Returning

Thursday will see me return to the US. Part of me is excited about returning back to something familiar. I'm missing autumn and college football. Though in relationship to my trip, I'd happily give up football for watching soccer and Singapore will look very good when January comes to upstate New York. It is hard to decide where you feel you should be when the choices seem minute in ways. When I think about it, it's more about the person that I want to become than the person that I am. I'll gladly give up familiarity to gain something else.

For me that sense of uncertainity feels good in a way. I'm having to adapt and not just falling into habits that I've been doing for such a long time. I don't every want to be come that person who falls in the same cycle of life. It excites me when I can shake life up a bit and have to deal with new problems. My hope is that life never becomes so habitual.

When I came here, I was looking for the opposite of the life I was living. It it isn't so opposite, yet I think it was a step in the right direction. In certain ways Singapore is very different than Madison. Though in other ways there are many similarities. I feel that on the surface things are different, but when you step back things are really just the same. Maybe moving back to New York will feel different also. I don't know.
Robin was saying that I'm one of those people who visits a new place and wants to move there. Doing so without really thinking about it. I guess that new places excite me. What is really wrong with that. Why settle for the same thing all the time? I like the challenge of searching for interesting foods, places, ideas. I'm not interested in life being bland.

Though maybe it's just a matter of listening and finding what is out there. I don't know. When it comes down to it, I really want to have more choices. I want to be able to see great art, hear great music, and talk to great people. The question is where can I make that happen. I guess it can happen just about anywhere. Though, there are more people doing those types of things in New York or London than in Oregon, WI. So, I guess the big city is calling me. Maybe not forever, but I feel the desire to follow that voice. I keep thinking about the sirens in Greek Myth. The calling isn't always a good thing to listen to.

Connecting to the World

What has been great about being in Singapore is that fact that I've been meeting people from across the world. You realize that the ideas and conversations you've been having move across boundaries. It is interesting to hear people talk about work they've created and make links to some of the things I've been thinking about.

For instance today, I was having coffee with the artist in residence here at 7213, Lise Nellemann. She was talking about how the space she organizes in Berlin looks to show work that goes beyond the gallery. How most the time the gallery is only a space for discussion, not a place to display. For me this break in the power of the gallery is crucial. It is a break from understanding art as a precious commodity and seeing it as a part of the social fabric.

Another difference here is that art is understood from a different point of view. It actually has value. I feel like what I'm doing has worth here. It seems as simple as valuing a perspective, which I feel is an easy thing to do. Maybe it's not so easy. I guess that I take it for granted. Actually, I have recently decided to listen to what people have to say and make the effort to try to make this happen. In a career where it is very simple to critique and find fault, I'm finding it refreshing to hear people look for positives, yet can make a solid criticism. Though, I should say that this experience has been within a small group of those at Theatreworks. Singapore is a different animal. I'm finding support, but a significant lack of the ability to hear criticism. Things are left unsaid and that is a problem.

A few random photos for you now.

Moving Further

I'm sitting in the a darkened theatre, observing rehearsal for Diaspora. In front of me video and actors are proceeding through the first full run of the show that I've seen. Hear it feels so small and compact, a bit rough even. When we get into the Concert Hall it will be on a grand scale. Huge. I can't wait to see that happen. The show opens next week. We are not very far off.

Last weekend, I spent most of my time seeing the biennale again. Needed to spend some more time with the work as I wanted to start a few of the articles I'm writing. Felt like I only had a very superficial understanding of it all. Robin and Greta joined me on Sunday. We talked about doing a review based on what Greta had to say. You have to wonder what was going through her head.

Just finished an article that is going to the New Media Caucus. It didn't begin as easily as I thought it would have, though I think the end product is good. I wanted to be a bit more critical of the show, but see it as the beginning of a process that has just begun. The intricate state of what is taking place in Singapore is hard to define in 750 words. Will be working on possibly two or three more for elsewhere. This article allowed me to get down skim through what will later be more concrete.

Visited the Asian Civilisation Museum. Was delighted by the amount of information and objects define the different Asian cultures. Extremely interesting and needs to be revisited.

