris Shaw, i-Light Marina Bay was a sustainable light art event from 9 March to 1 April that showcased a range of dynamic revealed that this was one of many industry projects arranged by the faculty and light art installations along the 3.5-kilometre Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade. Themed ‘Light Meets Asia’, it was the first time the students had the pleasure of working with kids. the event attracted over 100 art proposals from the region. Among the thirty-one works exhibited were three installations by Lasallians. Our student-lecturer team led by Andreas Schlegel exhibited The River, an acrylic LED lights installation, while an octopus-like light sculpture 5qu1d was presented by Media Arts alumnus Ryf Zaini. JOURNEY INTO THE UNFAMILIAR Zulkifle Mahmod, visual arts alumnus, contributed his work of giant sound-scaped deck chairs called Deck Journey. The River also got selected for the Art Gallery in Siggraph Asia 2012. The Winston Oh Travel Award has enabled fine arts students to expand their artistic journey through travel for the last thirteen years. The 2012 practice award recipients of this annual grant were Luke Heng, Jessica Gabrielli, Bradley Foisset, Karen Heng Gonzales and Chen Shitong, while the research award recipients were Hedda Roterud Amundsen and Joshua Chan Lui. The college is grateful to Dr Winston Oh, an artist himself, for initiating this grant to support students in their formative years of art education, making it possible for them to experience new environments and cultures. An exhibition of their works inspired by their journeys of discovery and sensations was held from 25 August to 7 September. J L 20 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 21

MID-AUTUMN IN THE CITY In September, first-year visual arts students designed eco-friendly lanterns that lit up the public walkway at Marina Bay during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Mstudents were invited by integrated resort operator to design lanterns for their carnival and to specifically highlight the need to conserve THE ANCER NETWORK N the environment. Using only recycled materials such as aluminum cans, plastic bottles, foam blocks and The inaugural meeting of the Asia Pacific Network for old magazines, the students created unconventional Cultural Education and Research (ANCER) was held in lanterns inspired by folktales told during the Mid- LASALLE on 15 May. Participants from Australia, Hong Autumn Festival. The two most popular lanterns Kong, , , , Thailand and United determined by the highest number of Facebook ‘likes’ Arab Emirates attended the two-day meeting. on the official contest page were Oriental Bliss and Lotus Moon. A panel of judges selected from LASALLE, ANCER is a LASALLE initiative established with the Marina Bay Sands and World Wide Fund For Nature aim of facilitating collaboration between educators determined the third winning entry Dragonball. and researchers in the arts and cultural management field across the Asia Pacific region. It also aims to fill gaps in terms of research and teaching for the creative industries within the region. Another goal is to eventually OVER THE MOONS publish research papers or reports useful for the creative industries, government agencies and community The college was delighted to have BA(Hons) organisations. Fine Arts alumna Kane Phang (graduated 2011) stage a solo exhibition Artificial Roundtable discussions covered topics such as Moons III at TriSpace which is a gallery collaboration as a teaching pedagogy and country papers dedicated to showcasingO emerging artists. on the cultural education frameworks in Europe, Hong Artificial Moons III is a video installation Kong, Australia and Singapore. For the Arts Management that explores the human desire and the students, the meet provided a dialogue with Dr Doug ensuing emotional void. It questions how Borwick (President, Association of Arts Administration the void might be enlarged as we dwell in Educators, USA) and Dr Cristina Ortega (President, the city where we are less connected with European Network of Cultural Administration Training natural, healing elements. Other young artists Centers) to discuss their research papers and projects. supported during the year include Wayne Lim, Derrick Ng and Lucinda Law. Dragonball by Caethrin Unjoto and Rachel Lee.

Oriental Bliss by Adelyn Tan.

KANE PHANG Artificial Moons III 2012 Video Installation

Lotus Moon by Dexter Chua, Joevenn Fraser Ng, Clay Loke and Syndi Yiu. 22 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 23

RUDI MANTOFANI The Earth and The World (2009 - 2012) Painted aluminium ROYAL ACADEMY IN ASIA The second speaker in this series was critically- acclaimed sculptor and installation artist, Richard In September, the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore presented a Wilson. He is known for his art installations that show titled Encounter: The Royal Academy in Asia, an exhibition featuring intervene with architectural space and draw heavily 100 works of art in a wide variety of media by twenty-three Royal on elements of engineering and construction for Academicians and twenty-four prominent artists from across Asia. The P inspiration. His most renowned work, 20:50 (1987) exhibition entered into the spirit of engagement with the international is an illusion that renders a room upside-down by art community and the general public by inviting these artists to exhibit positioning a reservoir of highly reflective used sump side-by-side. The aim of Encounter is to provide a platform for creative oil in a space. This installation is now permanently dialogue amongst practitioners and their specialised media, which range displayed in the Saatchi Gallery, London. Q from painting, sculpture, installation to photography and video. THE ASEAN QUARTER The 2013 line-up includes award-winning British film Participating Royal Academicians included Tracey Emin, Tony Cragg, On the occasion of the twenty-eighth producer Lord David Puttnam (February 2013). With Antony Gormley, Richard Long and Richard Wilson. Singaporean artists anniversary of the Faculty of Fine Arts, an thirty years of filmmaking experience under his belt, included Ian Woo, who is also a lecturer in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Zhao exhibition of works by faculty members was Lord Puttnam appears to have found the magic Renhui, , and LASALLE alumni Ng Joon Kiat, Donna Ong and staged at the Sabanci University (Instanbul) script to any successful film. His films such as Om Mee Ai. from 26 March to 20 April. The exhibition The Mission, The Killing Fields, Local Hero, Chariots titled Nine +- 1, served as a benchmark for of Fire, Midnight Express, Bugsy Malone and See pg 86 for more artworks. PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES artistic practices in Singapore and Southeast Memphis Belle have won him ten Oscars, twenty-five Asia, as well as a platform to discuss trends The LASALLE Public Lecture Series is an initiative by BAFTAs and a Palme d’Or at Cannes. Today, the in using craft and indigenous art materials President Professor Steve Dixon with the aim of creating 71-year-old is one of the leading creative leaders in in contemporary art from this part of the a platform for distinguished and future-looking leaders to the world. In addition to the recognition for his film world. Participating artists were engage with the arts community in Singapore. works, Lord Puttnam has garnered stellar accolades (co-curator), Adeline Kueh, Hazel Lim, Gilles including a knighthood in 1995 and an appointment Massot, Milenko Prvacki, Hilary Schwartz, The series opened on the evening of 27 March with world- to the House of Lords in 1997. Jeremy Sharma, Betty Susiarjo (co-curator) renowned theatre director, Robert Wilson. Wilson spoke and Ian Woo. on his experience in creative collaborations and articulated During their visits, the artists also conduct his approach to the making of experimental work. Since masterclasses for students and staff. the late 1960s, Wilson’s productions have shaped the look of theatre and opera. Through his signature use of light, his investigation into the structure of a simple movement, and the classical rigor of his scenic design, he has continuously articulated the force and originality of his vision. His practice is firmly rooted in the fine arts and his drawings, furniture designs and installations have been exhibited in museums and galleries internationally. R

HAZEL LIM 40 x 5 2009 Silver paper (detail) 24 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 25 S

One Green Bird led by Elizabeth de Roza

SINGAPORE PORTRAITS Although LASALLE’s artist-teachers Rashid Saini, Elizabeth de Roza, Andreas Schlegel and Khalid Al Mkhlaafy come from different cultural backgrounds, SOUNDTRACK: THE PERFORMANCE they were keen to work together to investigate social integration issues that were hotly debated SOUNDTRACK is a new and exciting collaboration between three different creative on the ground this year. The result was Singapore programmes in LASALLE — Musical Theatre, Technical Theatre and Animation Art. The Portraits, a three-part roving art show launched on project involved teams comprising students from all three programmes in creating short 28 September by Mr Lawrence Wong, then Senior animated films that were then presented with a ‘live’ soundtrack. The Musical Theatre Minister of State, Ministry of Education & Ministry students provided voices for characters, while the Technical Theatre and Animation Art of Information, Communications and the Arts. students provided Foley soundscapes and other complimentary sound effects.

The show consisted of a twenty-minute Said Programme Leader Tony Knight (Musical Theatre), “It is a very challenging and documentary Singapore Dialogues (led by Khalid yet rewarding project, demanding that the students work creatively, innovatively and Al Mkhlaafy), a full-length play One Green Bird collaboratively, as well as gaining respect and understanding of the amount of artistic (devised by Elizabeth de Roza) and an interactive detail that goes into creating an animated film.” art installation Urban Exploration Singapore (led by Andreas Schlegel). Thereafter, the show travelled “It was hard at first, having to stretch our creativity to work with the Musical Theatre to five heartland venues — Boon Lay, Toa Payoh, and Technical Theatre students to find the right sounds to suit our animation piece. Woodlands, Marine Parade and Bedok, in order to I learnt new skills and also made new friends through this project — an amazing reach out to the communities there. experience!” said Samantha Sim from the Animation Art programme.

It was an ambitious but fulfilling outreach effort given the limited resources and time. The project Urban Exploration Singapore was initiated and driven by lecturer Rashid Saini led by Andreas Schlegel who maintains, “If we do not try to understand the new immigrants, it would be difficult to move The project allowed some sixty volunteers and art forward together as a nation.” practitioners to flourish through their respective roles as video artists, actors, directors, writers, venue managers, designers, sound and light professionals and researchers. It was supported by the Lee Foundation, National Arts Council, National Archives of Singapore, National Heritage Board, National Library Board, Sony, Bukit View Secondary School and town councils of the outreach locations. 26 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 27

THEATRE POW-WOW IN TAIWAN Theatre students participated for the fourth year in the Asia Pacific Bureau Drama Schools Festival organised by the UNESCO International Theatre Institute Asia Pacific Bureau (APB) of Theatre Schools. Senior Fellow Aubrey T Mellor and lecturer Aole Miller led a team of six students to the annual festival held this year at the Taipei National University of the Arts (31 August to 4 September).

LASALLE was the only school out of twenty-two from the Asia-Pacific to present a newly-created original work by student Marie Lee that reflected both Asian and European techniques. Titled Serangoon Sunset, TROPICAL LAB IN ITS SIXTH YEAR the play used Noh Theatre structures to develop themes of displacement, land shortage and loyalty. The sixth edition of LASALLE’s international art workshop Tropical Lab The play offered roles to students from Diploma saw twenty-six Masters candidates living and creating together for ten (Performance) and BA(Hons) Acting, Musical Theatre days in Singapore. Their mission was to explore the theme of ‘Land’ and and Theatre+Performance. The event included elements to create works for an exhibition at the end of the workshop. from Kalaripayattu combat, European stage combat, Chinese folk songs, Kurt Weil’s compositions as well The participants came from leading arts institutions like Royal Academy as new music from a student of LASALLE’s School of of Arts, Columbia University, California Institute of the Arts, Lucerne Contemporary Music. School of Art and Design, Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences and Central Academy of Fine Art, . In 2010, the LASALLE team presented a production of Lorca’s Blood Wedding in Peru, which highlighted The success of Tropical Lab was largely due to its experiential LASALLE’s unique actor-training pedagogy; and this was methodology that challenges participants from different cultures to much acclaimed, especially by the Taiwan and Japanese conceptualise and create a themed artwork within a short span of time. schools. In 2011, the students deconstructed a section Research activities included visits to artists’ studios, cultural tours, a Land of the Sanskrit classic Shakuntala and took it to the Transport Authority MRT construction site tour, a visit to sustainable festival in Delhi, which proved a talking point — being the farms, and a trip to off-shore island Pulau Ubin to visit Chek Jawa, a only piece incorporating new technology. The next APB coastal haven yet untouched by redevelopment. Artworks created theatre student festival will be in September 2013 in during the workshop were exhibited from 8 to 15 August in the Institute Quy Nhon, Vietnam. of Contemporary Arts Singapore. For the first time since its inception, Tropical Lab expanded its fine arts focus to include other arts disciplines.

