A Book Holds A House Of Gold: The Arts House 8Th Anniversary
15 March 2012 - Come March 26, The Arts House will be turned into a House of Proverbs as audiences are invited to discover literary gold in a 3-day festival featuring local writers and artists. Imagine watching Mandarin and Malay proverbs transformed into original plays, poems and art.
Says Mr William Phuan, Director of Programmes and Marketing at The Arts House, “Turning The Arts House into a House of Proverbs was inspired by The Singapore Proverbs Project. We wanted the audience to have a chance to have a multidisciplinary experience of literary arts – through plays, poetry, visual art, and even stand up comedy. Indeed, like the Mandarin proverb says, a book holds a house of gold.”
The Singapore Proverbs Project, a brainchild of Dr Madanmohan and Shivali Nayak, was created out of the belief in the importance of proverbs to our history and culture.
Proverbs capture our values and beliefs in a unique way, and the Singapore Proverbs Project aims to chronicle Singapore’s heritage through these proverbs in the different languages and dialects spoken in Singapore.
The festivities will also include a contest for the public to design the Singapore Proverbs Project’s book cover, with the winning cover being revealed on 28 March.
Another highlight of the anniversary celebrations is an original play by budding playwright Christopher Fok.
Fok’s original play, The Blesser of Utensils, based on the Mandarin proverb “Without rice, even the cleverest housewife cannot cook”, will premiere during the celebrations. A graduate of the Mentorship Access Project by the National Arts Council, Fok has devised a series of ongoing cold reading sessions in The Arts House called Inventing Paper Speech. Through this series, Fok has provided an avenue for budding playwrights to have their work heard. Fok will have a post performance talk on 27 March. The Blesser of Utensils is Fok’s first professional staging of his work.
Mr Phuan added: “We’re glad to be able to be a platform for budding writers like Christopher, and to help showcase their works to a greater audience. Since taking on a literary focus last year, The Arts House has brought out of the woodwork and featured many emerging writers through our programmes. Various literary groups have also found a home at The Arts House, and with support from us, have taken their writing to the next level.”
Writers Noor Hasnah Adam and Creative Resident Writer Jay Bernard are also showcasing their works through plays based on different Mandarin or Malay proverbs. Each of the writers whose work is presented during the celebrations has either been featured as part of one of The Arts House’s programmes or is part of one of the groups supported by The Arts House.
The public is invited to join in the The Arts House 8th Anniversary celebrations on 27 and 28 March from 8 to 10pm (27 March) and 6.30 to 10pm (28 March). Guests will also be treated to a performance by stand up comedians and there will also be a crossword challenge with iPads and Kinokuniya vouchers to be won! More information about the programmes can be found in Annex I and II.
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The Arts House at The Old Parliament
Occupying the almost 200-year-old building that was Singapore's first Parliament House, The Arts House since its opening in 2004 has been offering its visitors a broad spectrum of lifestyle options, while at the same time playing an active role in the Singapore arts and creative scene.
Since 2011, The Arts House has been focusing on the development of Literary Arts, while supporting and presenting programmes and festivals that aim to give a wide and multidisciplinary experience to our audiences.
For media queries, please contact:
Sher-Yen, WEE
Director, Group Corporate Communications & Market Development
The Old Parliament House Limited
1 Old Parliament Lane
Singapore 179429
Tel: 6332 6895
Fax: 6336 3021
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ANNEX I
Programme Schedule
Opening Night (Invited Guests Only)
Monday, 26 March | 7.00pm
7.00pm Arrival of Guests | Blue Room
7.30pm Opening reception
8.00pm Spoken word performance by Jay Bernard | Chamber
8.30pm The Blesser of Utensils performance | Living Room
Hantu nak jadi orang (Spirits Longing to be Human) performance | Play Den
Comme chien et chat exhibition | Gallery
9.00pm The Blesser of Utensils performance | Living Room
Hantu nak jadi orang (Spirits Longing to be Human) performance | Play Den
Comme chien et chat exhibition | Gallery
9.30pm Post performance talk with Noor Hasnah Adam | Play Den
Tuesday, 27 March (Open to Public)
8.00pm Spoken word performance by Jay Bernard | Chamber
8.30pm The Blesser of Utensils performance | Living Room
Hantu nak jadi orang (Spirits Longing to be Human) performance | Play Den
Comme chien et chat exhibition | Gallery
9.00pm The Blesser of Utensils performance | Living Room
Hantu nak jadi orang (Spirits Longing to be Human) performance | Play Den
Comme chien et chat exhibition | Gallery
9.30pm Post performance talk with Christopher Fok | Play Den
* programme correct at time of print
Wednesday, 28 March (Open to Public)
7.00pm Meet the authors of The Singapore Proverbs Project | Earshot Café
8.00pm Spoken word performance by Jay Bernard | Chamber
8.30pm The Blesser of Utensils performance | Living Room
Hantu nak jadi orang (Spirits Longing to be Human) performance | Play Den
Comme chien et chat exhibition | Gallery
9.00pm The Blesser of Utensils performance | Living Room
Hantu nak jadi orang (Spirits Longing to be Human) performance | Play Den
Comme chien et chat exhibition | Gallery
9.30pm Standup Comedy | Blue Room
* programme correct at time of print
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ANNEX II |
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Programme Synopsis |
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THE SINGAPORE PROVERBS BOOK COVER DESIGN EXHIBITION |
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“When it’s fine weather, go work in the rice fields; when it’s raining, go read the books.” (Hakka Proverb) |
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Blue Room \ 26 – 28 March |