That is on top of meeting a multitude of new people. For every one person I meet, 3 or 4 more come to light. This could go on forever. My hope is that things will be similar in New York. Could do a project that is based on meeting people. I wonder how long it would take to meet everyone in Singapore. I think its like 4million.

Being an Artist

First I want to pass on some photos of the Singapore Biennale. Will include the Jenny Holzer piece, a so-so photo of a Mariko Mori piece and a new artist to me Carsten Nicolai. Oh and an artist from the phillipines that I liked.



Overall the Biennale is good. Not great but good. There has to be a starting point and this is a beginning.
Am not really putting down all my thoughts as of yet. Those are going elsewhere.

Just to review my last few weeks. I've been working hard on the video for Keng Sen's show, Diaspora. Did learn a lot of new things about Final Cut and how they are making these massive projections work. Sounds like this is a first in the theatre production world. Now, I've been taking a break from that and acting more like an artist. Keng Sen and I had a talk about my goals and desires for this trip. Up until recently, I've been taking on the role of helper/assistant. With Keng Sen putting me in touch with a multitude of people. While I've been out engaging in conversation, the think that has been missing is the interest in my work. Actually, Lise Nellenmaan, the artist in residence at the moment, just came up to me to say that she looked at my website and liked it. I think that is the first time someone mentioned my work. Back to the conversation with KS, I just said my goal is not to be assisting others with their work, though it is a good way to get experience, but I need to providing avenues for making my ideas happen. If there is a person in this production that I hope to be it is Keng Sen.

Not sure how he took that? I have really appreciated the involvement here at Theatreworks and the ability to be in Singapore. Asia seems like a good next step. But, it has to come on the basis of my work, and not his.

So, this has led to a bunch of other ideas and opinions. With the move to New York, I've got to think in a similar manner. Since we will be living 1;30 away from the city, I'm either going to travel to work or just get a schmuck job that allows me to do my own stuff. It will probably have to be a bit of both. Am applying for a fellowship at Rhizome and applied for a fellowship at Eyebeam. Don't think I'll get either, but it would be amazing to connect with one of those spaces, because they are the people I want to be around. That is where my heart wants to take me.

In the City

Having escaped from the production for a little while, I've been spending time seeing the Singapore Biennale that began just last Friday. It is an exciting time for the arts in Singapore. So much is taking place. The influx of people and funding is hoping to launch a more vibrant scene for creativity.

At the moment, I'm going to keep my thoughts to myself. I'll be writing for a critical reader that is being posted on the Substation Magazine. With the hope of seeing something published by the end of the show.

The last three days has had me tromping all over the city to see as much as I can. I've seen much of it, but now need to spend a bit time returning to the work. Hoping to breathe it in and contemplate it a bit more. It's more about familiarizing myself with the artist and where they are coming from, than just seeing things.

Have been getting in touch with many people. Have met a few curators from Singapore and Australia. Plus there are others that I'm going to get to at later dates. It's been hard to keep track of names. Called a guy Charles, when his name was John, today. He is a gallery director in Hong Kong. Guess that is the end of that.

It has been interesting to just see how this all works. There is a core group of "Art/Biennale" people who have come in and are doing the tour. Heard them speak and feel like its the pro Biennale bandwagon. Over time, we will see if this is able to sustain itself. Felt like academic discussion. The type of discussion that takes place and when it is over, doesn't really do anything. My understanding is that it's food for thought.

I forgot my camera, otherwise I would have photos to post. Will get them up tomorrow. Some interesting shots of the work.

Anyway, I hope that everyone is doing well. Am still not sure when I'll be returning to the US. Could be the end of September, mid October or the end of October. Depends on funds and my desire to stay.

At this point last year, I was beginning my last semester of graduate school. It is really nice not to be on a academic calendar anymore. I felt like the deadlines of school forced issues that need to be thought about more. The ability to develop work and play for however long I see fit, seems like a great relief. What has been great about this environment is that work and ideas are coming at an aggressive pace. And I am listening to everything. Even the simpliest idea, I'm going to try to do. Seeing the processes that are talking place in others people work and the work at the biennale has made me realize that I just need to get work going.

I'm very hunger to get a studio up and running - The work is what is important.