One of the temples I really enjoyed, simply because there were very little crowds. The structures themselves were quiet and unassuming despite their cultural importance and significance, which added to their beautiful majesty…
Tag Archives: Culture
Waradah Aboriginal Centre
A tour group came out of the theatre. I went in to catch the next show in 15 minutes.
15 Minutes later, the performers peeped out from the stage and saw… Me.
“Wow, big crowd we have today,” he quipped to his brothers.
I laughed nervously, seriously freaked out that I was the only one in the audience! Do people not come to such shows as individuals, but only in tour groups?!
Despite all that, I must say their level of respect and professionalism is extremely commendable. I enjoyed their performance, and became a little more aware of the little things that make up the diverse aboriginal culture.
Commune II
It feels so ironic that a culture’s tradition and symbols seem more valued outside of than in its original context. The bricks below were taken directly from the Great Wall, representing what villagers living along parts of the Wall are doing on a much larger scale – because they cannot afford to buy bricks or other construction materials, they are helping themselves to brick after brick of the Wall, to build their ovens, stoves, shelters.
Childhood memories of an artist. Works like these make the past feel more tangible… They make us think about where we come from, what are we made of, what has been sacrificed in the name of change, and whether it has been worth it. In this work the artist alludes to the warmth of her childhood memories, to how home was a place where sound, laughter and chatter could always be heard, where members were always in sight and basically there for each other.
What has changed?
Commune I
Back at White Rabbit Gallery for their second exhibition of the year – Commune.
This series draws links between China’s present and its past, through the personal experiences and expressions of artists. Some of the works brutally highlight what is being lost and sacrificed in the name of moving forward, and the (very good) curator was right – it is depressing.
A series of photographs which accompanied headlines in Chinese newspapers in 2014. Each tells the plight of different individuals in different situations, all in China. The message: If these heartbreaking stories are what can be reported on the news, imagine what can’t…
Fragmentation.
The Takers and Sound
Reading some articles in this book recently has made me more thoughtful about the way we perceive sound. I recall watching a TED talk by Evelyn Glennie some years ago, in which she speaks about how our ears are simply one way through which we perceive sound – in actual fact our entire body can be developed to become a natural resonator, allowing us a more full experience of sound. This approach is used with Deaf and hearing-impaired children as described in the book, with very encouraging and positive results. Just the simple act of being able to listen opens the door to so many other areas of development: self-awareness, self-perception, physical awareness, communication, acquisition of language, etc.
I also recently read this book:
Put two seemingly unrelated books together, and this thought emerged:
Even our culture of sound has become overridden by Taker Culture!
What used to be was that music and sound was part of everyday life. If people wanted music, they simply made music. No wait – they did not have the need to WANT music. Sound was simply part of their landscape, their living, their breathing. They took part in the creation of it, as natural as their breathing was a part of them.There was no divide between performers and audiences, players and listeners. Music was Life. For example, we know that many native African tribal cultures (example of leaver cultures) do not have a separate word for Music. To them, it is in inseparable from life and living.
But taker culture has taken it apart, like all other things thought as unrelated to production. In taker culture, sound and music has been transformed into a commodity, an industry, a product, and in some instances, a tool. And to gain full control over this tool and resource, technology has been developed so that takers can use sound at their whim and fancy.
Soundbites to win votes. Hypnotic beats to lure people into clubs. Catchy choruses to entice shoppers to buy more things in the malls. Jingles to make a product look attractive.
There is a positive side, yes. With the technology of recording, availability of speakers and music players, sound has definitely become more accessible. Popular music can connect people, even if they live halfway across the world from each other. Classical music lives on in CDs and box sets. Even the music of leaver cultures can become immortalized through recordings. And everything becomes so convenient – unlike our leaver ancestors, we do not need to physically produce the music – we can simply press a button and our devices do the work for us.
But… at what price?
I can’t help but feel that this convenience, this ready availability of sound and music around us… has dulled our senses.
We are so used to hearing music through speakers and headphones that we are less sensitive to the vibration of an acoustic instrument, less likely to become immersed in those subtle vibrations. We have forgotten the depth of connection possible when we sing or dance in a group, as we are so used to directing our attention to the performer on stage. We have become so convinced by Mother Culture that to make music needs “specialized training”, that we cannot imagine what it is like to live otherwise. To sing and dance uninhibitedly would be considered barbaric, a reminder of our leaver ancestors, and we don’t want to go down that road again, do we? So we shut ourselves in on this side of the divide, and continue to deny ourselves the full experience of sound, content to let our machines and devices do the job.
Ironically, it may be those who are denied the normal function of their ears who get to really experience the full subtlety and beauty of sound and all its layers of acoustics and vibrations.
Around Arab
Took Xue’er for a spin around the Arab Street area, still excited by the novelty of the Holga Lens – I think she liked it ;p
Ghost of Capitol Theatre
A beautiful exhibit which pays homage to our disappearing culture and history.
Beautiful, and sad.
Is this going to be the only way which the younger generation will remember these vintage places of memories and culture? Through art exhibits and museums? While the rest of the country engages in never-ending progress and development?
Royal Palace of Phnom Penh
My day at the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh will always be remembered as a hot and sticky one, because I was not allowed to go in without purchasing an over-sized white shirt with sleeves, after finding out that shawls were not allowed, and I had no other clothing with me to cover my sleeveless arms.
Nevertheless, we were fortunate to get a rather detailed guide, making our tour around the palace more bearable.
Temples of Angkor – Preview
The time in Siem Reap is 5.09AM. I’m sitting in bed, awakened by the sound of this early morning downpour, enjoying the feeling of snuggling under my blanket. My thoughts are still with the beautiful temples of Angkor. Seeing them has deeply intensified my love for ancient architecture. I cannot wait to edit my 351 pictures and share them with the world!
Beauty in the Forgotten
Sometimes, by a stroke of luck, you come across places so quiet, so seemingly forgotten, that you sigh in pity for the souls on this boisterous and overly-vibrant island who might never come to realise and appreciate such beauty.
But at the same time, you know that it is the very layer of silence and sense of abandonment which gives these places their essence of quaintness and charm. Too many footprints, and the grass will not grow anymore, the birds will leave their nests, and even the sunlight which bounces off our skin might have a different weight.
We are fickle after all.
Along Life's Path 