3 November  2015    Issue Five 

the avenue 
for creative arts 

 
    
Island of Dreams
Singapore Writers Festival
So many to see, hear, meet, read and buy. Writers and books, that is. As that's what writers festival stand for anywhere in the world. In Singapore right now the streets are alive with the sounds and words of writers, books and publishing. Read the Straits Times report on the Festival launch. 

As Singapore comes of age in its jubilee year - SG50 - the Singapore Writers Festival in its 18th edition has also reached creative maturity. Not stale, old or tired, but vibrant, energetic, busy and booked out! 
As Singapore's first female cabinet Minister with the portfolio for Culture, Community and Youth, Grace Fu had this to say at the launch, recognising the value of the event, of writers and of literature. 

"Singapore needs literature. It builds creativity, imagination and a curious mind. It helps us express ourselves better. It broadens our horizons. It fosters empathy, compassion and a sense of common humanity across different walks of life".

Here's a good look at what's going on at this year's literary event, with a host of events still to come as the Festival continues every day and night until Sunday 8 November:

Checkpoint Theatre presents an exciting series of 24 text-based performance events over 12 hours. From dusk on Friday, 6 November, to dawn on Saturday, 7 November, The Arts House will be transformed into an edgy celebration of words and the human connection. Curated by Huzir Sulaiman, 'What I Love about You is Your Attitude Problem' features new and specially commissioned works of Singapore drama, poetry, songwriting and prose, alongside musical performances and visual art exhibitions. Find out more.

People of the books: Three writers and three books which burst into our consciousness in the first 24 hours of the Festival. Tan Tarn How's "Fear of Writing"  because the former journalist and recognised playwright set alight the first night's panel discussion "SG50 as a media phenomenon". His 2011 play should be re-staged. Then there was the inspiring doctor Tan Lai Yong who played a prominent role in the "Power to the People" session on Saturday afternoon, leading to audience members rushing to get a copy of his "Biting the Bamboo" about his experiences and observations at a medical mission in Yunnan, China. Not to miss Felix Cheong and his "Singapore Siu Dai 2", as he participated in one first Saturday fun session with James Suresh and Miel, while returning to entertain in "Crime and Misdemeanors" on 7 November. 

The Singapore Publishing Symposium brought together authors and potential  authors with publishers, bookseller, educators and publishing experts and innovators. It included the president of the Frankfurt Book Fair boss Jurgen Boos and dozens of publishers and agents from near and far. Also there was the opportunity for writers to pitch their projects to agents and publishers. 

Guy Vincent started Publishizer at The Hub in Singapore, now it's a leading funding process for authors and book projects. Guy was at the Publishing Symposium to talk about crowdsourced and crowdfunded publishing, which is emerging as a strong force in the industry,  by opening up the opportunity for authors to connect with niche audiences and to self publish professional quality books. See Guy's Interview in Reedsy "Marketing, Understanding Publishing" 18 June 2015. 

After Margritte - Workshop with Roger Jenkins 
  Sunday 8 November 1.30pm. René Magritte was a famous Belgian surrealist painter, who put familiar objects in unfamiliar surroundings so the viewer would see things in a new way - which happens to be a perfect opportunity to start making up stories. Under the tutelage of Roger Jenkins, you will write, act or tell newly-created stories inspired by Magritte. Roger Jenkins is a Singaporean storyteller whose warm, spontaneous and comedic style makes him a popular choice in schools, libraries and festivals here and in the region. Apart from curating the SWF F3 programme, he is also the founding director of the 398.2 Storytelling Festival, happening in 28/29 November 2015. More on Roger Jenkins and storytelling here.

More news of writers, books and events in following sections of the avenue.
For the full programme, writers, presenters, book launches etc:
Upstaged: Theatre Headliners 
"Ghost The Musical" at Marina Bay Sands 
It delivers a visual experience unlike anything you've seen before! Relive the iconic and magical moments from the Oscar-winning movie in a brand-new Broadway musical that takes you on a thrilling supernatural adventure about the power of love. You will be amazed to see inanimate objects take on a life of their own, a person walk through a solid door right before your eyes and other awe inspiring special effects. Look out for Ghosts from 4 to 15 November. Booking through SISTIC.
W!ld Rice and "The Emperor's New Clothes"
For the 12th edition of its annual must-see musical pantomime, W!LD RICE will be giving a classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen a cheeky local make-over. The Emperor's New Clothes is a high-fashion escapade that will be directed by Pam Oei and written by Joel Tan (Jack & The Bean-Sprout!), with a brand-new score composed by pantomime newcomer Julian Wong (Returning).Venue: Drama Centre Theatre. Show Dates: 20 November - 12 December 2015. Go to W!ld Rice website for more. 
Staged Battlefield
Legendary theatre titan Peter Brook, known for his famous nine hour Mahabharata, has chosen to take the epic battle at the end of this revered piece of literature and make it a stand-alone play. Singapore Repertory Theatre is proud to have co-commissioned Peter Brook's new play, Battlefield, which will premiere at the Theatre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris in September, and have its international premiere in Singapore. See it before it tours the world. 17 - 21 November 2015 at the Capitol Theatre.
              It's Beauty World - back to the future
Since its debut in 1988, Beauty World has enjoyed multiple re-stagings, including a successful Japan tour (1992) and a record-breaking production shown live on TV (1998). Set in mid-60s Singapore, the musical comedy traces the adventures of an innocent young girl who enters a seedy cabaret hoping to find her long-lost father. Event Dates: Fri, 13 Nov - Sat, 12 Dec 2015 Victoria Theatre,  Bookings http://sistic.com.sg/events/beauty1215
Meet on the Esplanade 