THE JOURNEY: http://youtu.be/KWhwPkvtCzk THE ARTISTS: http://youtu.be/WXl6_uyWorc THE EXHIBITION: http://youtu.be/Xv0Zyh7Pf1A 28 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 29

VITRA’S PANTON CHAIR REINTERPRETED BA(Hons) Interior Design student, Jermaine Loh was ecstatic to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the Swiss headquarters of iconic furniture brand Vitra, and to attend a summer workshop at the amazing country estate cultural institution of Domaine de Boisbuchet in . This was all made possible with her innovative reinterpretation of the Panton Chair.

On her return, Jermaine reported that it was a truly VERY SHORT FILMS worthwhile experience, “I learnt so much! I had At the Very Short International Film hands-on experience in prototyping and worked on Festival in May this year, Animation developing a tour experience for visitors at Domaine Art students Nafisah Mohamed and URBAN DESIGNS : PUBLIC ART de Boisbuchet. On campus I saw architectural works Jude Gayan were shortlisted as finalists by artists like Tadao Ando and Frank Gehry, and had The Urban Redevelopment Authority engaged students from for their work, Simply Irresistible. The the chance to dialogue with the Vitra designers. It was the BA(Hons) Interior Design programme to create works of art two-minute animation film tells the an unforgettable experience!” to serve as public outdoor benches. This project was part of a story of a free-spirited girl who desires community initiative to engage the public through arts and to a companion but is caught up in a add vibrancy to the Marina Bay area during the National Day The summer attachment is the coveted grand prize humdrum working routine. The Very celebrations. Students worked in teams and were given three awarded once a year to the winner of Vitra’s design months to conceptualise and come up with a design proposal. competition for young designers in Singapore, co- Short International Film Festival is a Out of over sixty proposals submitted, the ten best designs were organised by SPACE Furniture and DesignSingapore competition where aspiring filmmakers shortlisted for fabrication. The prototypes were manufactured Council. can enter films of three minutes or less. with funding from co-sponsors and were displayed along the The best entries selected are screened Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade in August. globally each May.

Said Programme Leader Ang Xin Wei, “This was a significant community project. Students had to examine every aspect of their commission from choosing the right weather-proof materials to fund-raising and production. One group went as far as Indonesia to fabricate their design. I’m very proud of them.” U V 30 2012 HIGHLIGHTS 31

X’MAS ON ORCHARD ROAD The Faculty of Design was invited by The Orchard Road Business Association to create merchandise designs for its WARHOL INSPIRES Christmas campaign to liven up Singapore’s most famous shopping street — Orchard Road. Students were given a Hard work and creativity won four students the opportunity brief to incorporate the campaign’s Christmas tree, heart to exhibit their Warhol-inspired artworks in the ArtScience and dove motifs in their designs for exclusive tote bagsX Museum’s 15 Minutes Eternal exhibition of works by pop and t-shirts. The six who were finally selected were Devina artist Andy Warhol. The exhibition ran from 17 March to Azharia, Mah Pei Ying, Wu Xin Yi, Jun Yi Pang, Kwok Jiahui 12 August. and Cai Sufang from BA(Hons) Design Communication. Their limited edition designs went into production and hit Family Portrait by Uni Lee, Siti Khadija Khalid, Wee Ho Gai the Christmas Gift Shops located at Tang Plaza and Ngee and Marcus Yuen from BA(Hons) Design Communication Ann City in November. won first prize. It was picked from thirty-six art project proposals submitted by students. The judges consisted In the same month, Wheelock Properties collaborated of representatives from ArtScience Museum, The Andy with LASALLE to present The Art of Living, an exhibition Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and the college. Family that featured twelve one-of-a-kind ‘gifts’ celebrating the Portrait is an installation that reflects on the first-world Christmas merchandise Christmas spirit of gift-giving. The artworks were created dilemma of advanced technology eroding the quality EMPOWERING WOMEN by Design students revealed at the campaign launch. by students from the Design Communication programme of human relationships, an idea evocative of Warhol’s In July, Dean Nur Hidayah and lecturer and were exhibited at Scotts Square till 20 December. The penchant for speaking the truth about modern society. W Jessica Chua of the Faculty of Design student team of Mah Pei Ying and Tam Wai Hong won the This is LASALLE’s second project under its partnership developed and spearheaded a meaningful award of $5,000 for their colourful artwork, Cannibear, with the ArtScience Museum to provide young artists with project to conduct a certificate course in which was made of everyday objects like empty drinking opportunities to flourish. Basic Design at the Changi Women’s Prison. cans. In addition, the duo also nominated children’s Through imparting design skills to inmates charity Club Rainbow to receive a $10,000 donation from who have an interest in art and design, Wheelock Properties. the two academicians hope to empower these women with skills upgrading so that Senior Fellow Milenko Prvacki commented on the they may have more job options in future collaboration, “It was a wonderful opportunity for our when released. In the twelve-week long students to be creative and to translate the knowledge course, students were taught basic design learnt in class into reality. Besides providing a platform to fundamentals such as hands-on crafting and showcase some of the finest emerging artists in Singapore, production, basic visualisation and basic the project also aimed to give back to the less privileged Cannibear design software skills. With great pride, the during the festive season.” by Mah Pei Ying & Tam Wai Hong Faculty of Design awarded ten successful students of the pioneer cohort with their Also part of The Art of Living project, a Basic Design certificate. separate installation at Scotts Square showcased over 200 wire-art pieces in the form of footwear and gift boxes designed and hand-sculpted by visual arts students. 32 THE LASALLE SHOW 2012 33

29 FEB – 9 MAR I-AM FESTIVAL 2012 BA(Hons) Arts Management

20 – 24 MAR THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE BA(Hons) Musical Theatre, Theatre+Performance

30 – 31 MAR ABSTRACTION Diploma/BA(Hons) Interactive Art, Theatre+Performance, Acting

31 MAR – 4 APR MIDDLETOWN Diploma/BA(Hons) Acting, Technical Theatre, Theatre+Performance

YELLOW RIBBONS FOR YOUTH ZEITGEIST 2012 13 – 14 APR Fine Arts student and co-founder of youth-help group Beacon of Life, Kim Whye Having spent three or more years UNLEASHED — TRIPTYCH Kee initiated a youth outreach project to encourage wayward kids to express at LASALLE learning, practising, BA(Hons) Dance, Music Technology, Acting, their emotions through art. The art project was part of the Yellow Ribbon experimenting and collaborating, Technical Theatre Project’s rehabilitation efforts for twenty residents of the Singapore Boys’ Home. LASALLE’s final-year cohort presented Whye Kee took time out of his busy school schedule to impart basic sculpting their final and grandest showcase — 20 – 21 APR and woodworking skills. The result was a wall of hand-sculpted symbols that The LASALLE Show 2012. Held from UNLEASHED — BALLAD OF was displayed at the in September. The idea behind the March to June annually, this showcase THE RED QUEEN project was to get the boys to make woodblock carvings that represent their presented the best of their works in BA(Hons) Dance, Music Technology, Acting, quest for strength, courage, desire and self-respect. Whye Kee shared, “My fine arts, animation, film, theatre, dance, Technical Theatre, Classical Performance primary objective is to let the boys know that there are options in life. Not all is design, fashion, arts management lost; they can still fulfil their dreams.” and art therapy. Potential employers 20 – 21 APR were invited to attend a range of UNLEASHED — VARIABLE KISMET recitals, performances, film screenings BA(Hons) Dance, Music Technology, Acting, and exhibitions to discover this next Technical Theatre generation of emerging artists and Zdesigners. 27 – 28 APR 12 ARROWS Diploma/BA(Hons) Dance, Music Technology

22 MAY AVANT PREMIERE BA(Hons) Film Y 23 – 24 MAY CO-LAB Diploma/BA(Hons) Music

25 MAY – 7 JUN THE LASALLE SHOW 2012 EXHIBITION Diploma/BA(Hons)/MA

25 MAY – 7 JUN PICTURE LOCK Diploma/BA(Hons) Film

28 MAY RE-GENERATION BA(Hons) Fashion Design 34 THE LASALLE SHOW 2012 35

Studying at LASALLE is about using the art process itself to discover more about ourselves, and to help define who we are ... or indeed, who we might aspire to be.

PROFESSOR STEVE DIXON 36 THE LASALLE SHOW 2012 37

Design 38 THE LASALLE SHOW 2012 39 40 THE LASALLE SHOW 2012 41

Fine Arts 42 THE LASALLE SHOW 2012 43

Performing Arts 44 THE LASALLE SHOW 2012 45

Media Arts 46 47

Nexwave Telecoms Pte Ltd MR ALAIN VANDENBORRE BENEFACTORS Ny Furnishing & Renovation Executive Chairman and Founder, Overjoyed Singapore Diamond Exchange OF THE Pedro Group Pte Ltd Pte Ltd COLLEGE Praxis Space Pte Ltd MR LEE SUAN HIANG Prime Office Supplies CEO, PUB NEWater Creative Real Estate Developers’ Association Qwerty Publishing Pte Ltd of Singapore (REDAS) Salon Vim by Chez Vous Ngee Ann Kongsi Sapura Synergy Singapore Pte Ltd PROFESSOR STEVE DIXON Industries Tan Chay Bing Education Fund Sentron Engineering (S) Pte Ltd (EX-OFFICIO DIRECTOR) Noel Gifts International Ltd Singapore Airlines Limited President, Lee Foundation Singapore International Foundation LASALLE College of the Arts Limited Albert Quek Yong Hwa Singapore Police Force - Marina Bay NPC Embassy of the United States, Singapore SingTel Peter Seah Lim Huat SMRT Corporation Ltd Winston Oh Pte Ltd Super Multi Vending Pte Ltd Kirtida and Bharat Mekani MANAGEMENT The Network Hub Pte Ltd Wee Chwee Heng Thirtythree Private Limited Institut français de Singapour Y&R Singapore The I.D. Dept Ltd ZALORA Singapore Dr Lee Siow Kiang Georgia PROFESSOR STEVE DIXON Sintalow Hardware Pte Ltd President Spectech Engineering Pte Ltd VENKA PURUSHOTHAMAN Wilmar Trading Pte Ltd Vice-President (Academic) & Provost RPI Quantity Surveyors Pte Ltd BARBRA GAN Sankaran Ananthanarayanan PATRON Vice-President Fredrick Sibert (Strategic Developments) Thirtysix FREDDY TEOH Amica Law LLC Vice-President Chan Poh Chui MR GEORGE YEO Fong Chee Wah (Finance & Infrastructure) Ibrahiim Networks NUR HIDAYAH BTE ABU BAKAR Senthamarai d/o Somasundaram Dean, Faculty of Design Optics Premier Pte Ltd PROFESSOR RUTH BERESON Tan Kah Tiang BOARD OF Dean, Faculty for the Don Quek Creative Industries Money Kanagasabapathy DIRECTORS DR AMANDA MORRIS Chee Soo Chern Dean, Faculty of Performing Arts AEON Environmental Services Pte Ltd WOLFGANG MUENCH AKC Trading Dean, Faculty of Media Arts ALEXIS Magazine CHAIRMAN PROFESSOR YVONNE SPIELMANN Art Friend MR PETER SEAH Ascension Pte. Ltd. Chairman, Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts ASKM Pte Ltd DBS Group Holdings Ltd PAULINE CHAN Big O Restaurant Chairman, Director, Division of Academic Policy Baja Fresh Singapore Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd & Planning Basheer Graphic Books YVONNE CHOO CA Facilities Pte Ltd MEMBERS Director, Division of Public Affairs Canon Singapore Pte Ltd BRO PAUL HO KOK CHEE ALVAN LOO carbon interactive pte ltd Brother President Director, Division of CBM Security Pte Ltd St Joseph Institution Communications & Advancement Central Narcotics Bureau MR WILLIAM LIM LEONARD LOW Charles & Keith (Singapore) Pte Ltd Academic Registrar and Director of Henri Chen Deputy Director, Student Administration Combine Trading Enterprise Pte Ltd Higher Education Division, Cybermind Computer Pte Ltd Ministry of Education LOW SEOW HUA EpiCentre Solutions Pte Ltd MR KOH SEOW CHUAN Director, Division of Information & Equest International (S) Pte Ltd Founder-Senior Consultant, Communications Technology E.S.T. Online Pte Ltd DP Architects Pte Ltd DR CHARLES MEREWETHER Ewins Marketing Pte Ltd MR EDMUND N S TIE Director, Institute of Contemporary Fifteen Minutes Private Limited Executive Chairman, Arts Singapore Frolick DTZ Debenham Tie Leung MALAR NADESON Glen Goei (SEA) Pte Ltd Director, Granhome Construction MS JANE ITTOGI The Ngee Ann Kongsi Library Health Promotion Board Partner, SIM YOKE HWEE HP Singapore Shook Lin & Bok LLP, Singapore Director, Division of Quality & Kim Lee Kiat Trading Enterprise Pte Ltd Planning Leng Peng Asia Pte Ltd MR ROBERT TOMLIN L’Oreal Professionnel Vice Chairman, AGNES WAN Macshop Pte Ltd Lepercq de Neuflize Asia Pte Ltd Director, Division of Human Maybelline Singapore Pte Ltd MS KIRTIDA MEKANI Resources Media Group Pte Ltd Director, DAREN WOO Mquest Pte Ltd CIS Agriferts Pte Ltd Singapore Director, Division of Admissions

