SINGAPORE WRITERS FESTIVAL 31 OCtober – 9 noVEMBER 2014 THE PROSPECT OF SINGAPORE WRITERS FESTIVAL 31 OCtober – 9 noVEMBER 2014 THE PROSPECT OF BEAUTY About the Singapore Writers Festival 2 Sponsors & Partners 4 Acknowledgements 5 Foreword 6 Festival at a Glance 8 SWF Lectures 10 Programmes 12 SWF Publishing Symposium 54 Little Lit! 58 SWF Fringe 66 Authors & Speakers 70 Moderators & Presenters 100 Venues 108 Notes 110 SWF Commissioned Lyric 112 ABOUT THE SINGAPORE WRITERS FESTIVAL The Singapore Writers Festival, one of Asia’s premier literary events, started in 美的遐思 1986 as a biennial festival. Now held yearly, the festival is a much anticipated event on the cultural calendar, presenting the world’s major literary talents to 2014 年新加坡作家节，引你走进美的遐思。为一首好诗的意境而心醉，沉浸在小说世界里浑然忘 Singaporeans while shining a spotlight on home grown creative talents. 我的快感；文字世界所带来的这种种心灵享受，靠的是写作人孜孜不倦地爬着格子，用含蓄敏锐的 SWF has delighted book lovers by featuring Singapore writers Meira Chand, 笔触交织出丰富饱满的情感。今年的作家节，近距离阅览文学作品中的言情小说、歌词创作、抒情 Alvin Pang, Suchen Christine Lim and You Jin, as well as international 文及诗作；也会涉及非文学类中“美的哲学”、当今社会以数十亿元打造的“美的文化”、以及围 luminaries such as Steven Levitt, Michael Chabon, Neil Gaiman, Bi Feiyu, 绕着身材择偶所引起的“美的焦虑”。以“美”为主题，必然也包含了对大自然的赞叹，以及生物 Andrew Motion and Gao Xingjian. 多样性与自然环境在今天所面临的实际威胁。 The Singapore Writers Festival is one of the few multi-lingual literary festivals 然而，所谓“美的遐思”，终究回归到人心对“美”的强烈渴望与期待，却也同时暗喻着一切期 in the world, celebrating the written and spoken word in Singapore’s official 许也许终将落空；换来的若非顿悟，也只能剩下失望与幻灭。我们终将明白，唯有保持思路专注， languages – English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. Today the heart of the Festival 心胸开放，艺术之美总在最不经意间才最能打动人心。 District is located on the Singapore Management University’s Campus Green; and in the surrounding venues including The Arts House, the National Museum of Singapore, the Singapore Art Museum and The National Library. PENGHAYATAN KEINDAHAN SWF 2014 meraikan keindahan! Alangkah nikmatnya bila kita menatapi puisi yang digubah VISION dengan baik. Betapa puasnya bila kita ditawani sebuah novel bestari. Kesemua ini terbit daripada kehalusan, malah kebijaksanaan penulis dalam merangkai kekata. Dalam SWF A city where writing empowers and transforms lives. kali ini, anda diberi peluang untuk meneliti jenis-jenis karya sastera seperti roman, penulisan lagu dan gaya seni kata dalam cereka sastera dan puisi. Dalam kategori bukan- cereka, kita akan melayari falsafah estetika, industri kecantikan yang kini bernilai jutaan MISSION ringgit, dan kebimbangan mengenai imej tubuh and perhatian pasangan. Tema ini juga merangkai ratip untuk Alam Semulajadi serta perbahasan kritis tentang ancaman terhadap The festival presents the world’s major literary talents to the Singaporeans, biokepelbagaian dan persekitaran. and promotes new and emerging Singapore and Asian writing to a wider public. Akhir kata, peluang penghayatan yang terkandung dalam tema tersebut menghala ke arah penantian penuh harap dan menajamkan deria rasa tetapi turut memberi bayangan bahawa THE PROSPECT OF BEAUTY pengharapan itu mungkin menghampakan dan sia-sia. Ia mungkin membawa kepada satu kesedaran atau mungkin sesuatu yang lebih kabur, dicemari kekecewaan, yang tidak SWF 2014 celebrates beauty! Think of the pleasure of encountering a well-formed berkekalan. Apapun hakikatnya, seperti kita maklum, seni yang terbaik memeranjatkan poem, the sense of