Tributaries

You’ve been a curator for a long time now. When did your interest in the arts first start, and what is your favourite thing about this industry?
I’ve been curating contemporary art exhibitions for close to 15 years—first at Singapore Art Museum for over 10 years, then freelance for almost two years now. I was enrolled in the art elective programme in school, so I did art all the way up till Junior College, then I studied art history in university.

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. So you know in art, you study artists—very famous artists from a very distant time—but for contemporary art, it’s really about your moment. So it’s interesting to see how artists express the ideas of our time through their works.

What is the curatorial process like?
There are many approaches to that, but when I work on an exhibition, it often starts from an idea that I have. Sometimes, after seeing what artists are making, I see resonances between their works, or I feel that they are making works that respond to a certain idea. That’s really the starting point for me. Then after having conversations with the artists to develop these ideas, and to hear their responses to the concept that I have in mind, we’ll put the show together.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I think it’s really the kind of conversations I have with artists and other creative people. When I have exchanges of ideas, especially when I do visits to artists’ studios, I always find it very energising. Because I get to see what they’re working on, and find out their thinking behind it, and that also helps me develop my own ideas. So there is a constant exchange of energy when I have these conversations.

What advice would you give to people who are looking to pursue their passion as a full-time job?
I think when your work is also your passion, you need to find a way to remain emotionally invested in it, but also know when to draw the line. Because sometimes, when it’s something that you’re so invested in, it may be difficult to accept feedback, and to take a more objective perspective on things.

Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing?
Very Singaporean things—eat, shop, chill, travel. I live in the East Coast, so there’s a lot of good food around there, which is great because I eat everything! I like local food, but I also like fine dining, and I love my desserts, so I’m really excited that there are so many cafés in the East now that just opened.

As much as I enjoy eating, I don’t cook (laughs). I prefer to let others do the cooking.

What about shopping? Do you have any favourite brands?
Oh, yeah! I really love local brands. I think in the past decade, they’ve really come into their own. There are so many choices now, and the quality is really on par with international chain brands. I used to buy a lot from the likes of Mango and Zara, but these days, I find that I gravitate towards local brands more because the quality, the value for money, and the sizing are so much better.