People

“Fashion has always been an interest of mine, but I never go to pursue it until now. Back when I finished my diploma in Tourism Business and Hospitality in polytechnic, I told my parents that it’s time for me to pursue what I wanted.”

“Enjoy your time with friends, because life happens, and sometimes, people move on. Don’t take these friendships for granted, and treasure the time you have together with your friends while you can.”

“I signed up for dance classes because I’m trying to understand movement since there are no clubs anymore, and I miss that kind of freeform dancing. I’ve never really danced before though, and it’s contemporary dance that I’ll be doing, so it’s very scary.”

“The shoes I'm wearing are original vintage Air Jordan 1s from 1985. I love to collect shoes, and this particular pair is like the holy grail in my collection. It’s my most treasured piece because I’m a huge Michael Jordan fan.”

“I think what’s exciting about contemporary art is the fact that it’s being made in this moment, and we are all part of that era of making. It’s really about our moment.”

“I love cooking, but in Singapore I stay alone, and I enjoy cooking more when I’m with my friends and family, where I can share. Korean food takes so long to make because there are so many side dishes—that’s why you need someone to share it with.”

“I’ve been experimenting with more androgynous dressing, and will wear skirts every once in a while because I want to challenge gender norms—within the Singaporean context at least, men’s fashion is rather limited.”

“I’ve always loved to draw but I stopped for awhile when I graduated since I was busy looking for a job. Recently, I picked it up again. I’m hoping to venture into tattoo illustrations. Though I don’t have any tattoos of my own as of now, I would like to give myself one in the future.”

“I started acting when a best friend of mine at the time almost literally twisted my arm into auditioning for the school drama club. I was 12. I’ve been acting ever since, and have been doing it professionally for 17 years now.”

“I love exploring the Kampong Glam area. I find it quite cool because there are hipster cafés, artists, and also people who have been living there for years just making a living. There are so many layers of people that we can meet there, each doing their own thing, so I like that area a lot.”

“I never used to go out to work. I stayed home and made food to sell. I sold bak zhang in May, and biscuits and Chinese New Year snacks at the end of the year. Now, I give them away. If you know me, you can just come and get some bak zhang and snacks in May.”

“I grew up in a kampung in the Philippines before I came to Singapore when I was 15, and back then, I was really in touch with gardening and farming. Now, during the holidays, I volunteer at Ground-Up Initiative, an organic farm in Singapore.”