satisfaction at the end of an immersive novel, all made kita dengan pendedahannya yang tidak disangka-sangka; kita hanya perlu rajin berfikir possible by the subtle, even ingenious, wielding of words by the tenacious dan berlapang dada. writer. This SWF, expect to take a closer look at genres like romance, song writing and the lyrical in literary fiction and poetry; while in non-fiction, we navigate the philosophy of aesthetics, today’s multi-billion dollar beauty அழகிꟍ காட்殿 culture and the anxieties about the body and attracting a partner. The theme also prompts us to hear both paeans to Mother Nature as well as the critical ்殿ஙகꯍꯂ쏍 எ폁த்ாள쏍 விழா 2014 அழகக ஆரா்கை ச்யகிற鏁. அழகாக வ羿ககꯍ㞪ட㞟 debate on the very real threats to biodiversity and the environment today. கவிக்கை வா்殿க埁ம்㞪ா鏁 ஏற㞪翁ம இꟍ㞪ம, கீ்ழ கவகக믁羿ைா் ஒ쏁 நாவகை 㞪羿த鏁믁羿க埁ம்㞪ா鏁 ஏற㞪翁ம உண쏍ퟁ ஆகிைவறகற母 ்殿ந்ித鏁ꯍ 㞪ா쏁ஙக쿍. Finally the prospect embodied in the theme points to the mood of anticipation எ폁த்ாளரிꟍ வா쏍தக் ஜாை்ே அவற쟁க埁ꯍ 㞪ிꟍஇ쏁ꯍ㞪கவ. இவவா迍翁 எ폁த்ாள쏍 and the keening of the senses but also hints that the anticipation may come விழாவி쯍 கா்쯍, 㞪ா㞟쯍 எ폁鏁வ鏁 ்㞪ாꟍறவறகறக 埂쏍ந鏁 கவைிககைாம. ꯁ்ிைம to naught. It may lead to an epiphany or perhaps something more ambiguous, அ쯍ைா் 㞪ிரிவி쯍, அழகிை쯍, இꟍகறை 㞪ை ேி쯍쮿ைꟍ 㞟ாை쏍 அழ埁ꯍ 㞪ராேரிꯍꯁ கைா்ாரம, tainted with disappointment, ephemeral. However it goes, as we know, உ㞟쯍 㞪றற殿ை கவகை, 鏁கணகைத ்்羿க சகா쿍வ鏁 㞪றற殿ை கவகை ்㞪ாꟍறகவ the best art catches us out in their unexpected disclosures; we just need அை்ꯍ㞪翁ம. to keep our minds attentive, our hearts receptive. இைறகக அꟍகைகைꯍ ꯁக폍ந鏁 㞪ா翁ம 㞪ா㞟쯍க쿁ம, அ்் ்நரத்ி쯍 இꟍகறை 毁ற쟁母 毂ழ쯁ம உைிரிை쯍 ்வற쟁கேக쿁ம எ்ி쏍்நாக埁ம ஆ㞪த鏁ககளꯍ 㞪றற殿ை ஆழோை விவா்믁ம இ㞟மச㞪쟁ம. இவவா迍翁 விழாவிꟍ க쏁ꯍச㞪ா쏁쿍, எ்ி쏍㞪ா쏍ꯍꯁ, ꯁைꟍககளக 埂쏍கேைாக埁வ鏁 ்㞪ாꟍறவறகற வ쮿뿁쟁த்ிைா쯁ம, அத்ககை எ்ி쏍㞪ா쏍ꯍꯁ நிகற்வறாே쯍 ்㞪ாவக்뿁ம ்கா羿காட翁ம. அ鏁 ஒ쏁 鏁்ிைாகퟁம அகேைைாம அ쯍ை鏁 ஏோறறதக்த ்ரக埂羿ை, அற㞪 ஆ뿁쿁க㞟ை ஒꟍறாகퟁம அகேைைாம. எ鏁 எꯍ㞪羿ைி쏁ந்ா쯁ம, ்殿றந் ககைைாை鏁 எ்ி쏍㞪ாரா வி்ஙகளி쯍 நேக埁த ்ாககதக் ஏற㞪翁த鏁ம. நாம ச்யை ்வ迍羿ைச்쯍ைாம நே鏁 ்殿நக்கைக 埂쏍கேைாகퟁம இ்ைதக் ்ிறந鏁ம கவத்ி쏁கக ்வ迍羿ை鏁்ாꟍ. 2 SINGAPORE WRITERS FESTIVAL 2014 3 SPONSORS & PaRTNERS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ORGANISER SUPPORTED BY IN CELEBRATION OF MAJOR SPONSOR SPONSORS Kumon Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd Embassy of the United States of America KEY VENUE KEY PROGRAMME VENUE & PROGRAMME PARTNER PARTNER PARTNER PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTORS Association of Singapore Tamil Writers, Big Bad Wolf Limited, Crispin Rodrigues, VENUE FESTIVAL Department of Malay Studies (National University of Singapore), Desmond Kon, PARTNERS BOOKSTORE EtiquetteSG, Filzah Yahaya, Jeffrey Tan, Joel Tan, Joshua Ip, Lee Chuan Low, Marc Nair, National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS), Office of Student Life (Singapore Management University), Pooja Nansi, Roger Jenkins, School of Humanities and Social Sciences (National Technological University), Stephanie Wong, Tropical Literature & Arts Club, Verena Tay, Wanton Doodle, We Can! Singapore FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL OFFICIAL OFFICIAL OFFICIAL OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Marshall Cavendish, Willie Cheng AIRLINE MEDIA MAGAZINE CREDIT CARD PRIVILEGE CARD If you wish to sponsor or donate to the Singapore Writers Festival, please contact [email protected]. SPECIAL THANKS TO OCBC Arts PAssion Card Platinum Card Singapore