as at April 2013 PERSPECTIVE 50 51

whilst contemporary arts is speed, contemporaneity, technology and the self-developed creative ADVENTURE enterprise) is fast dissolving. The purpose is to foster INVESTING a new vocabulary of IN THE NEW inclusionary practices that LASALLE’s pedagogy sees the traditional as an engine speak for a new generation INTO THE FUTURE AS THE WORLD to the contemporary. From first-year performing of art makers. WAS ABOUT TO END IN 2012 arts students being taught the Indonesian gamelan to contemporary dance students being drilled into classical ballet techniques to visual artists honed By Venka Purushothaman, Provost in traditional drawing skills, one would explicitly Through facilitation we engage in an extreme sport of experience our commitment to setting the foundation articulating the contemporary. The inter-disciplinary right. But there is no blind adherence and emulation focus is vital as the art making process today is far of established critical-aesthetic orthodoxy found in more sophisticated and complex, and artists need to arts higher education worldwide. work across different genres and media to find the vocabulary, or new vocabularies, that will help express We do more than that. their work.

We seek to advance new forms of the arts that Inter-disciplinarity is a creative process of making; embrace history, tradition and the contemporary it is not a freestanding hermetic outcome. More through collaboration across art forms, genres, importantly, inter-disciplinary projects produce technologies and ideologies. The purpose is to foster many transferrable skills such as group work, team a new vocabulary of inclusionary practices that speak building, working with the unknown, working across for a new generation of art makers who are rooted in cultures, etc. which allow these to be applied in the The inter-disciplinary place but global in ideas. creative industries that requires versatile and nimble focus is vital as the art professionals who can run with the curve ball that is making process today is Hence, investing in the new. thrown at them. far more sophisticated We are mindful that the new does not exist; yet it A case in point is the magical installation-performance and complex. is the acme of contemporary art. It is in the making, piece, Abstraction based on a devised play by Théâtre incidental, sudden, and epiphanic. But the process de Complicité. Performed by students of Interactive of getting to the emergence of the new is to foster Art, Theatre+Performance and Acting in 2012, the conversations amongst academic colleagues around work and relationship between the mathematical new things we have read, seen, experienced and genius Srinivasa Ramanujan and G.H. Hardy came discovering and how these can become engines for alive. The students were challenged to negotiate the making of the contemporary. their take on themes of spirituality, logic, and passion rts higher education in remains the other hand, has reduced Asian arts to brands, through technology and performance resulting in A a sleepy enterprise trapped within geographies embellishments and consumables where they play to We detect the potential for the contemporary through a powerful adventure into the new and delighting and neo-colonialist cultural formulations. This fecund highlight the flow of cultures within cities and here I aesthetic and critical hypotheses that serve to provide audiences with the seamless integration of technology, region of fast emerging economies has a deep and am reminded of the intoxicatingly MTV-styled popular us with a series of piers to discover the emerging performance, text and people. ancient history of arts and cultural development music of Asia. new. To remain at the forefront of critical inquiry that is still alive and vibrant; and it continues to of the contemporary, we increasingly embed in our In another instance, LASALLE’s School of brand a collection of nations and states. But the In another twist, as institutionalised world economies curriculum the difficult terrain of inter-disciplinarity: a Contemporary Music presented Sonorous Duration development of the arts continues to be plagued, well face the darkest hour, nation-states are increasingly highly intense hothousing environment that conjures (2012) “to render visible what is unseen and to make into the 21st century, by debates about preservation closing ranks to support and protect their economies new possibilities through the tough negotiation of audible, what cannot be heard through different and promotion of the traditional arts against the — through the embrace of community participation ideas, play with aesthetics and exchange of artistic plains of intensities and vibrations” through a dialogue development and promotion of contemporary arts and engagement. The National Arts Council has vocabularies. between installation art practice and experimental that are demonstratively having an alignment with implemented a five-year National Traditional Arts economic development and an emerging affluent and Plan, which sets aside S$23 million to support the mobile society. traditional arts. This type of participatory politics in countries like Singapore has seen a resuscitation The preservation and sustenance of the traditional of the traditional arts, which serves as a compass of arts and crafts have found the twin agents of locatedness for a fast consumerising society. change — globalisation and internationalisation as an opportunity to continue their sustained production With an increasingly well-educated and confident and circulation. There are numerous examples of population asserting its presence in the global this and, both, globalisation and internationalisation platform, artists in Southeast Asia are finding new have been used as tools of cultural policies in rising ways to express their sense of being by revisiting economies in Asia. their history and tradition. The past locked in the treachery of a dichotomous binary — propositioned Whilst internationalisation has been useful, for as cultural value that is taught, institutionalised and Abstraction (2012), example, here I am reminded of the way Indonesian venerated — is undeniably under siege by the epochal a magical installation- gamelan music found its way into the musical shifts in time. The dichotomy (where tradition is performance piece by students of Interactive Art, compositions of many globally; globalisation, on history, religion, genealogy and cultural preservation Theatre+Performance and Acting. 52 53 MEET THE DEANS OF LASALLE

Sonorous Duration (2012), renders visible and audible what is unseen and unheard. There are five faculties in LASALLE. Together they offer a full range of diplomas, degrees and postgraduate studies in contemporary arts. The Deans and their outstanding international faculty are committed to providing an immersive learning experience for students to foster high-level skills and to prepare them for sustainable careers in the arts. Let's hear from the Deans, music performance. In this event, music staff and reflecting on progress made in 2012 and the academic foci in the coming year. installation artists from Singapore and around the world, presented works using material objects, customised software, multimedia and sound interventions to inquire into the relationship between NUR HIDAYAH DEAN art and sound. The event presented an inebriating FACULTY mood for aesthetic manipulation resulting in some OF DESIGN range of industry projects, community outreach pretty mind-boggling but highly intellectual mastery. programmes and through its successful wins at regional and international design competitions. Some Line Array (2012), an installation project by LASALLE’s of these projects included ‘live’ briefs with Urban Media Lab ‘Alumni-in-Residency’ programme (alumni: Redevelopment Authority of Singapore, NOEL Gifts, Dhiya Muhammad and Darrick Ma), was a play on the Line Array (2012), the , ArtScience Museum, Singapore traditional Javanese instrument, Angklung. In this a range of electronic pulses generated from algorithms. Furniture Industries Council, Swarovski, SCAPE and installation, the artist as researcher engaged with Nippon Paint amongst others. The ‘live’ projects the opportunity to discover alternative approaches component across programmes in the faculty has been to creating sounds from Angklungs through a range an important vehicle for forging links with industry of electronic pulses generated from algorithms. This 2012 marked an exciting and successful year for partners. The faculty also developed exchange projects work was part of an exhibition KLUNG! Contemporary the Faculty of Design. The Design Communication with reputable academic institutions to dialogue and Interpretations of Angklung and intended to locate programme garnered a total of nine ‘Best of the Year’ collaborate on specific practice-based research topics the identity of the instrument into today’s music a platform that opens the field wide open to a new awards at the D&AD Student Awards 2012 making within the region. through design and technology. world of adventures in research, knowledge and LASALLE the top Asia-Pacific design institution and possibilities. second in international ranking amongst participating The advent of the creative economy is transforming the Such inter-disciplinary works engage with the schools. On top of this, at the Crowbar Awards 2012 way we live, work and play. This economy presents us student-artist of today: who is multi-focal in thought, As the old world was about to end in 2012, LASALLE the faculty brought home ten gold, ten silver and with new opportunities to use design as a tool to assist technological, transnational in communication, ventured further off the beaten track of arts higher twenty-four bronze awards. LASALLE emerged as and lead in making everyday living inclusive. Some of and expediently broad-based in action. Hence, education into a trail of setting new frameworks number one in ranking at the medal tally with a total the issues surrounding social, cultural and economical the traditional practice of teaching, nurturing and for enhancing new knowledge production through of fifty-seven points including the ‘Best of Advertising’, growth will inform the pedagogical development of developing a reflective artistic leader has to be research; working with a new academic partner to ‘Best of Interactive’ and ‘Best of Design’ medals. The programmes across the faculty. re-thought, or for that matter, dismembered so develop transnational and transcultural projects award showcase is a regional platform for emerging that we can develop new methods of engaging, between London and Singapore to unravel old young creatives to compete in. Moving forward, the faculty will focus academic pursuits communicating and creating new knowledge. dichotomies and entrenched orthodoxies; and, create around the notion of rethinking the way we look at new bridges for experimentation in art making. As part of the strategic plans to increase the faculty’s design and its utilitarian roles in everyday life and the In actual fact, we want to excite in student-artists profile through industry collaborations and institutional environment that we live in. This ideology will underpin an interest in reading, thinking and research; and The old world has ended; but we are still here. partnerships, we have developed different projects the ambition and strategic plans for the faculty through making connections across art forms and with life; with key industry partners and academic institutions. fostering a multi-dimensional and pervasive learning develop their curiosity and imagination. The college This is only possible because of the unrelenting These projects provide a more cohesive experiential environment that offers both curricular and co- is committed to contemporary artistic practices capability and stoic capacity of the staff of learning for our students. curricular design projects faculty wide. and we remain vigilant in ensuring that the volatility LASALLE to withstand change and be subjected to of the creative process is adequately supported instrumentalist scrutiny and to remain explorers of the The design programmes also garnered much media by emergent discourses in art, culture and society. contemporary world: this, in the avowed faith that the and public interest through participation in a wide Thinking outside of the terror of late 20th century’s student-artists of LASALLE, just like their educators, postmodern stranglehold on art, we want to develop will be fearless torchbearers who confront the new. 54 55

