Per°Form Open Academy: An Interview with Ong Keng Sen on the development of public space for dialogue and exchange

T:>Works Artistic Director, Dr. Ong Keng Sen, sees a multitude of problems all around him. The cost of living for one, has gone up, and weighs down on everyone’s minds. The brain drain and mass exodus of intellectuals who can no longer stand living in Singapore, seems to be a widely accepted fact. And in a post-pandemic world, where everything seems fleeting and temporal, the … Continue reading Per°Form Open Academy: An Interview with Ong Keng Sen on the development of public space for dialogue and exchange

Preview: Per°Form Open Academy by T:>works

Following its origins in March 2021, where Singapore fellows presented digital keynotes, Ong Keng Sen and T:>works’ PerForm project now returns next week, in the form of the Per°Form Open Academy of Arts and Activations. Running from 13th to 16th April 2023, the free event features the inaugural live gathering of 14 Per°Form Fellows from the Global South and its diaspora, presenting and sharing their … Continue reading Preview: Per°Form Open Academy by T:>works

The Monday Interview: Ong Keng Sen on the Role of a Curator

It’s hard to miss Ong Keng Sen. Sporting his usual all black attire, complete with a snazzy pair of sunglasses, Theatreworks’ artistic director cuts an imposing figure as he strides across the lobby of the Intercontinental to meet us. But there’s honestly nothing to fear about Ong, who greets us with a smile and a cool demeanour. If anything, the most impressive thing about him … Continue reading The Monday Interview: Ong Keng Sen on the Role of a Curator

SIFA 2017 Finale: Lizard On The Wall

SIFA 2017 drew to a close last Saturday with the premiere of local film director K. Rajagopal’s (A Yellow Bird) latest film: Lizard On The Wall. But the significance of the film was given far greater gravity when you realise what makes the film so special – most of the extras you see in scenes were actually members of the public who participated in the … Continue reading SIFA 2017 Finale: Lizard On The Wall

SIFA 2017: Trojan Women by Ong Keng Sen and the National Theater of Korea (Review)

One thing that can be said about SIFA Festival Director Ong Keng Sen: whenever he attempts to create a new work, he always aims high and goes all the way, resulting at the very least in an unforgettable theatrical spectacle. With Trojan Women, Ong breathes new life into a centuries old Korean art form by applying it to an ancient Greek play. Based off Euripedes’ … Continue reading SIFA 2017: Trojan Women by Ong Keng Sen and the National Theater of Korea (Review)