Writers Festival 2014 Steering Commitee Chairman: Philip Jeyaretnam Members: Simon Charles Reynolds, Gene Tan, Dr Chua Chee Lay, SUPPORTERS SUPPORTING Professor Chitra Sankaran, Mohamed Latiff bin Mohamed, Yeow Kai Chai, BOOKSTORE Teoh Hee La, Mayo Martin, Professor Jennifer Megan Crawford, Carolyn Camoens and Khor Kok Wah Our volunteers 4 5 FOREWORD Readers and writers, welcome to one of Singapore’s most anticipated Inherent in this year’s theme ‘The Prospect of Beauty’ is the poignant reminder literary events. that the perfect unified moment and the paragon of ideal beauty are ultimately unattainable, even if nearly within our grasp. That aspiration for perfection The 17th edition of the Singapore Writers Festival will feature about 200 must be what drives much of humanity’s creative endeavours, and how much Singapore and international writers discussing ideas and sharing their the richer we are for it. This year’s festival celebrates the best of these stories across different events, from intimate meals to rousing lectures. endeavours in the literary world and underlines how art can stir the spirit and capture our imagination. This year, we explore the many faces of beauty and aesthetics. The theme ‘The Prospect of Beauty’ lends itself naturally to genres like romance and When it comes to art, sometimes though, it is less about the intellectual the lyrical in literary fiction and poetry. Yet beauty may be skin deep, rigour or the most sophisticated interpretation of a work. It can also be about or even scarring: the pressure to conform to notions of universal beauty, the ability to persuade the audience to let go and be carried by the visual or and to remake oneself in the image of the ideal. When it comes to the musical pleasure intrinsic in the work. That is certainly true of certain literary environment, we often choose to preserve beauty in one place by exporting traditions like poetry and spoken word, something we shine the spotlight on the cost elsewhere, turning distant places ugly with the refuse and recycling this year. of our elegant civilisation. Of course, the Singapore Writers Fest continues to be a platform where The Festival’s Fringe takes the inquiry a step further – examining the lengths ideas are exchanged, topics of the day roundly debated and where audiences an individual is willing to go in pursuit of truth, freedom and justice. With the can consider the diversity of perspectives, including those that may make theme Truly, Madly, Deeply, writers, journalists and activists will discuss how them uncomfortable. After all, what is good writing, but a powerful mirror to their convictions have driven them to extremes. From Mukesh Kapila, former our humanity, in all its brilliant, paradoxical variety? Indeed, I often wonder: head of the UN mission in Sudan, to Solahudin, a leading authority on Islamic how do we as audiences (and avid readers, I am sure) respond to the ideas extremism in Indonesia, the Fringe will bring audiences on an eye-opening which make us question and shift in some discomfort? With maturity and journey of sacrifice and obsession. fair-mindedness, I hope. Certainly I have wished for the Festival, in its modest way, to have added to the maturing of critical discourse that will benefit our As the Festival grows each year, we need more venues to accommodate our island, particularly on the cusp of its 50th birthday.