WOLFGANG MUENCH DR AMANDA MORRIS DEAN DEAN FACULTY FACULTY OF PERFORMING ARTS OF MEDIA ARTS experience of working on ‘live’ projects, and included The future for the Faculty of Performing Arts is bright, industry partners like Channel NewsAsia, Canon, Nikon, with extremely dedicated teaching staff, high student Moleskin, Kindernomics, and the Singapore Campus satisfaction, alumni gaining work consistently in the Magazine. Students also participated in projects with industry, many international and regional professionals community partners such as the Ministry of Health keen to work with the faculty, and performance and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Singapore, activities of an excellent standard. The faculty has the and were involved in the realisation of an interactive potential to grow its student numbers within existing artwork for the 2012 Singapore i-Light Festival under programmes and we plan to develop exciting new the direction of the faculty’s Media Lab. Furthermore, undergraduate programmes in entertainment design the faculty organised Singapore Portraits, a practice-as- and production, music pedagogy and to develop During the year 2012, the main concern of the Faculty research project concerned with cultural identity and I arrived in Singapore to take up my new position as a postgraduate community through new Masters of Media Arts was to further refine course delivery foreign-local relations. Produced by staff and students, Dean of Faculty of Performing Arts at LASALLE in programmes. The faculty is already well regarded across all programmes. The introduction of new it encompassed a video documentary, a theatre play January 2012 and immediately found myself caught in the Southeast Asian region, and is on the verge diplomas in Animation and Broadcast Media in 2011 has and an interactive art installation, and was presented at up in preparations to support several visiting artists of transforming into a leading hub internationally allowed the implementation of a focused educational LASALLE as well as at several venues in the Singapore from different overseas countries. Alain Timar, theatre with a reputation for innovative teaching, practice approach that caters to the complex demands of the heartlands. director from Avignon, was directing the Acting and research in intercultural and contemporary local and international creative media industries. students in a production of No Exit. The renowned performance. As a result of this exciting and challenging learning American theatre director and designer, Robert Joint projects with other programmes at LASALLE environment, staff and students can proudly look back Wilson, was yet to come to the college to give a public have assumed an increasingly prominent role in on significant achievements for 2012. Students were lecture and masterclasses. And there were many course delivery. Students from the faculty took part invited to present their works as part of the official other visiting artists from Singapore, the local region PROFESSOR in more than fifteen cross-disciplinary projects that selection at film festivals in Singapore, Nottingham, and internationally working across Dance, Music and RUTH BERESON were initiated by the respective programme teams. Munich, Amsterdam and Moscow, and at the Animation Theatre. The faculty was lively with conversations in DEAN Such projects require students to apply their specific Festival in Athens. Their works were accepted to the the corridors and physical expression of ideas in the FACULTY knowledge outside their immediate subject areas, to Siggraph Asia 2012 Conference, shortlisted for the studios, with staff and students mingling with visiting FOR THE clearly communicate ideas to peers from different artists, all bringing diverse perspectives to their CREATIVE 14th TBS Digicon competition, awarded at the Global INDUSTRIES subject areas, and to learn how to compromise without Entrepreneurship Week Video Competition, won performance and production work. abandoning the core values of their initial concepts. second prize at the Singapore National Breast Cancer Awareness Video Competition, and collected six bronze It was the prospect of this lively engagement with Maintaining close relationships with the creative medals at the 2012 Crowbar Awards. And The Puttnam practice-based teaching with a focus on developing industries continued to be most significant for all School of Film was announced as the official film school emerging contemporary artists that had brought me to programmes. During 2012, more than thirty-five partner for the 22nd European Film Festival Singapore, LASALLE and to Singapore. The opportunity to work visiting artists and professionals from the local and where fifteen final-year thesis films were screened prior in an integrated arts campus and to collaborate with international creative industries shared their expertise to the main festival movies. other faculties in Fine Arts, Design, Media Arts and I was delighted to be invited to join LASALLE in on campus. Of particular benefit were the more than Creative Industries was highly attractive. September 2012 as Dean of the Faculty for the fifty masterclasses and seminars with topics ranging The faculty’s teaching and learning environment, Creative Industries. I have known this institution from the very practical to highly conceptual. They not conceptualised and constantly refined by highly I came to the college with academic expertise in for many years ever since I first met Brother Joseph only provide students with the occasion to receive committed, dedicated and experienced staff, is literature and drama and professional experience in McNally in London at the International Conference first-hand expertise from industry professionals demanding throughout the years of studies. However, theatre production and direction. My research has on Arts and Cultural Management in 2005 when I was and visiting artists, but also serve as a networking and most importantly, it serves its purpose: graduates particularly focused on the application of drama to still a student. He told me of this innovative arts school opportunity with potential future employers in a rather from the faculty’s programmes were able to secure interactive new media. I have led large collaborative that he had started way across the world and he was informal manner, and assured that the programmes employment at renowned local and international teams to produce successful research projects, at the conference to find out about a new academic and staff remain current with developments in the companies such as Lucas Film, Double Negative, which have won international awards including a discipline, Arts Management, which was what I had creative industries. Zhao Wei Films, Discovery Channel, HBO Asia, AMX British Academy Award. I see many opportunities at been studying. Audiophiles, and Infinite Frameworks. LASALLE for collaboration between students, staff Programmes in the faculty continued to initiate a and professional artists, and I will be encouraging Over the years I have carefully watched LASALLE significant number of projects in close collaboration collaboration across faculties on teaching projects develop and grow into the stellar institution that it is with the creative industries. Such external and productions, with the profession, industry and now today. My background is both based in practice collaborations provide students with valuable community and on research projects. and academia and having worked in Research 1 56 57

PROFESSOR YVONNE SPIELMANN DEAN FACULTY institutions over the past decade I felt it was time to OF FINE ARTS Fine Arts such as painting, printing, photography, contribute to an arts school which has at its core a installation, video. prophesied emphasis on the creation of excellent art work and the capacity to contribute to the research At the same time, we stress the apprehension of surrounding it. The Faculty for the Creative Industries contextual knowledge by fostering practice-based and is an exciting challenge as within it we find a diverse collaborative research and by educating students in ecology of the way the arts are enabled. From our Asian art histories. In this perspective, we will make short courses in all art forms, to helping potential our graduates fit for future careers in the constantly students grasp the language skills they need to pursue changing art world. further studies in the field, to the foundation studies I joined LASALLE as the Dean of the Faculty in visual studies which most LASALLE students of Fine Arts in December 2012. My academic interest encounter in a common first-year curriculum and is in research in contemporary arts, culture and media unique undergraduate Arts Management offerings, with a focus on dialogue between Asian/Eastern and these stepping stones to a comprehensive and applied European/Western theories and creative practices. understanding of the arts are a crucial way in which the faculty contributes to the education of young I believe that the understanding and discussion of artists and the world in which they will be working. the diversity of aesthetics and cultures, histories and identities in the Asia-Pacific region has to be In addition, our post-graduate courses in Art Therapy rebalanced in relation to the scope of globally and Arts Management contribute to the increasingly networked communication. professionalised arts environment of Singapore and offer intensive study of their respective disciplines, Because the global art markets and related with hands-on and theoretical knowledge of their field. discourses of arts and culture set the tone of our The research these students will be undertaking will contemporaneity by equally embracing East and West, contribute not only to their own development but to past and present, in response we need to rethink that of Singapore as a whole. concepts of identity, tradition, and cultural practices with regard to the specific location and context There is never a dull moment in this diverse faculty wherein these works, tendencies and quotidian which hosts an energetic round of activities from practices are by and large conceived and presented. public lecture series, to exhibitions at LASALLE and within the wider community. I was particularly When ideas, concepts and aesthetics of artworks impressed with the visual studies foundation classes travel to be shown and reviewed at art exhibitions, award-winning lantern festival contributions and their fairs, and festivals worldwide, we need to provide the spectacular installation at the Marina Bay Sands. Our artists, curators, critics and scholars with thorough art therapists and arts managers are enabling the understanding of the context where these cultural arts to connect with many communities and our short products come from. courses engage many in what we know to be vital, an interactive engagement with the arts. In addressing these contemporary demands and challenges, the vision for education and training My vision for this faculty is to build upon our many of students and staff in the Faculty of Fine Arts is assets, grounded in excellent teaching staff and to targeting a well-balanced interplay of contextual develop our research capacity by fostering inquiry, knowledge and practical-aesthetical skills. with innovation at our core so as to remain relevant and vital contributors to the arts in Singapore and My aspiration for the Faculty of Fine Arts is to train abroad for years to come. multiple skills that bridge both: theory and practice, local and global contexts. To meet the targets, we provide cutting-edge training in studio practice with subject foci in all relevant areas of future-oriented 58 INTERCULTURAL ASIAN PERFORMANCE PROJECT 59 HYPHENATED

CREATING NEW ART BY TRANSCENDING TRADITIONAL SUBJECT BOUNDARIES INTRODUCING THE MASTER he collaborative nature within ARTISTS T LASALLE is one of its strengths as a contemporary arts institution allowing MRS JOANNA WONG young artists opportunities to question (Cultural Medallion recipient 1981 existing art forms and then to create – Chinese Opera) new art. It pushes individuals to look Masterclass in Cantonese Xiqu deeper within themselves and outwardly Born in Penang where she first started to evaluate the views and art-making of learning Chinese Opera, Joanna Wong students from other spheres of practice. particular formalised speech and became a Singapore citizen after she This is one of the college’s six core values. movement techniques and distinctive moved to Singapore to pursue her studies make-up and costume style. Using at the University of Singapore. With her husband Leslie, Mrs Wong founded One such platform in the Faculty of various elements such as water sleeves, Chinese Theatre Circle, a non-profit Performing Arts is the annual Intercultural sword fighting and horsewhips, the professional Cantonese opera company, students adapted Shakespeare’s Hamlet Asian Performance Project, which runs for in 1981. Joanna is considered the person a whole semester, exposing students to in Cantonese Xiqu to highlight the who not only revived Cantonese opera in five specific traditional forms: Dikir Barat, relevance of cross-cultural approaches in Singapore, but also elevated this traditional Cantonese Xiqu, Kathakali, Wayang Kulit performance-making. Cantonese Opera (Xiqu) form to a level, which is regarded as a and Noh Theatre. The project asks students respectable artistic form and not simply Wayang Kulit to learn aspects of these traditional forms To push the young performers to investigate appearances and their movements to street entertainment for festive occasions. and interpret them from the perspective of further possible cross-overs, students were suggest the essence of their tale rather One of her most memorable productions a contemporary performer. taught the traditional Indian dance drama than to enact it. Little “happens” in a was Warriors of the Yang Family, staged in Kathakali. This is an extremely colourful Noh drama, and the total effect is less 1999, featuring a cast and crew of 200, the The five forms were chosen as and energetic form with a complex system that of a present action than of a simile largest Chinese opera staged in Singapore. they provide the students with of dance, music, acting, with a highly or metaphor made visual. Keeping to the In 2001, Joanna starred in a new Cantonese specific techniques and skills developed hand-gestures vocabulary conditions and route of a choreographed opera in a role, which was specially written needed in performance–making. (mudras) and enhanced facial expressions. Shimai dance, this performance explored for her, The First Woman Emperor Wu Ze Tian. The opera was revived in January The project started with Dikir Using these systems and conventions in the representation of the iconic image of 2013 in a fresh production to mark her Barat, a musical form native Kathakali, students presented an adaptation the cherry blossoms as a passage of time retirement from the stage. to the Malay Peninsula, which of the Chinese classic Journey to the West. through stop-motion edits. involves the performers singing JOKO SUSILO in groups. The verses are mostly The fourth form in the series was Wayang “Exposure to these traditional forms Masterclass in Wayang Kulit satirical, sarcastic, or simply Kulit, a type of shadow puppet play creates opportunities for the students Joko Susilo was born in the village of humorous in a call and response performed around the Indo-Malayan to immerse themselves in a unique Mojopuro in Central Java, Indonesia. His structure. The group members archipelago. Wayang Kulit is an important range of theatrical expressions,” explains father came from a Dalang family and had Dikir Barat clap and perform rhythmic body vehicle of culture and entertainment, Dr Amanda Morris, Dean, Faculty of studied shadow puppetry at the Kraton movements, which bring energy to the serving as a carrier of myths, morality plays Performing Arts. “Crucial to the learning Kasunanan, Solo. When he was only performance. Using the elements of a and religious experience combined into one. process is the provision of a platform three his father began to take him to his performances and he acquired so much Greek chorus structure, this year’s Dikir To revisit the notion of ensemble work and for students to ask questions and focus knowledge of Wayang stories, characters Barat project explored ensemble singing folk theatre, students adapted the popular on how their learning of these forms and gamelan melodies that he was able to through the Greek myth, Narcissus, set in Singapore myth The Legend of Bukit Merah, might provide a means of understanding perform his first all-night Wayang Kulit play contemporary Singapore. to forge a narrative link between characters’ their own developing sensitivity as a when he was ten. In 1982 Joko graduated dialogue and episodes. contemporary performer.” from high school and enrolled in the tertiary The second form taught in the series was institution of Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia Cantonese Opera (Xiqu). A traditional and The last form that the students were The Programme Leader for to study the art of shadow puppetry. He highly presentational style of performance exposed to was Noh, a serious and Theatre+Performance, Elizabeth de became a lecturer in 1987 but continued to essentially musical and choreographed, restrained dance drama from Japan. Rather Roza, provides the overall direction for perform all-night Wayang Kulit plays until Xiqu is one of the major categories in than being actors or “representers” in the project, which she says adopts an 1993. He completed his doctorate at Otago Chinese opera. The various characters the Western sense, Noh performers are anthropological model (Negotiating University in 2000. are categorised by archetypes; each with simply storytellers who use their visual Cultures, Eugenio Barba and 60 INTERCULTURAL ASIAN PERFORMANCE PROJECT 61