Dance the Night Away

Swan Lake comes to the Esplanade Theatre 3 to 6 December, performed by the Singapore Dance Theatre with artistic director Janek Schergen. The most classical, romantic and spectacular of all ballets, this production has newly conceived sets and exceptional choreography. What more would 

Billboard Rock 

Esplanade presents Nanyang Polytechnic Chinese Orchestra with  Billboard Rock. Presenting the everlasting top hits of the English pop charts, bringing more surprises to you and creating a sound that has never been heard before performed by a Chinese Orchestra. Join us for a relaxing afternoon! More information and bookings through Sistic. 
Performances not to miss






A British production of 
A Clockwork Orange is coming to the stage at the Esplanade on Nov 4-8.

Exhibitionists! Visual Art on Show
The Bonds of Art by Greek artist Aphrodite Kyzriazi 
went on show and was auctioned to raise funds in 
Singapore at the Bond-themed charity ball From Singapore with Love: A Celebration of Life for the
Sarah Grace Sarcoma Foundation on 31 October 2015.
The ink and acrylic on canvas illustrates the legendary Aston Martin DB5, the most recognisable car used by James Bond in the film "Goldfinger". For more on the paintings, the ball and other Foundation events, go to the Kick Sarcoma website.   

Also featured and auctioned was
Jeffrey Wandly's North Bridge Road, also ink and acrylic on canvas. 
He and his wife Masturah Sha'ari, are founders of the 
Maya Gallery in the Oxley Bizhub 2, Ubi Road, close 
to the Tai Seng MRT. 
The next exhibition opens 11 November and runs to 12 December featuring the work of Wayan Gede Susana: Infinite Beauty. Inspired by the beauty and harmony of the land, sea and sky of his hometown, Bali-born artist Wayan Gede Susana expresses emotions of peace and tranquility in his abstact paintings. He has exhibited in Indonesia, Singapore, Europe and the USA. Maya Gallery is pleased to present Susana's debut solo exhibition in Singapore.

Wilfredo Calderon's watercolour can 
be seen at the: 
International Watercolour Society India Biennale 2015  "HARMONY THROUGH WATERCOLOUR 2015" in the national capital of India, New Delhi at All India Fine Arts and Crafts society (AIFACS) from 3 to 8 December 2015. The purpose of this International Artistic convention is to spread Harmony in the world through the watercolour medium.
 
 
Art to look forward to - Singapore Art Week

Two big things happening at two big iconic places
They have already started to transform Singapore into an art buyers' paradise. Besides the existing Art Stage Singapore - which continues after five years - there's a new kid on the block. Singapore Contemporary (January 21 - 24, 2016) described as "an important addition to Singapore's vibrant and growing art scene", will be held at the same time as Art Stage Singapore and a week of gallery presentations and public projects. 
 WRITE ON.....Literary Places, Events, Books & People
Also at the Singapore Writers Festival
  
Ho Kwon Ping, Bertha Hensen and Pooja Nansi delve into the personal experiences which shaped them today and their aspirations for tomorrow. The Imagine Singapore lecture is moderated by Paul Tan. Suntec Covention Centre on Saturday 7 November at 1pm. For more see the Singapore Writers Festival programme. 


The Defiant Optimist
A personal story and a person with a story of social impact. Durreen Shahnaz took part in the Power for the People session at the Writers Festival and shared with those gathered her book project. She has just started on the book journey - alongside her day job of running the social impact investing businesses. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Shujog and the Founder and Chairwoman of IIX. That's the Impact Investment Exchange Asia, the first private and public platforms for Social Enterprises (SEs) in Asia to raise capital efficiently. Besides her writing and recording her story, she invites others to contribute from their experiences and their aspirations. Social Impact writing to go with social impact investing.  She invites potential contributors to write to her: defiantoptimist@asiaiix.com

Update or Renovate? Making your house a Home. 
Designed for life and love 
     If you think the Monocle magazine is really good, get the book. In this case the Monocle Guide to Cosy Homes. I know "cosy" is a bit of a misnomer when it comes to living in Singapore, where an ever-so-slightly-above-cosy-temperature has most residents chilling out for more air conditioning than they really need. But this book has ideas galore to make your house a home, where-ever you may be. Of course we particularly relished the ideas, products and designs that emphasised sustainability, energy efficiency, along with those that maximised the close-to-nature ideal. This is the book to get as your plan your home - a new one or what to do with the old - or as you contemplate where in the world you want to be. The words are music to my ears and the photography larger than life.  Some very tasteful drawings too. Tyler Brule himself - the editor in chief of the magazine and inspiration for all of its many publishing projects - was in Singapore for the book launch.  Monocle makes sure that print is here to stay and also insisted that this book is printed on approved FSC stock. Go to the Monocle website to learn more about the publishing empire and its online presence. Radio too. Reviewed by Ken Hickson