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The Singapore Proverbs Project hopes to document and chronicle Singapore's heritage through its proverbs in a multitude of languages. Proverbs present a unique glimpse into the cultures and languages of the world, capturing worldviews and attitudes in a witty manner. In conjunction with our anniversary, The Arts House and The Singapore Proverbs Project launched a design competition for the book cover. Come see the shortlisted designs and how they bring life to your favourite Singapore proverbs! |
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Meet the Authors \ 28 Mar \ 7pm \ Earshot Café |
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Journalist Shivali Nayak and Dr M Madanmohan Rao, author of Pearls of Wisdom: Indian Proverbs and Quotations, will not only talk about the hows and whys of The Singapore Proverb Project but will reveal the winning book cover design! |
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SPOKEN WORD PERFORMANCE |
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“I see, I remember. I do, I understand. I hear, I forget.” (Mandarin Proverb) |
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Chamber \ 26-28 March \ 8.00pm Performers: Jay Bernard \ Bani Hakyal |
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In an improvised music and poetry performance based on the Mandarin proverb, “I see, I remember. I do, I understand. I hear, I forget” Poet Jay Bernard and Musician Banni Hakyal explore the relationship between teacher and student. |
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Jay is the first international recipient of the Creative Writing Residency jointly administered by the NUS University Scholars Programme and The Arts House. |
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HANTU NAK JADI ORANG (SPIRITS LONGING TO BE HUMAN) |
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“To be human, not a ghost” (Malay Proverb) |
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Play Den \ 26-28 March \ 8.30pm & 9pm Post Performance Talk \ 26 March \ 9.30pm |
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Director/Playwright: Noor Hasnah Adam |
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Seven different spirits meet a medium imploring him to turn them into human. However, before the medium considers helping them, they must reflect on their past lives and promise never to repeat those mistakes. Playwright and director, Noor Hasnah Adam takes this tale of morality and gives it a humorous spin through her energetic and dynamic style. |
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Noor Hasnah was featured in New Word Order last year to celebrate the launch of her first book, Mis3 Rasa Budaya. |
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THE BLESSER OF UTENSILS |
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“Without rice, even the cleverest housewife cannot cook” |
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(Mandarin Proverb) |
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Living Room \ 26-28 March \ 8.30pm & 9pm Post Performance Talk \ 27 March \ 9.30pm |
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Director r: Tan Liting Playwright: Christopher Fok |
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The Blesser of Utensils is a monologue depicting a humble and lonely kitchen good of little power who tries to convince the audience to cook once more. This play ruminates on n the struggles of everyday cooking and the social and spiritual distancing that takes place as we lose our ability to cook. |
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Christopher’s play Strange Fruit was read during Inventing Paper Speech and received its first staged performance in the Play Den last year. One of Fok’s original plays is shortlisted as a finalist in an international competition in conjunction with World Theatre Day. |
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..COMME CHIEN ET CHAT |
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“Fish from the sea and tamarind from the mountain will still meet in the same pot” (Malay Proverb) |
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Gallery \ 26 March – 8 April \ 10am – 10pm Artist: Emilie Saint-Pe |
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“…Comme chien et chat” which translates to “Fighting like Cats and Dogs” transcends all cultural boundaries; bringing together two diverse cultures. Emilie Saint-Pe, a French graphics designer living in Asia uses her creative talents to build a bridge between her native country France and her new home Hong Kong using the ideological richness of both simplified and traditional Chinese characters to portray images inspired by French expressions. |
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PAPER SCULPTURES |
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“Even the best painter starts with a blank wall” (Tamil Proverb) |
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The Arts House Artist: Yenn Ang |
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Yenn Ang’s paper sculptures and installations address the absence and presence of our memories; the fragility of things and a loss of wholeness in our physical and mental space. Proverbs, commonly a form of one’s language, culture and identity tend to get lost through the generations. Through her sculptures, Yenn attempts to forge and awaken these strong memories within us. |
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Yenn was an artist-in-residence at Sculpture Square last year. |
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STAND UP COMEDY |
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“A hearty laugh dispels disease” (Tamil Proverb) |
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Blue Room \ 28 March \ 9.15pm Comics: Fakkah Fuzz, Jinx |
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Come let your funny bone be tickled by up and coming comedians. Fakkah Fuzz is possibly the last Malay comic to ever come out of Singapore. A standup comedian into his third year, Fuzz was the headlining comedian alongside Anil Desai (UK) and Jason John Whitehead (CAN) for The Comedy Club Kuala Lumpur in May 2011. Just 10 months after making his comedy debut, Jinx entered the 5th Annual Hong Kong International Comedy Competition in 2011 and finished as the 1st runner-up. |
Fuzz was featured last July as part of New Word Order with 2 other comics to discuss how they write comedy.