NAJIB SOIMAN Masterclass in Dikir Barat Najib Soiman is currently an arts educator and a freelance theatre practitioner. In 1993 his first foray into the arts was to perform Dikir Barat with the group Kelana Purba. Since 2003, he has worked for a myriad of theatrical performances, locally Noh and overseas. Najib is also a regular in the LASALLE Singapore Arts Festival as a playwright, director and performer. He was the President of Teater Ekamatra from 2006 to 2007 and Artistic Director of Panggung ARTS from 2008 to 2009. He was awarded VALUES… ‘Best Actor’ at the ST Life! Theatre Awards 2009 for his heartbreaking role as a photographer detained without trial in the THE ABILITY play Gemuk Girls by The Necessary Stage, and in 2010 he was nominated Best Actor OF ART TO COMMUNICATE for his performance in a wordless theatre ACROSS CULTURES AND piece The Comedy of the Tragic Goats by Kathakali GEOGRAPHY Cake Theatrical Productions. the Intercultural Debate, Ian Watson. 2002) Crucial to the learning CHIKAGE TERAI to highlight the following three aspects: — The performer’s personality, her/his process is the provision of KANZE SCHOOL OF NOH Masterclass in Noh Theatre sensitivity, artistic intelligence, social THE POWER a platform for students to Chikage Terai is a Noh performer belonging persona: those characteristics, which ask questions and focus on OF EDUCATION AND RESEARCH to the Kanze School. Her first performance render the individual performer unique. TO ENLIGHTEN THE INDIVIDUAL was a Shimai (short Noh dance with fan) — The particularity of the scenic tradition how their learning of these when she was only three years old. At the and the historical-cultural context through forms might provide a means AND SOCIETY age of sixteen years, she performed the which the performer’s unique personality role of Shite (the hero or heroine) in the manifests itself. of understanding their own Noh play Tsunemasa. She studied at the — The uses of the body-mind according THE PREPARATION Tokyo National University of Fine Arts to extra-daily techniques in which developing sensitivity as a and Music and in the Graduate School of transcultural recurring principles can be contemporary performer. OF GRADUATES FOR SUSTAINED Music, where she holds a Masters in Noh found. EMPLOYMENT Theatre. Founded during the Edo era, the Kanze School was then the leading style Masters of each of the traditional and strength of the four major schools and performance forms were invited to be even today it has the most performers of all performance groups and schools. guest artists at LASALLE to teach the the Theatre+Performance programme in THE DISCIPLINED students from the diploma and degree collaboration with students from the Acting FREEDOM OF ARTISTS SRI KALAMANDALAM BIJU levels in Acting, Theatre, Dance and and Musical Theatre programmes. Using BHASKAR’S ARTS ACADEMY Performance. This provided a meaningful influences from both European techniques Masterclass in Kathakali exchange between the young contemporary and Noh Theatre structures, students wrote, THE COMMUNICATION The Kathakali Troupe of Bhaskar’s Arts artists and Masters. These processes can devised and directed the performance with Academy was formed in 2002, consisting sometimes create tension particularly when minimal supervision. This was successfully OF TRUTH BEYOND WORDS of principal dancers trained in India. It a body engages in a form that is alienating presented at the 2012 Asia Pacific Bureau is now the only group of its kind outside — where extremities are pushed — and the Drama Schools Festival. India, promoting this unique art form search for meaning goes beyond superficial from Kerala, South India. It has developed understanding of the form. The project The annual Intercultural Asian Performance under the artistic direction of K P Bhaskar, calls for an intricate interweaving of various Project has set in motion a momentum in whose vision is also to produce innovative, cultures. performance-making at LASALLE, stemming cross-cultural productions to expand the from intercultural exploration. In addition, repertoire of Kathakali and appeal to new audiences in a cosmopolitan age. As part This collaborative model also teaches the faculty used the photographic and of the Singapore Arts Festival in 2004, the students skills such as team work and video documentation of the project over troupe presented a full-night production working with artists from other cultures, the past few years to mount an exhibition of The Killing of Dussassana in the outdoor forms and disciplines. The relevance of called Through These Eyes at LASALLE’s event Maha Mela held in the Little India exposing the students to the project Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore area. The troupe toured Chennai and is evident in their independent work. to review its work in this area and begin a Trivandrum in India with great success in One such example is Serangoon public conversation about the importance of 2004 and is slated for more overseas tours. Sunset, helmed by the students from engaging students in intercultural arts. CONVOCATION 64 26th CONVOCATION 65 26TH LASALLE CONVOCATION 26 SEPTEMBER 2012

Higher education isn’t just a way to get ahead in the world, but a preparation for continual learning and personal growth that lasts a lifetime.

PROFESSOR STEVE DIXON 66 26th CONVOCATION 67 EXCELLENCE

LASALLE Awards for The McNally Award for Academic Excellence Excellence in the Arts Marcus Yuen Wen Han

950 graduates received their Diploma, Bachelor of Arts and Marcus was crowned the student of the study and build a career in the arts. The Master of Arts certificates this year. Twelve outstanding graduates year for his outstanding achievements arts have become a lifestyle for me and received the LASALLE Awards for Academic Excellence: five both academically as well as distinctive not just a job. I cannot imagine myself Diploma, five BA(Hons) and two Masters. These awards are given artistic achievements. Even before doing anything else.” graduation, 24-year-old Marcus had to outstanding students who maintained high academic standing established his creative prowess. He Said his Programme Leader Jocelyn throughout their education at LASALLE and demonstrated won three ‘Best of Year’ awards at the Sim, “With his positive attitude, Marcus achievement in their respective creative fields. prestigious international D&AD Student is never complacent in learning about Awards 2012; and also bagged three Gold, the various intricacies of the ever- two Silver and three Bronze medals for changing environment of the advertising DIPLOMA BA(HONS) MASTER OF ARTS his entries at the advertising industry’s industry. This was evident when he won FACULTY FOR FACULTY FOR FACULTY FOR high-profile Crowbar Awards 2012. His the opportunity of a lifetime to exhibit THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES wins have helped LASALLE clinch top alongside the famous artworks of iconic Dheesha Remesh Debrah Jiang Minyi Siow Tze Tjuin school in Asia, and number two spot on pop artist Andy Warhol at the ArtScience Diploma in Arts Management BA(Hons) Arts Management Master of Arts in Art Therapy the international map. Museum at Marina Bay Sands.”

FACULTY OF FINE ARTS FACULTY OF FINE ARTS FACULTY OF FINE ARTS Citing a strong support system as one Marcus’s ability to conceive new and Jessica Angelique Gabrielli Shen Xin Donna Ong Mei Ch’ing of the factors that contributed to his innovative strategic ideas earned him Diploma in Fine Arts BA(Hons) Fine Arts Master of Arts in Fine Arts achievements Marcus remarked, “My much recognition, so much so that BBH parents and family members have always Asia Pacific offered him a job during his FACULTY OF MEDIA ARTS FACULTY OF MEDIA ARTS been very supportive of my decision to last semester at LASALLE. Shamine Athena King Jeremy Christopher Diploma in Animation Art Chua Shao Yong BA(Hons) Film FACULTY OF PERFORMING ARTS Cherilyn Woo Xiuli FACULTY OF PERFORMING ARTS Diploma in Theatre+Performance Chad Leonard O’Brien BA(Hons) Acting FACULTY OF DESIGN Adeline Yeo Xiuyun FACULTY OF DESIGN Diploma in Interior Design Marcus Yuen Wen Han BA(Hons) Design Communication 68 26th CONVOCATION 69 2012 AWARDS EXTERNAL CONFERRED EXAMINERS

For OU-Validated Programmes DIPLOMA BACHELOR OF ARTS MASTERS Animation Art Arts & Cultural Management (HONS) Dance Arts Management Acting Art Therapy FACULTY OF FINE ARTS FACULTY OF Art History (MA) MS KATE LAWRENCE Dance Animation Art Art History MEDIA ARTS Asian Art Histories (MA) Lecturer, Performance Design Communication Arts Management Asian Art Histories Animation Art DR KATIE HILL School of Creative Studies Fashion Communication Dance Fine Arts Interactive Art Consultant Lecturer and and Media Fashion Design Design Communication Video Art Online Faculty Bangor University.UK Fashion Management Fashion Communication DR SALLY JANE NORMAN Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London. UK Fashion Textiles Fashion Design Professor of Performance Technical Theatre Film Fashion Management Technologies Fine Arts DR NICK HUNT Fine Arts Fashion Textiles Director, Attenborough Centre for MS REBECCA FORTNUM Head of School Interactive Art Film the Creative Arts Reader & Pathway leader Design, Management and Interior Design Fine Arts University of Sussex. UK (MA Fine Art) Technical Arts Music (Classical Performance) Interactive Art Camberwell College of Art Rose Bruford College. UK Music (Composition) Interior Design Film University of the Arts London. UK Music (Jazz Performance) Music (Classical Performance) MR BRIAN DUNNIGAN Music (Music Technology) Head of Screenwriting Music (Composition) FACULTY FOR THE Music (Popular Music Performance) Music (Jazz Performance) Course Leader MA Screenwriting Product Design Music (Music Technology) FACULTY OF DESIGN The London Film School. UK CREATIVE INDUSTRIES Design Communication Arts Management Technical Theatre Music (Popular Music Performance) MR SIMON DAVIES Arts and Cultural Management (MA) Theatre+Performance Musical Theatre Programme Leader Graphic Design MRS VICKY WOOLLARD Video Art Product Design FACULTY OF & Illustration Consultant and researcher in and Technical Theatre PERFORMING ARTS Faculty of the Arts for UK museums and the arts Theatre+Performance Acting University of Cumbria. UK Ex-Head of Department for Musical Theatre Culture, Languages and Translation, Theatre+Performance Fashion Centre Head for Cultural Policy DR NICK PHILLIPS MS GILL SANDFORD and Management and Programme GRADUATES BY FACULTY TOTAL NUMBER OF GRADUATES GRADUATES BY Head of Acting & Community Drama Deputy Dean Director for MA Culture, Policy and LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT Liverpool Institute for Cardiff School of Creative and Management Pathways Programme, Performing Arts. UK 91 Cultural Industries City University London. UK 108 University of Glamorgan. UK Classical Performance Art Therapy (MA) 33 Composition 501 Interior Design DR JILL WESTWOOD 950 Jazz Performance Graduates MS RO SPANKIE Lecturer in Art Psychotherapy & 123 Music Technology Senior Lecturer Placement Coordinator Popular Music Performance 406 School of Architecture and Built Goldsmiths College DR ROBERT ELLIS-GEIGER Environment University of London. UK Design Assistant Professor University of Westminster. UK Fine Arts School of Creative Media 127 Diploma Media Arts 511 City University of Hong Kong. Bachelors Product Design Performing Arts Hong Kong, SAR Creative Industries Masters DR GORDON HUSH Head of Product Design & Design Innovation Programme Leader Glasgow School of Art. UK A/BUZZ 72 a/buzz 73 THE JOURNEY INGÉNUE INTO THE UNKNOWN

I LOVE FILM — THERE ew people would wander into IS SOMETHING F the wilderness from the safety of the concrete jungle — SO ROMANTIC but visual artist Genevieve Chua ABOUT BEING of speaking too quickly or mumbling would. but my performance improved IMMORTALISED IN dramatically over time through actor Her penchant for the uncanny FILM. BUT I LOVE, training exercises such as use of echoes in her work, where she phonetics, breath training, training the often negotiates the line between LOVE THEATRE articulators.” the ordinary and supernatural. FOR THE TIME A group of girls photographed Shu An’s versatility in working across like a fleeting pack of wolves. AND INTENSITY IT mediums — from stage to screen Giant, dead trees shrouded in ivy I’VE ALWAYS BEEN DEMANDS. to web television — is one of her and weeds. The basement of a strongest features. At nineteen she shopping mall embedded in the INTERESTED IN was talent-spotted to star in the bowels of a riverbed. feature film Becoming Royston. THIS INVISIBLE “I’ve always been interested in this BARRIER THAT EXISTS She has since played a variety of roles on television invisible barrier that exists between society and — AXN Asia Channel’s The Kitchen Musical, sketch Nature.” says Genevieve, whose works have been BETWEEN SOCIETY show Random Island and Chinese drama Fatefully shown in solo and group exhibitions like ArtHK 2011, AND NATURE. Yours. She even hosted her own online makeup guru National Museum of Singapore, , channel, Tried and Tested, to the tune of 1.3 million Hiroshima MOCA in Japan, and Goeurn Museum of views on clicknetwork.tv. Art in South Korea.

