Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder. 25cm x 25cm x 5cm. Recycled light fixture, acrylic sheet, sticker, LED. 2010 - 2011

“Diverting a light fixture and a lab microphotograph, I have re-created an imaginary eye. The piece plays on the popular notion that  light must come from the eye to create vision.”

Technically, this is my last artwork of 2011, having been completed on the 30th of December. It will be auctioned on the 8th of January  with other artists’ work to raise money for funding the production of Open House! 2012, taking place in Tiong Bahru this year… If you like it, why don’t you make a date? Leave a message below or check the link to the auction directly.

The set-up for Micro/Macro: charcoal and laptop side by side.

Preparing for a large science-based show at the same time as running art workshops, the two were inevitably going to collide. My next workshop, entitled “Micro/Macro” is more than an art workshop. It allows the public to view things in a different light. It gives them an opportunity to understand for a short while the importance of purpose when  when drawing, whether it be small precise pencil marks or large, vague and quick charcoal marks.

As an artist, I am using this workshop as research. I am interested in the variety of drawings that will come out from the public despite tight constraints. Personalities will be exposed.

Arabidopsis screen: wild types

Having won first prize at the  French Singapore New Generation Artists 2011 , I now have to come up with the goods for a large SOLO Exhibition at the Alliance Française in March 2012.

So, here are some of the on-going projects that will lead to this exhibition:

• Scientist-led discussions on their production of leftovers. I am currently recruiting scientists to participate in this survey.
• Looking at the unseen: the screen leftovers. The project consists of collecting the “uninteresting” wild-type samples of on-going genetic screens. Zebrafish, Arabidopsis (see above), Drosophila, etc I am looking for more screens to participate in…
• How to re-enact the process of classification? What is the connection between “sorting” of the scientists’ leftovers to be recycled and classifying at the scientific level?
• As part of this on-going project of probing “what is biology?”, I am planning a series of science workshops that will take place in a museum, and involve the public: the non-said in science. The project aims at highlighting that there are many reasons for why results sometimes cannot be replicated, and in general, showing the role of the physical body of the scientist in the running of the experiments. I want to show the variety that happens, even when all the measurable  variables are the same. Ultimately, I want to make people question why on the one hand we wouldn’t want machines to run experiments, but on the other hand, neglect the fact that there might be any difference between experimentaters.

• Finally, I will be performing a lecture for the Republic Poly students, entitled “Failomics: what biology can teach us about failures”. at 4:15 pm, on Monday 24th of October. The lecture is open to all. Just walk in!

The Scientist is in...

The Laboratory of ‘Pataphysics returns to the white cube, as part of the 3 rd French – Singapore New Generation Artists at The Societe Generale Gallery of the Alliance Française de Singapour, 2 Sept – 1st Oct.

Opening 1st September 2011,  Alliance Francaise De Singapour, 1 Sarkies Road Singapore 258130, 7 pm – 10 pm

Sharing the stage with:

Aileen Ye

Ben Qwek

Kray Chen

Kelton Ching

Lydia Wong (brighthoney)

Remi Oudinot

Ruyi Wong

Wahlene Lin

Documenting the installation

For once, it seems like my workshops for children and my own art-making have collided in an obvious way.

After running workshops and drawing classes for children for many years, as well as observing/guiding my own children, I have an intuition into what makes (some) kids tick. At the same time, I have been spending some much time in front of the projection for my own performative lectures (and in defiance of what presentation gurus will tell you), and using the moving image for various projects. Therefore this latest project was a project waiting to happen. It is described on my workshop website as an “interactive cinema experience”, and basically lets the children walk into the cinema-like space, and walk into the beam of the projector. Soon, they figure out that their antics in front of the projection are being filmed, and they enjoy watching themselves on the TV screen, outside the projection space. If they stay long enough or come back, they start interacting with the actual film rather than just the beam of light.

It is a collaboration with Russell Morton, with whom I have made my Educational Videos, as well as the “Buang, the Lost Malay Scientist” documentary. To create the footage, we had to select from hours of footage filmed by Ivan Polunin in the 60s. The resulting films had to be dubbed because they came with no sound. This means that I got to spend hours in the little stream behind the house, recording the sound of nature, children playing and catching fish. Finally, I called on Mohamad Riduan, a sound artist/sculptor to help create the sound for one of the 5 films on display.

The result is exciting, not least because I get to observe how children interact with the work, and learn from them. I also hope that in a small way, this exhibition (together with other beautiful installations at the PlayDome) will help make children better equipped to view contemporary art. They understand that art requires a commitment and risk-taking from the part of the viewer. Hopefully, they will grow up to become responsive to alternative forms of art. The Museum text also claims they will learn about SIngapore in the 60′s; between “Children at Play”, “Fishing on the Kelong”, “On the Farm”, “Fishing in Woodlands” and “on the Beach”, I think something will stick…

Please, if you are in Singapore between the 7th and the 26th of June 2011, come to the Singapore National Museum, get your PlayDome ticket, and come and visit the 2 and 1/2D Cinema (Open everyday except Monday, 10am-6pm).

And while you’re here, you might enjoy looking at the other 6 synopsis relating to my study of failures…

If you are around on Thursday, 21st of April, please make sure to come and view my lecture, adapted for the general public.

Location: The Substation Theatre

Date: 21st April 2011

Timing: 8pm -9.30pm, with question time.

The Art of Distilling Failures, part of a new series of "lectures"

The fact that this monthly blog is only being updated on the last day of the month is a consequence of some working behind the scenes:

• I have been updating my Failomics blog, dedicated to an artistic view of errors and failures in science.
• I have been working on a proper website, where visitors can more easily navigate my different projects. It will be out next month…

Finally, there is the cooking show I have been imagining and preparing for…

"What did you just say?"

happening on the 21st of April at the Substation, please mark the date and come and listen to me imparting some wisdom about how to distill failures from your own kitchen!

The 8 videos of "scientists" explaining their research on the "fear molecule"

In January, my piece entitled “So You Think You Can Be A Scientist” was exhibited at one of the ICAS galleries. It attracted a fair crowd, and most people were game to walk in between the TV screens, trying to find who the scientist was, or else stand from a viewpoint to follow the whole story.

For those who have missed the show, the video of the videos is now available on Vimeo. It will take 4 minutes of your time, and comments are welcome.

So, people keep asking me: who IS the scientist? Well, it wouldn’t be fun if I told you, would it? You have to do a bit of research yourselves. You can still go back the the list of participants that was unveiled in a previous blog post…

And I promise to keep you updated once they DO find the fear molecule. Remember, it’s called Shreckstoff and you heard about it first here (and don’t believe everything you read in Wikipedia!)…

For more information on this film, the main character, and the making of, you can refer to an older blog entry.

The documentary will be screened at KISS (Keep It Short Stupid), an even part of LiFest in Kuala Lumpur this Tuesday 22nd of February, and in Singapore at the Substation as part of the Singapore Short Film Award on the Saturday 5th of March (in the 12:45-2pm slot).