Two European films I have tangential relationships with
 

I've decided to do Bhutan before Nepal, and Treasures of the Thunder Dragon took me a little longer to pick up from the library. So I'll observe today with a plug for two European films.

1) The first one is Irish/British/Singaporean - Joe and Christine Lawlor's Civic Life: Tiong Bahru, documenting what's currently Singapore's hippest neighbourhood. The whole film's just been uploaded to Vimeo! (Sorry if the embed isn't working... don't know how to fix it on my display.)

TIONG BAHRU from Desperate Optimists on Vimeo.

2) The second one is My Name is Janez Janša, and it's by the three Slovenian artists who had their names legally changed to be the same as that of the right-wing Prime Minister of Slovenia. I got filmed by two of the Janezes at the last Flying Circus Project, in Cambodia. (This is why their lineup looks so multiethnic.)


My Name Is Janez Jansa (excerpt #11) from aksioma on Vimeo.

I've been informed by them that the film needs funding, because it's under attack by their government. Support it by donating money over here.

SPORE Art Salon on Tuesday!
 

As usual, 7:30pm to mingle; 8pm for the actual show; Blu Jaz Cafe 11 Bali Lane.

This month we're featuring the gorgeous performance poet Deborah Emmanuel, the storyteller Ansel Ashby, gay activist Roy Tan as our drawing model, and my personal friend Don Shiau in his comeback to songwriting and musical performance.

More info here!

Singapore Uncensored: A Panel on the Yale-NUS controversy

I'm speaking via Skype on this panel, specifically on the issue of gay rights in Singapore, though I should also be dropping a few lines on academic freedom. Unfortunately, it's a closed door event at Yale University, in New Haven.



Date: Thursday April 19, Luce Hall
Time: 4pm (i.e. Fri 4 am Singapore time!)
Co-sponsored by the Malaysian and Singaporean Association, and the Council on Southeast Asian Studies

Leave questions at http://tinyurl.com/yalenus.

A whole bunch of news this week!

1) I've been given a shout-out in my sister Ng E-Ching's op-ed on the Yale-NUS controversy:

http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2012/apr/09/ng-show-singaporeans-some-respect/

Not sure if I agree with the spirit of everything she says, but it's quite true that most of us live with a certain cognitive dissonance for the sake of pragmatism.

2) This Saturday night my poems are featured in The Art of Rebellion, an art exhibition at a shophouse, organised by poet Amanda Lee's design house studioKALEIDO. They're haiku based on on Chinese idioms, also known as 成语 (chengyu).

Date and Time: Sat 14 Apr - Sat 22 Apr, 2-8pm, opening 7-11pm on 14 Apr
Address: Unit 11 Lorong 24A, Geylang, Singapore 398535.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/110371715763513/?ref=ts

April in Unit 11, The Lorong 24A Shophouse Series
24 artists and 3 poets execute a contemporary exploration of Chinese culture; a play on the power of idiomatic suggestion.

The Art of Rebellion ▷ visual interpretations of idioms ▷
eeshaun / winnie goh / ben qwek / adeline tan / brick / xiaobao / antz / kittozutto / xiao yan / zxerokool / roy wang / michy witchy / messymsxi / tiffany tan / sun lee / pigologist / xinjie / leonard wee / cleo / kristal melson / XOTL / pamm hong / zhao renhui / SUSEJ

The Wanderlust of Words ▷ idiomatic haiku scrolls ▷
ng yi-sheng / amanda lee / rebecca toh

Opening night: 14/4, 7-11pm
feat. DJs
pamm hong / sarah chan / troupemaster / nat h.

Exhibition week: 15/4 - 22/4, 2-8pm

Sponsors:
42Below / The Lorong 24A Shophouse Series / Pocket Projects / Orita Sinclair

3) Of course, there's the book launch of The New village on Friday too. Seeya there!

More info here: http://theartshouse.com.sg/Programmes/EventPage.aspx?EventID=1568

"The New Village" has been published!

Aka the book of poetry about the Malayan Communist Emergency that I translated from Mandarin to English. Come on down for the launch this Friday!



Date: Friday 13 April
Time: 8-945pm
Venue: Living Room, The Arts House

I probably won't be speaking much - focus will be on the poet Wong Yoon Wah - but I should be performing some of my translated work. I'm pretty damn proud of it. :D