here’s no business like show business. “It’s “I love film — there is something so romantic about Her latest series Ultrasound (2012), which was under the tutelage of LASALLE’s fine art teachers Texciting but you never know what’s going to being immortalised in film. But I love, love theatre for presented by top Southeast Asian gallery Valentine like Dr Ian Woo, Khiew Huey Chian and Ernest Chan. happen,” says LASALLE Acting alumna Oon Shu An the time and intensity it demands,” she says. Willie, imagined a vision of an urban metropolis “I was always encouraged to question my work at (26). “Getting work depends on so many factors: the submerged under Nature’s tsunamic roar. Large LASALLE. Is the work complete? And of course, it was industry climate, your skills, or whether the directors Shu An first leapt into the theatre scene with Ho Tzu six-foot tall canvases of once-familiar images of never completely complete. It was then when I realised and producers think you are appropriate for the role.” Nyen’s The King Lear Project: A Trilogy (2008), an shopping malls nestle, womb-like, into screen prints that this exploration could be the essence of my abstract take on Shakespeare which won accolades at of darkened river bed. The expansive, swirling pools artistic process, a way to drive my direction,” she says. But this can be said about LASALLE alumni: when the prestigious Kunsten Festival des Arts in Brussels threaten to swallow you whole. the going gets tough, the tough gets going. “Find a and the Singapore Arts Festival. She creates using a range of mediums and tools — from group of people, and start creating. I think that’s the There is a strange otherness, or otherworldliness, that photography to the web, from metal casting to screen most powerful thing!” says a confident Shu An. The And the spotlight loves her back. In 2012, Shu An is imbued in her work. They often portray solitary, printing. The exploration has also taken her all over acting bug bit when she was fourteen, and she started landed the plump lead role of Seeker in Resorts seemingly abandoned landscapes, like the giant dead the world, where she has been awarded residencies performing in school plays and joining the drama club. World Sentosa’s theatrical magic show, Incanto. She trees in After The Flood (2010), yet her creations hosted by Royal College of Art, London, CCC But she never thought it would be a full time career performs beside magician Joe Labero, a three-time speak volumes, toying with notions of presence and Shizuoka in Japan and was part of the BMW Young until she started in LASALLE. recipient of the prestigious Merlin award, and an absence, the visible and invisible. Asian Artist Series in Singapore Tyler Print Institute. international cast of 50 actors, acrobats and dancers. In 2012, she received the Young Artist Award, one of Acting school opened up a whole new world says the “I see my art as being more like a research process, the highest national art awards given by Singapore to Fly Entertainment artiste. “I trained under the best: With the face and poise of a star, Shu An has been creating small projects that fall under the mandala of recognise promising young artists. I learnt about physical theatre from Elizabeth de given a role to act alongside hot celebrities George a larger theme. The making of many small narratives Roza, devised theatre from Edith Podesta and acting Young and Shane Mardjuki in a new web drama called that make up a grander one,” she says. This journey Despite the accolades, Genevieve remains for film from Lim Yu Beng, all established artistes in Get Social to air in 2013. Her dream role would be of searching and seeking was planted when she was grounded. Comfortable ground for her would be the the industry,” she adds. to play an iconic female character: “A Singaporean studying at LASALLE, she recalls. uncomfortable for some: she prefers wandering in the Audrey Hepburn, or a powerhouse like Oprah fringes of society, bringing back with her portraits of “It was also a great transition period for me as I honed Winfrey. But I would love to play the tough girl in First trained as a watercolour artist when she was us, for us to see ourselves. Lit, perhaps, in a slightly my acting skills,” she recalls. “Initially I had a habit action films, and do my own stunts!” thirteen, Genevieve’s current artistic trajectory began different light than we previously imagined. 74 a/buzz 75

MARIEL REYES DAVID STEVANOV BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2007 BA(Hons) Advertising Design The bubbly children’s TV host 2009 was chosen as cast in local film DANIELLE O’MALLEY Became the youngest jury Singapore Dreaming, which BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2008 CASSIE THOMSON RAY VE TAY member in the prestigious was the first in Singapore to Spotted at the Sydney Opera BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2010 BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2010 D&AD Awards. He was also receive an IFFPA-recognised House for her ensemble LEZ ANN CHONG Sang and danced as one of Became the first ever JOAVIEN NG named by leading Campaign international feature film cast role in award-winning BA(Hons) Acting 2009 Disney’s favourite characters Singaporean participant at Diploma in Contemporary magazine as one of Asia’s award and a recipient of the Broadway musical South Starred in local short film ‘Belle’ at Hong Kong the Robert Wilson Watermill Dance 1997 INCH CHUA most awarded art directors Montblanc New Screenwriters Pacific. She has also performed Porn Masala — one of the Disneyland alongside iconic lnternational Summer Program Collaborated with artist Choy Diploma in Arts of the year. His portfolio Award. She also played the as a lead vocalist in countless three shorts in Sex.Violence. Disney characters in The in New York where he worked Ka Fai in a ‘muscle memory’ Management 2010 includes work on Ogilvy & role of ‘Dorothy’ in The Wizard corporate shows throughout FamilyValues by Ken Kwek; Golden Mickeys. with the likes of Robert dance experiment Notion: The singer-songwriter, who Mather accounts like Coke, of Oz staged at Drama Centre, Singapore and Australia. and landed the lead role in Wilson, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Dance Fiction, and performed has launched several digital The Economist, Faber Castell National Library of Singapore. award-winning Malaysian short CARLA DUNAREANU AJ Weissbard and Desi solo in a LIFE performance albums, was in Los Angeles on and CIMB Bank. She is now in New York City RAYANN CONDY filmSanzaru by Adam Sinclair, BA(Hons) Acting 2011 Santiago. Apart from starring portraying snippets of life and off for the past year for ZULKIFLE MAHMOD pursuing her acting career. BA(Hons) Acting 2008 which went viral. She is now a Moved to Manila and in musicals Spring Awakening encounters in an artificially various projects. She was also PAVAN J SINGH co-host for Astro Supersport debuted in her first movie and National Broadway constructed world. Both cast in the 2012 Kuo Pao Kun Diploma in Visual Art 1997 Singapore’s first sound artist RIZMAN PUTRA BA(Hons) Acting 2009 TV show alongside renowned entitled The Bride And The Company (in Singapore), dance sequences were held at Festival adaptation of Lao Jiu. invited to showcase at the BA(Hons) Fine Art 2007 The two artistic directors of journalist/sportscaster Jason Lover by Regal Entertainment. he also worked with award- Esplanade. 52nd Venice Biennale in 2007. SHARDA HARRISON Skinned Knee Productions had Dasey. She also landed a regular winning Swedish director- EUGENE YIP The Associate Artist with The BA(Hons) Acting 2009 great individual and collaborative radio gig on Magic 89.9FM, performance artist Charlotte ZHUO ZIHAO BA(Hons) Music 2010 Substation also participated Sharda appeared in three successes. Highlights included REBECCA SPYKERMAN the Philippines’ top English Engelkes in developing and Diploma in Dance 2002 A full-time musician with in i-Light Marina Bay 2012 Singapore Arts Festival shows: productions such as the very BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2009 radio station. presenting the piece Very Received the Young Artist homegrown band MICappella. short film once upon/dance with his light installation, Deck successful Sonnets for an Old Starred in her first lead role Wagnerian Night. Award 2012. His co-founded The versatile and bilingual by freestate productions, Century for i-AM Festival as ‘Viola’ in Twelfth Night by ERWIN SHAH ISMAIL company, T.H.E Dance rock group emerged second Journey. He held a sound-art Kanjoos by HuM theatre, and 2012, and Improv Comedy Singapore Repertory Theatre; BA(Hons) Acting 2011 RACHEL MARLEY Company restaged As It place in a Chinese singing performance titled Imaginary Dream Country helmed by City, Granada during his performances by their troupe The in Pangdemonium’s Spring Charmed audiences at The BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2011 Fades at the competition, The Sing-Off Marion d’cruz. Also acted in residency at The Unifiedfield Little Friendly Giants. Individually, Awakening as ‘Ilse’, and in Edinburgh Festival Fringe Spotted as part of the Performing Arts Centre, China that was broadcast on a cross-cultural performance art space in Granada, as well Rayann directed Goh Boon Purple by Toy Factory as in a children’s play Our vivacious cast in local theatre Modern Dance Festival Satellite TV. Crossings which premiered as in Madrid and Valencia. Teck’s Purple and was Artistic ‘Susan’. She was also in New Island; portrayed ‘Jeremiah’ company Pangdemonium’s and Oriente Occidente in in Singapore and Rijeka Director for the theatrical magic York for the International in the 2012 reproduction of adaptation of Spring Italy. He also performed with EUGENIA YIP (Croatia), and decimal points TAN WEE LIT show Incanto. Pavan’s individual Emmy Awards, having been a Jean Tay’s award-winning Awakening, one of the best the company in a production BA(Hons) Music 2011 5.1 directed by Rizman. He BA(Hons) Fine Arts 2002 successes included a major role part of the musical TV series play Boom, and starred in a Broadway musicals ever titled Silences We Are Familiar The singer-songwriter of is well regarded as a visual/ The prolific sculptor received in Sangeeta Nambiar’s feature The Kitchen Musical. local three-man play, Bedok written. With at Esplanade’s da:ns Fest. electro-pop duo Riot !n performance artist, band filmA Gran Plan which has won Reservoir, that addresses a Magenta has performed in the National Young Artist frontman, theatre performer Award 2012 recognising his numerous film festival awards, ZAC TYLER dark side of Singapore not TOM RAGEN GIANTI GIADI (GIGI) music festivals in Indonesia and now director. BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2009 openly discussed. He was BA(Hons) Dance 2008 and at the Mosaic Music distinctive practice locally and and a main role in local Okto BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2011 In the Adelaide Fringe 2012, Returned to the limelight Festival in Singapore. She is internationally. He is the Head TV production Super4orce, also part of the musical TV As well as working as a singer, CRISPIAN CHAN he directed and produced with a new choreographed also the lead singer of The of the Faculty of Visual Arts the highest rated catch-up TV series The Kitchen Musical, dancer and host at Universal BA(Hons) Acting 2008 Unspoken Language, a work a presentation in pursuit Beatroots, an energetic pop, at The School Of The Arts. programme to date. broadcast across Asia. Studios Singapore in Monster Played the role of ‘Jack’ in cocktail of music, dance of beauty that won ‘Most rock and acoustic live band Rock! and Hollywood Dreams Pangdemonium’s adaptation and visual art at the award- KRISTY GRIFFIN Popular Work’ at the Sprouts that plays weekly at the Beer JEREMY HIAH AMANDA TEE Parade, he appeared in of Swimming With Sharks, winning Queen’s Theatre. All Stars National Competition Market, Timbre (Gillman KAI LAM BA(Hons) Acting 2009 BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2011 Bellepoque’s production a 1994 American comedy Worked with the Singapore He is working on a one-man Dazzled the crowd at Universal presented by National Arts Barracks) and Timbre (Arts BA(Hons) Fine Arts 2002 of Another Murder on the Taking art out of the studios drama film and starred Repertory Theatre in cabaret piece to perform in Studios Singapore as the well- Council. She founded a dance House). Orient Express. He was also a and into the streets of alongside Adrian Pang, Janice productions such as A more festivals worldwide. loved cartoon character ‘Betty school, GIGI Art of Dance in featured vocalist at the grand Singapore, Jeremy and Kai Koh and George Young. Midsummer Night’s Dream, Boop’. She also appeared in Jakarta soon after graduation. ALICIA SOH opening of Resorts World Lam performed You, And He is represented by FLY Fried Rice Paradise and SEONG HUI XUAN Bellepoque’s operetta Another BA(Hons) Music 2012 Sentosa. Then Me, a multi-disciplinary Entertainment. Macbeth. She was also part of BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2010 Murder on the Orient Express. KHAIRUL SHAHRIN Swinging between sweet performance at an old Esplanade’s musical National Played the role of ‘April’ in Diploma in Dance 2011 acoustic sounds and hard MINA ELLEN KAYE housing board estate. ERIN BRUCE Broadway Company presented Dream Academy Productions’ MATILDA CHUA BA(Hons) Dance 2012 metal, she chose to be a BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2012 BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2008 during its tenth anniversary adaptation of Stephen BA(Hons) Musical Theatre 2011 The inspiring dancer and full-time musician upon Performed in Dream Academy GENEVIEVE CHUA Yet another act under her celebrations. Also hosted Sondheim’s Company and RAYANN CONDY choreographer was hand- graduation. She plays Productions’ adaptation of the BA(Hons) Fine Arts 2004 belt as she performed in the two sports programmes on ‘Anne’ in W!ld Rice’s La Cage BA(Hons) Acting 2008 picked by the National keyboard for band Ammarah European production of Shout! Tony Award-winning musical The 2012 Young Artist Award Starhub and was invited to aux Folles. She also teaches Matilda stepped into the Arts Council to represent and performs with jazz The Mod Musical on a cruise Company. She was already recipient exhibited half a New York in 2012 as part of piano and drama and loves shoes of ‘Mademoisella’ in Singapore in Asian Culture guitarist Amos Tadete weekly liner. Her portfolio includes a regular on their sets (e.g. dozen new works during the a creative learning initiative devised work and writing. local theatre company Toy Road organised by the at Timbre (The Substation) parts in productions worldwide Into The Woods) even before year. After almost eight years called Richard’s Rampage Factory’s updated version of Ministry of Culture in South and Bungy Bar. — A Chorus Line (New graduation. working with a variety of presented by the Kevin Spacey Purple, directed by Rayann. Korea; performed in a South Wales), Crazy For You artistic medium she returned Foundation. festival in Jogja International (London Palladium) and Honk! to painting with a solo (Edinburgh Fringe Festival). Performing Art Festival, presenting a piece titled exhibition of twelve works in Path and took part in the Birthing Ground Not A Sound. Sprouts All Stars National Competition. 76 a/buzz 77

