Art-making and performance training depend on our ability to live with questions and questioning. But as educators – what kinds of questions do we ask; when do our questions and feedback inspire or intimidate; how do we respond to our students’ questions; and how can we bear and bare our own ignorance?
Five new wall murals were painted for 2019’s edition of ARTWALK Little India, and one them is an ambitious capture of the sights, smell and sound of the historical precinct. Titled A Scent of Lights, this wall mural is the work of Lee Song Xuan (‘SONG’), a fine arts alumnus of LASALLE. He wanted to depict the vibrancy of Indian culture which he had learnt through his interactions with residents of the neighbourhood. “In Indian culture, even light has fragrance,” he said.
ARTWALK Little India is an annual multi-disciplinary arts festival that celebrates the rich heritage and stories of the precinct. In its fifth edition, visitors can expect to be bombarded with images, smells and sounds through a wide range of activities. Some recommended programmes include attending a film screening by director K Rajagopal, visiting an art exhibition curated by LASALLE’s senior fellow Milenko Prvacki, and discovering wall murals specially painted for the festival.
Ardashir Vakil (‘Ardu’) was born in Bombay and lived in India up to 1980. He taught English in London comprehensive schools for twenty years. Before starting at Goldsmiths, he had been Visiting Lecturer in Creative Writing at Middlesex, Roehampton and UEA.
With the theme Image and Sound of Fragrance, popular multi-disciplinary arts festival ARTWALK Little India (ARTWALK) returns for a grand celebration of the cultural precinct’s rich heritage via the arts. Visitors can look forward to new highlights including an immersive exhibition at UltraSuperNew Gallery, five more murals to add to Little India’s colourful vibrancy, and an extended programming over 16 days, the festival’s longest period yet.
Mohamed Saleem s/o Abdul Hadi
MA Creative Writing, Class of 2018
Entry: Mani
Dr Darryl Whetter, Programme Leader, MA Creative Writing at LASALLE, reflects on the growth of literary festivals in the region and what they mean to an increasingly discerning and inquisitive readership. Contrary to the long-held idea of reading being a solitary activity, rising attendance in literary festivals indicates that readers are keen to seek a form of community. This year, Ubud, Singapore, and George Town all achieved record attendance.
In recent years, there has been an observable rise in the visibility of the arts here in Singapore, in part due to increased government support and funding. But what does that mean for the role of the arts locally? And what do these changes spell out for the arts manager, who has been positioned as the intermediary between different stakeholders – the public, artists, sponsors, and the government?
LASALLE’s MA Creative Writing programme has produced its second published author in two years. Seema Punwani, a first year student in the programme, recently celebrated the launch of her debut novel, Cross Connection, at the Pune International Literary Festival in India. Holding an MBA and working as a marketing consultant, Seema is a self-described ‘juggler’, always handling several different projects at the same time.
Ivan Coyote is the author of 11 books, the creator of 4 short films, 6 full-length live shows, and 3 albums that combine storytelling with music.
Ivan has been touring for 20 years and has become an audience favourite at festivals of storytelling, writing, film, poetry and folk music, from Anchorage to Amsterdam and Australia.