Writers of the World Unite......
Some time ago we set up a website www.writers-world-unite.org and a LinkedIn page - LinkedIn/Writers of the World Unite...for Good. All 
to encourage writers to communicate with each other and to write for the good of others. To have social impact. Here, there everywhere. It is still trying to get off the ground. Distracted as I have been by writing, working and promoting all things clean and green. So if you're interested, please communicate with me and help make these communication channels work for good. ken@fifthavenue.asia
Specials for You

Bibiks Behind Bars? 
What's this all about. You better find out. The Perankakan Festival gets underway this week. The Peranakan Arts Festival 2015 will be the first time that the Peranakan culture will be expressed through Theatre, Music and the Arts in a 5-day Festival featuring 2 World Premiere Theatre shows, 3 Seminars, free public performances and a myriad of exhibitions and showcases of artworks by Peranakan visual artistes and a bustling bazaar with exclusive Peranakan merchandise on sale! It's happening on the Empress Lawn, Empress Place, Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall. 4 to 8 November. See more on the right or go to the Festival website.  

The Blue Trees by Konstantin Dimopoulos
Making its Asian debut in Singapore, this art installation will highlight the environmental issue of global deforestation and aims to provide an impetus for dialogue about its impact on world ecology through the medium of visual arts. This visually arresting installation also encourages engagement with the community by bringing members of the public together to paint trees a vivid blue colour and raise awareness of environmental issues through the medium of art.
7 - 22 November, Dhoby Ghaut Green
It's part of the Arts in Your Neighbourhood, brought to you by the National Arts Council. For more, go check out the rest of the programme. Something is happening in your neighbourhood. 

Evolution of Light at Nightscape 
In celebration of the International Year of Light in 2015 and the practice's 25th anniversary, Lighting Planners Associates (LPA) is putting up an ambitious show Nightscape 2050, with the exhibition travelling from Berlin to Singapore and then to Hong Kong and Tokyo, from August 2015 to June 2016. Nightscape 2050 is showing at National Design Centre in Singapore from 24 October to 21 November 2015. The presentation includes an experiential projection installation Light Pavilion, a timeline exhibition on the Evolution of Singapore's Nightscape - from 1800 to 2050 and a video installation Learning From Masters. For more go to the National Design Centre 

Old as Good as New
The arts and museum world waits with baited breath for the OPENING 24 NOVEMBER of Singapore's massive new National Art Gallery: Southeast Asian Art Museum. This wait will be well worthwhile we're sure, if nothing more than to see inside the tastefully and beautifully transformed iconic, historic colonial structures - the former City Hall and Supreme Court. Don't miss it for the world.





















The Scots Move South - Edinburgh Festival Down Under
Scotland's famous Royal Military Edinburgh Tattoo is known as the "greatest show on earth". 
Set normally against the stunning backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, the Tattoo is always a sell-out and has been watched by millions over its 65 year history. But history and geography is taking a turn south, the show is going to Wellington,  New Zealand 18-21 February next year. This is just one of the attractions at the    
New Zealand Festival from 20 February - 26 March 2016. But Australia is not missing out. The swirling Scots will be performing - fireworks and all - in Melbourne 12-13 February 2016.

AN EVENING WITH GERALDINE BROOKS 
 Auckland Writers Festival is pleased to host a special 'In Conversation' event with internationally acclaimed writer Geraldine Brooks, in association with Hachette NZ, on 17 November at Maidment Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand. Australian-born Geraldine Brooks was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction in 2006 for her novel "March". Her other historical novels, "Caleb's Crossing" and "People of the Book", were New York Times best sellers, and her first novel, "Year of Wonders" remains an international bestseller. Geraldine's latest book "The Secret Chord" is a unique and vivid novel retelling the story of King David's extraordinary rise to power and fall from grace. See and hear Geraldine at the Auckland Writers Festival special event. 

At the ArtScience Museum, where art, science and ideas come together. 



 






 


 
the avenue for creative arts
There is so much on and it's all happening this month it seems. This issue is focussing on the here and now, along with some things just around the corner. But it looks like we will have to have another issue very soon, to mention all the other things in prospect. But we must stress we welcome all ideas, events, illustrations, reviews and contributions. This is a creative enterprise - or more correctly a social enterprise -  so we welcome support, sponsorship and/or advertising too. Singapore is dominating coverage so far - particularly in this issue - but share with us what you've got for art lovers like us. Wherever you are? Remember "the art of travel and travel for art!"
                                                                              Ken Hickson 
                                                                      managing editor, the avenue for creative arts