YE SHUFANG MA Fine Arts 1998 Assistant Director of Education and Outreach at The National Art Gallery. ANA PRVACKI Her artwork, Exercises in MA Fine Arts 2005 Shape was featured among a Collaborated with renowned JAMES KHOO hundred favourite artworks of art director Shane Valentino SARAVANAN SAM 2011 in the Bazaar Art (China) to present her project TARINI SINGH magazine January 2012 issue. The Greeting Committee BA(Hons) Film 2011 Reports at one of the biggest Hentak Kaki written by James KHAIRUDDIN HORI JYING TAN international shows in art, Khoo and produced by Tarini MA Fine Arts 2006 BA Fine Arts 2010 dOCUMENTA(13) in Kassel, Singh with the original idea The Senior Curator at the ISABELLA DESJEUX Germany. Singapore Art Museum from Saravanan Sam bagged MA Fine Arts 2010 the ‘Best Performance’ award co-curated The Singapore Invited to exhibit in the show JANE LEE at the 3rd Singapore Short Show: Future Proof, an Occupy Tiong Bahru with BA(Hons) Fine Arts 2005 Film Awards in March. A annual show that presents their in-home installations Known for her bold colours month earlier it had been artworks from young artists as part of an annual arts and tactile canvasses, she screened at Next Reel whose innovative and unique walkabout event by OH! is one of Singapore’s more International Film Festival practices have generated Open House. The art spaces notable contemporary artists. presented by New York attention and accolades in were rooms in Singapore’s A recipient of the Singapore University’s Tisch School of various art circles. first public housing board flats Art Prize in 2007, she has the Arts, in Singapore. built in the 1930s. exhibited at biennales, LEE WEN museums and commercial SARAVANAN SAM MILS SATURDAY MA Fine Arts 2006 MELISSA TAN galleries. This year, she was The Cultural Medallion BA(Hons) Film 2011 By Sunny Lim By Daniel Loh (class of BA(Hons) Fine Arts 2011 (class of 2008) represented in New York by recipient is one of Awarded with ‘Best Editing’ MASH-UP L’ILE AUX 2009) & Nic Wong One of the youngest artists By Daniela Monasterios (class of 2001) Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Singapore’s most at the 3rd Singapore Short ASHBY invited to exhibit in The Contemporary Tan, Nathanael Ng, By Rayson Tan as well as in Hong Kong by internationally recognised Film Awards for his film, Wild LION EARL Singapore Show: Future Proof, alternative menswear Shaf Amis’aabudin By Lionel Low (class of (class of 2005) Launched in 2009, Osage Gallery. contemporary artist. In 2012, Dogs, a documentary on Singapore Art Museum. Singapore’s happiest street label. Inspired by (class of 2009) 2009) with Hariz Lim this laidback chic Singapore Art Museum asymmetry and soft Started as a hobby, womenswear label has BRUCE QUEK buskers. presented his works in MICHAEL TIMOTHY structured lines, Sunny’s Fun street-wear label Launched in April as Rayson’s passion for achieved international Diploma in Fine Arts 2006 an exhibition titled Lucid BA(Hons) Fine Arts 2011 debut collection was an inspired by everything a fashion line for the fashion design led renown in just three Exhibited his artwork Hall KEN TAN ZHENG WEI Dreams in the Reverie of the His exhibition Looking for instant hit when it was from ethnic heritage futuristic independent him to start exclusive years. The duo have of Mirrors in The Singapore NAFISAH MOHAMED Real, celebrating his two-and- Space, came out of an launched. It was the and pop culture to woman with heavy accessories label taken part in various Show: Future Proof, Singapore BA(Hons) Animation Art 2012 cinematography. The a-half decade long artistic independent art incubation only local label invited influences from urban L’ile aux Ashby. His international shows and Art Museum. Specialising in 3D animation, label is born out of the career. programme for seven young to show at the 2012 architecture. The label masterpieces have been is now stocked in major Ken and Nafisah landed Mercedes Benz Fashion trio’s common love for has been worn by featured in fashion cities such as Singapore, emerging artists supported by coveted jobs as Matchmove CHUA CHIN CHIN TOH HUN PING Week. music, partying and Mediacorp celebrities magazines such as Kuala Lumpur, New the National Arts Council. Artists at the Singapore office Diploma in Fine Arts 2006 BA(Hons) Media Art 2006 2012 fashion. and contestants in VOGUE, VOGUE Italia, York, San Diego, of Double Negative, Europe’s Exhibited a collection of To encourage broader — Launched the label’s 2012 Asia’s Next Top Model, Glamour UK, Surface and London. SHAH RIZZAL largest provider of visual paintings, drawings and small- discussion on the purpose first Spring/ Summer 12 — Launched debut a reality TV show Asia, W Korea and 2012 BA(Hons) Fine Arts 2011 effects for film. Spring/Summer 2012 scale installations in Faces, and impact of visual collection in February. produced by former Highsnobette.com. — Launched Fall/ Exhibited This is Home, his collection ‘Totemania’ Hands, Feet & Little Things at and multimedia art, he — Presented Spring/ super model Tyra Banks. 2012 Winter 2012 collection graduation thesis work in The JONATHAN CHUA at the Audi Fashion The Substation, Singapore. showcased The Same Rain Summer 2012 collection 2012 — Only Singaporean at the Audi Fashion Singapore Show: Future Proof, NADIA SO Festival 2012, Asia Festival 2012 and Same Wind (2012) alongside at the Mercedes Benz — Presented Spring/ label to participate in Singapore Art Museum. BA(Hons) Animation Art 2012 Fashion Exchange Summer 2012/13 Born Designers 2012 BLUEPRINT trade JEREMY SHARMA Milenko Prvacki, Tan Wee Fashion Week in Sydney The 2D specialists are Singapore in May. collection at the Audi showcase in France event, part of the Asia MA Fine Arts 2006 Lit and Jeremy Sharma with in April. DONNA ONG engaged by Double Negative, — Launched Autumn/ Fashion Festival 2012, held in January. Fashion Exchange His series of work titled The internationally renowned — Presented Spring/ Massive (2006), which is part MA Fine Arts 2012 Singapore as Rotoscope Winter 2012/13 ‘Atlanta Asia Fashion Exchange — Participated in Seoul Singapore in May. artists at Chiang Mai The Singapore Show: Future Summer 2012 collection of Singapore Art Museum’s Artists trace over footage, at the Audi Fashion Goes To Atlantis’ Singapore in May. Fashion Week in April. — Presented Spring/ University. Proof exhibited her artwork contemporary art collection, frame by frame, for use in live- Festival 2012 and collection in September. — Launched Autumn/ — Presented new Summer 2013 collection Crystal City (2009) - an was featured in Panorama: action and animated films. BLUEPRINT trade — Collaborated with Winter 2012/13 Pre-Spring’12 collection at TRANOI during RYF ZAINI installation using bottles to Recent Art from Southeast event, part of the Asia Lomography to design collection in September. ‘Prodigy Of Colours’ at Paris Fashion Week in BA(Hons) Interactive Art 2007 frame a miniature skyline of September. Asia. The exhibition charted Invited to showcase his light Fashion Exchange a one-of-a-kind La BLUEPRINT tradeshow, a glass city, which she later Sardina camera for the some of the urgent issues installation 5qu1d at i-Light Singapore in May. Asia Fashion Exchange — Presented Fall/ donated to Singapore Art La Sardina Wardrobe related to contemporary art- Marina Bay 2012, Asia’s first — Presented Spring/ Singapore in May. Winter 2012 collection Museum. Exhibition in October. at Future Fashion Now, making in Asia today. and only sustainable light Summer 2012 collection He also had a solo exhibition at Tokyo Fashion Week — Expanded to Kuala Asia’s first pre-order art festival. He was also CHUA SENG YEW fashion portal, in Apropos: Jeremy Chua at the commissioned to stage Look as part of the Wut Lumpur with Parkamaya BA(Hons) Film 2010 fashion mall as stockist October. Institute of Contemporary No Further, a site-specific Berlin Showroom in As his second directed in December. Arts Singapore, LASALLE. installation for The Singapore October. — Opened first flagship short film, The Red Veil was store at Wheelock Show: Future Proof, voted by The Substation’s Place in December. Singapore Art Museum. audience to appear in the institution’s ‘Best of First Take Sunday’ special screening in December. JEREMY SHARMA Pantheon 2012 Oil, beeswax and magazine

INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS SINGAPORE

MILENKO PRVACKI MILENKO PRVACKI Construction Site Building 2001 2006 Oil on linen Oil on linen 80 icas 81

EXTERNAL EXHIBITIONS ICAS CUT THRU: A View on 21st Century Thai Art 11 JAN – 7 FEB Guest curated by Loredana Pazzini- Paracciani Angkrit Ajchariyasophon, Chulayarnnon Siriphol, Chusak Srikwan, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, Piyatat Hemmatat, Preeyachanok Ketsuwan, Ruangsak Anuwatwimon, Vichaya Mukdamanee, and Tawan Wattuya East is West: Three Women Artists Singapore and Tokyo titled of the medium. Sharma is a teaching member of the 14 JAN – 15 FEB Videologue; a collaborative fashion Faculty of Fine Arts. Nezaket Ekici, Almagul Menlibayeva, design project between the Faculty Mariana Vassileva of Design and Curtin University Encounter: The Royal Academy in Asia was a Transpaper called 3 ROOMS: Object Design collaboration with the Royal Academy in London, 20 JAN – 8 FEB and the Body; an exhibition of a challenging and exciting venture held across all Anh Tran and Irene Febry artists who attended LASALLE’s seven ICAS galleries in September. ICAS was largely Something About Seeing experimental creative lab, Tropical responsible for the selection of the twenty-three artists 20 JAN – 14 FEB Lab; and multimedia works by from Asia and a catalogue was produced in which I Wayne Lim and Derrick Ng recipients of The Winston Oh Travel contributed an essay on participating artists from Asia. Award. Videologue: Beijing - Singapore - Tokyo Milenko Prvacki: A Survey, 1979 – 2012, spanning ICA 20 JAN – 15 FEB Guest curated by Urich Lau and East is West: Three Women Artists Gallery 1 & 2 and TriSpace, was a survey exhibition of Cheng Guangfeng was an exhibition held in January, Milenko Prvacki held in October with some 100 works of three women now living in Berlin: produced between 1979 and 2012. Prvacki has been part Lim Shengen, and Teow Yue Han, Han Tao, Li Ning, Shen Shaomin, and Tetsugo Mariana Vassileva from Bulgaria, of LASALLE since he arrived from Serbia eighteen years Hyakutake, Urich Lau, Cheng Guangfeng Nezaket Ekici from Turkey and ago. As former Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and now Almagul Menlibayeva from a Senior Fellow, it was fitting that he was awarded the Hong Kong Intervention he vision of the Institute of Contemporary Kazakhstan. Together, they explore the figure of the Cultural Medallion in 2012. This will lead to a publication 23 FEB – 18 MAR T Arts Singapore (ICAS) is to enhance an woman as subject in regard to both cultural and gender of his work to be edited by me and will be published Sun Yuan and Peng Yu appreciation and understanding of the diversity differences with their respective countries of origin in 2013. One Perfect Complex of the contemporary arts in Singapore and across and tacitly the influence on their current practice living 23 FEB – 18 MAR Asia. Its mission is to develop an in-depth exhibition, in Europe. It was held in January in Earl Lu Gallery, 3 ROOMS: Object Design and the Body was held in Lucinda Law publication and public programme that will serve the with new blinds installed in the gallery to make it more three ICAS spaces in November organised by Foodjects student and staff members of LASALLE College of amenable to showing projections. There was also a Emily Wills, Programme Leader for Fashion Design 9 – 18 MAR performance by Nezaket Ekici and a discussion panel and Textiles with Anne Farren of Curtin University. The the Arts and Singapore. Ruptures and Revival: Cambodian with the artists. exhibition showed three Australian-based designers Photography in the Last Decade With forty-three exhibitions during the year, ICAS and a number of design students from both campuses. 9 MAR – 1 APR continued to strengthen its internal and external REPOSITION: Art Merdeka! was a solo exhibition Inspired by the three artists, these students exhibited Guest curated by Zhuang Wubin their own designs. exhibitions, public programme and publications. by prominent Indonesian artist S. Teddy D. in ICA Heng Ravuth, Heng Sinith, Khvay Samnang, Of the internal faculty exhibitions there were eight Gallery 1 representing twenty of his sculptural and Lim Sokchan Lina, Mak Remissa, Sovan by Fine Arts, five by Design, three by Creative installation pieces as well as some drawings. While this Rhythm Section was held in ICA Gallery 1, TriSpace Philong, and Vandy Rattana Industries, two from Media Arts and one from the represents only a portion of his overall practice, this and Earl Lu Gallery. Since the beginning of European Artificial Moons III Performing Arts, as well as The LASALLE Show 2012 selection exemplified the playfulness and humour of his modernism, the concept of rhythm has a recurrent 30 MAR – 22 APR Exhibition. During the semester break, we had an approach. To a certain degree, there is a Dada-esque significance to art practice. The concept of rhythm is not Kane Phang exhibition of young students as part of the Singapore quality to his humour mixed with the local or vernacular. only a sequence of signs but also a sequence of actions Youth Festival organised by the Ministry of Education, – it is a structuring category that controls the conscious REPOSITION: Art Merdeka! and one exhibition developed with Down Syndrome Chinese Bible was an exhibition by Yang Zhichao perception and reception of art. This group exhibition 30 MAR – 26 APR Association (Singapore). presented at Praxis Space in April. Here, he presented is about the centrality of rhythm in contemporary art S. Teddy D. an extraordinary installation of over two thousand practice and features works in various mediums and Din Hubbub Half of our exhibition programming consisted of personal diaries that he had collected in China over disciplines by artists from across Europe and Asia. 5 APR exhibitions by guest artists from greater Asia, three years. Some of them, which viewers could read, anGie seah, bani haykal, and Mohamad including recent work by Berlin-based Japanese shed light on the daily life of Chinese citizens and the In 2013, ICAS will have an exciting exhibition programme. Riduan ICAS will co-present some exhibitions for the Singapore artist Kei Takemura, and guest-curated exhibitions degree to which many wrote under the influence of WIRES of S. Teddy D. from Indonesia, nine artists from Maoist ideological thought. Installed as a wall, there Biennale 2013. It will stage several major shows including 12 APR – 5 MAY Thailand, and seven photographers from Cambodia. was a sense of the work being read as a monumental a solo exhibition by local contemporary art figure, Tang Chia Ming Chien Three exhibitions were held in TriSpace, a gallery testament to an era. Da Wu, and several emerging and mid-career artists such Apropos: Jeremy Sharma dedicated to supporting exhibitions by emerging artists. as Ayano Hattori and Shubigi Rao, respectively. 12 APR – 11 MAY Apropos: Jeremy Sharma featured work chosen from In terms of diversity, there was a range of events and his studio representing his practice over the past two Chinese Bible: Yang Zhichao 18 APR – 11 MAY mediums - there was a sound and performance event, years. Seven lines of exploration were identified as DR CHARLES MEREWETHER Din Hubbub; an exhibition of video artists from Beijing, characterising Sharma’s investigation into the practice DIRECTOR, ICAS 82 icas 83

Rhythm Section 6 AUG – 2 SEP Sofia Arvaniti, Liang Chen, Elisabeth Eberle, Fotini Gouseti, Gonghong Huang, Oleksiy Koval, Yuliia Koval, Peng Li, Zhanhao Li, Kuros Nekouian, Stefan Schessl, Xiao Tang, Petros Sianos, Veronika Wenger, and Shih Yun Yeo Encounter: The Royal Academy in Asia 13 SEP – 21 OCT Phyllida Barlow, Tony Bevan, Olwyn Bowey, Chen Chieh-Jen, Tiffany Chung, Eileen Cooper, Tony Cragg, Michael Craig-Martin, Richard Deacon, Tacita Dean, Dinh Q. Le, Tracey Emin, Antony Gormley, Nigel Hall, FX Harsono, Ho Tzu Nyen, Gary Hume, Paul Huxley, Albert Irvin, Chihiro Kabata, Kim Jongku, Christopher Le Brun, Jose Legaspi, Michael Lin, Liu Xiaodong, Richard Long, 01 Lani Maestro, Rudi Mantofani, Lisa Milroy, Ng Joon Kiat, Om Mee Ai, Donna Ong, Cornelia Parker, Grayson Perry, Fiona Rae, EAST IS Jenny Saville, Hiraki Sawa, Sopheap Pich, Sudsiri Pui-Ock, Udomsak Krisanamis, Gillian WEST: Wearing, Richard Wilson, Ian Woo, Tintin REPOSITION: Wulia, Sun Xun, Yee I-Lann, and Zhao Renhui THREE ART MERDEKA! Milenko Prvacki: A Survey, 1979 - 2012 1 NOV – 5 DEC 30 MAR – 26 APR WOMEN FOLD 7 NOV – 18 DEC ARTISTS Rajinder Singh 14 JAN – 15 FEB Kei Takemura 8 NOV – 9 DEC

FACULTY EXHIBITIONS though we be but human (Faculty for the Creative Industries) 02 26 JAN – 5 FEB Drawing Relations 01 ALMAGUL MENLIBAYEVA (Faculty of Fine Arts) The Aral Beach 2 2011 20 – 27 JAN Duratrans print in lightbox Image courtesy of Priska C Best of Design Juschka Fine Art (Faculty of Design)

02 MARIANA VASSILEVA 28 – 29 FEB Toro 2008 Pens & Needles Video (Faculty of Design) Image courtesy of 17 FEB – 1 MAR DNA Galerie Beyond Limits 03 NEZAKET EKICI Atropos (Faculty of Fine Arts) 2006 23 FEB - 2 MAR Performance documentation, presented at “Double Bind”, Resonance DNA Galerie. Photo by Stefan Erhard (Faculty of Design) 4 – 29 FEB From Life Drawing to Fashion (Faculty of Design) 9 – 21 MAR Stone Encounters (Faculty of Fine Arts) 9 – 21 MAR Salon 1112 (Faculty for the Creative Industries) 17 – 22 MAR

03 84 icas 85

Animation CHINESE (Faculty of Media Arts) 28 – 29 FEB BIBLE: Geometry in Repeat (Faculty of Design) YANG 29 MAR – 12 APR ZHICHAO Seek; Workshop Exhibition (Faculty for the Creative Industries) 18 APR – 11 MAY 14 – 19 APR Metamorphosis (Faculty of Media Arts) 25 APR – 4 MAY Come away with me (Faculty of Fine Arts) 4 – 15 MAY The LASALLE Show 2012 Exhibition (Faculty of Fine Arts, Faculty of Media Arts, Faculty of Design, Faculty for the Creative Industries) 24 MAY – 7 JUNE Tropical Lab 6: LAND APROPOS: 7 – 15 AUG The Winston Oh Travel Award 2012 JEREMY (Faculty of Fine Arts) 24 AUG – 7 SEP SHARMA Sonorous Duration 12 APR – 11 MAY (Faculty of Performing Arts) 27 AUG – 2 SEP Japanese Animation Exhibition: Atelier Sango and students (Faculty of Media Arts) 25 OCT – 1 NOV And the Story Goes… (Faculty of Fine Arts) 1 NOV – 18 NOV Linking Drinking with Thinking (Faculty of Fine Arts) 7 – 16 NOV 3 ROOMS: Object Design and the Body (Faculty of Design with Curtin University, 01 Australia) 22 NOV – 9 DEC

01 Pantheon 2012 SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS Oil, beeswax and magazine Singapore Youth Festival Art & Crafts 02 Parergon Exhibition (landscape: Golden Mile) (with Ministry of Education) 2011 11 – 20 JULY Oil on postcard refraction (with Down Syndrome Association Singapore) 26 April – 3 May

PUBLICATIONS Apropos: Jeremy Sharma CUT THRU: A View on 21st Century Thai Art East is West: Three Women Artists GLOSSARY Volume 1/2011 Ian Woo: A Review, 1995 – 2011 02 Inside the Collection Kei Takemura Videologue WIRES 86 icas 87

ENCOUNTER: ROYAL ACADEMY IN ASIA 13 SEP – 21 OCT

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01 TRACEY EMIN Trust Yourself 03 TINTIN WULIA 2012 (Re)Collections Neon (Coral Pink) Togetherness, Stage 7 Trust Me 2012 2011 Installation with Neon (Super Turquoise) video projection and performance. 02 NG JOON KIAT Performance by Green Series: Elizabeth Lim. Nature And Borders 2012 Acrylic on cloth

02 03 88 icas 89 MILENKO PRVACKI: A SURVEY, 1979 - 2012 1 NOV – 5 DEC

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01 The Ultimate Visual Dictionary 2009 Acrylic on canvas 90 91

RHYTHM SECTION 7 AUG – 2 SEP

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3 ROOMS: OBJECT DESIGN AND THE BODY 22 NOV – 9 DEC

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01 TANG XIAO 2010-2 2010 Acrylic on wood Image courtesy of the artist

02 GONGHONG HUANG Untitled No. 1 – 4 01 2009 Oil on canvas

KUROS NEKOUIAN Boids_001-060 2012 Mixed media on wire-rack and papier-mâché Image courtesy of Elisabeth Eberle

03 SHIH YUN YEO Rhythm Of The Trees 2011 Chinese ink and silkscreen on paper

01 ALISTER YIAP

02 JOCELYN TAN

02 03 LASALLE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS 1 McNally Street Singapore 187940 www.lasalle.edu.sg

PRODUCED BY Division of Public Affairs [email protected]

IMAGES COURTESY OF Crispian Chan Darren Francis Jay Sunwoo Jin Young Jeremy Sharma Joel Low Karen Mitchell @ Artitute.com Ken Cheong Marcus Yuen Marina Bay Sands Mindy Tan Milenko Prvacki National Arts Council Nguyen Phan Ha Anh Orchard Road Business Association Rudi Mantofani SPACE Furniture Urban Redevelopment Authority Yeo Shao Jie

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