Chelsea Tan

Jenson Gabriel Tan is one of the organisers for The Days that We Wander/Wonder, an art exhibition centred on the theme of mental wellbeing. At 20, Jen has a diploma in arts business management and has interned at Art Stage Singapore. He is now a freelance designer and an amateur artist.

Tell us more about The Days that We Wander/Wonder. What is your motivation behind focusing on mental wellbeing? 
In one way or another, all of us have hit rock bottom once, and to climb out of that shell requires much more than just willpower. So in order to raise awareness of these issues, we decided to use art because we feel that art is a good medium to break through thoughts and stereotypes. Our artworks are influenced by personal and indirect stories from patients that are a part of the Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT). 

Tell us more about your interactions with patients from CHAT. What are some things you have gleaned from them, with regards to mental illness?

CHAT actually had a sharing session for us and the artists late last year, where we listened to first-hand accounts of patients. Common people feel that mental health is an illness, but it is actually like your cough and cold. If you do not take care of a cough and cold, it turns into throat infection or pneumonia. So if you have an emotional issue that you face, you shouldn’t leave it hanging. You set it free before it eats into you, you know?

What is one piece in the exhibition that in your opinion, must not be missed?

I think personally, it’s a piece by Michelle Lim named "in day dreams the wounded" - all in small letters. It’s interactive. It started from the idea of a poem. But the thing is, the audience interacts with the poem by constructing their own sentence. It’s supposed to let the audience reflect on their actions, and how their actions contribute to a different outcome. It’s similar to the idea of a parallel universe.

Why did you choose the artists in your exhibition? 

We made sure that the artists’ modus operandi mixes well with our theme, and that their work flows with each other.

We are presenting 5 artists for our exhibition at DECK due to the space constraints and the artists’ timeline. Jem, Malvina, Michelle, Zen and Leanna are 5 amazing ladies. In a way, their works complement each other as we carefully selected our artists based on their work quality. We chose a range of artists – from the established, to mid-career, to beginning artists. One artist that I can elaborate on would be Zen Teh. Her work is Dual/Duel, which is influenced by schizophrenia. It examines the notion of mirror and reflection. It's rather conceptual so it's quite hard to explain unless you see the work itself. So it's like how you can't hold on to water, and people with schizophrenia can't hold on to their minds. The artwork’s display involves various angles so it mirrors how you need to interact with the world to understand the volumes of reflection and water.

Another work I will elaborate about would be Malvina Tan-Dhanaraj’s. Her work is actually about her deceased husband, Adrian Dhanaraj. It's about the way she copes with grief and shows how she explores her loss; the physical journey one might go through.

So in a way our artworks deal with the common topic of physical and emotional journeys one might go through in their lives. That's why our overarching theme is journey, because wander – physical, wonder – emotional.

Do you have anything to say to your (potential) audience of The Days that We Wander/Wonder?

Come for our show, although it might not be as "arty farty" as you think it is, we hope to help you understand more about our cause and agenda. 

The Days that We Wander/Wonder is a visual arts exhibition. It will be held at the DECK from 12-21 March 2015 and at the Jurong Regional Library from 2-20 May 2015. Click here for more information.

Joey Aziel Tan

Wallflowers Mag is proud to present our new series, Passion | Vocation, where we trace the creative lives of people whose passions have not been diluted by their vocations, and for some even exist in perfect tandem with their vocations. In a world where money seems to be the driving force of humanity, passion is often cast aside as something one pursues in their spare time, or is only available as a livelihood for a fortunate few. As such, when we come across people who manage to combine their passions with their vocations, or pursue their passions with such intensity despite a seemingly contrasting vocation, it strikes a chord in our souls as we dream for such courage and, ultimately, passion, to chase such a path.

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#1

The Fabric Tavern

Hey Daryl! I was really intrigued when I saw your Instagram, TheFabricTavern, and I feel it's a really interesting initiative. Singapore's sense of fashion might often limited due to our humid weather, so this is something pretty fresh and new.

Tell us about the story behind The Fabric Tavern. Why did you choose this name, and what inspired you to begin this initiative?

I spent a few nights cracking my brains over what to name it and decided to name it The Fabric Tavern. I will further explain the reason for that name later on! I would like to clarify that I am not selling any clothes at this point of time and neither do I have a website for it. It actually started when my mother noticed that the guys in Singapore tend to dress down a lot. She suggested that I start an Instagram account in hopes of inspiring Singaporean men to dress better. Personally, I am not fashionable at all, and neither do I follow any trends. I wear what I feel like wearing and my circle of friends seem to think I have a pretty good sense of dressing. That being said, I do understand that it is difficult to dress up due to the hot weather. I simply became accustomed to wearing layers of clothes despite the weather. 

Now, what exactly is The Fabric Tavern? I've been using the word 'initiative' a lot, but are you a blogshop model? How would you describe what The Fabric Tavern is all about?

The Fabric Tavern is all about inspiring Singaporean men to dress up more often. It is actually one of my goals in life that led me to naming it the Fabric Tavern. I would like to open my own shop in the years to come selling my own label of dapper clothing for men. In the olden days, a tavern usually meant a place where people find lodging as well as have a drink. My shop would be place for people to buy good quality menswear and have a good beer afterwards. Therefore, The Fabric (clothing) Tavern.

I am in no way a blogshop model nor do I feel that I have a very good sense of fashion. If people happen to pop by my Instagram account and like the way I carry myself in terms of my dress sense, they are free to replicate my style. 

When did you begin on this journey and what have been your biggest motivators throughout this process?

I began this journey just a couple of months ago and it has been fun. It will get more exciting in the months and years to come when I have my own label and shop! I am actually a financial adviser, and as it is my main career, it poses one of the biggest challenges I face- to find time and to have my photos taken. 

My biggest motivation to continue and grow The Fabric Tavern is my mother. She is excited for me and hopes that I can turn this into my own label of clothing and eventually open up a "Tavern" selling menswear. 

Thank you for giving me this opportunity of sharing my journey so far. Do look out for more style and photos at The Fabric Tavern in the weeks to come!

Check out Daryl’s dapper sense of style here. 

Alisa Maya Ravindran

I have a complicated relationship with Singlish.

I was born in Singapore, to Singaporean parents. Yet, throughout my life I have been constantly asked if I’m Singaporean. One of the main reasons is how I speak. English is my first language and, as I am rather embarrassed to admit, the only language I speak fluently. My parents constantly emphasized the importance of speaking clear, good English when I was growing up and that is why I rarely speak “Singlish” at home. This does not mean I speak with an affected American or British accent, but rather that my speech remains unaccented and perhaps as a result, a poor instrument to use in deciphering my background.

I attended a secondary school where even out of lessons, English was the primary language spoken. How badly students fared in their Mother Tongue exams -especially in the Oral Assessment Exams- seemed to be a running joke and an ironic point of pride. One of the main reasons for this seemed to be the view that only educated people could speak English very fluently, and speaking in a mix of Mandarin and English that makes up Singlish was simply not as classy.

Many of my peers speak the way I speak. I felt at home. I heard how odd my conscious attempt to speak full, grammatical sentences sounded, only when I interacted with people outside of this bubble. I found myself code-switching, self-consciously modifying the syntax and vocabulary of my speech when conversing with provision shop owners, department store salesgirls, the elderly and anyone else in my own suburban neighbourhood. To avoid doing so seemed to be pompous, a way of asserting some kind of imagined superiority over people who do not speak English the way I usually do. It was then that I fully understood how language is an unofficial reflection of social class in Singapore. My awkward intonation when speaking Singlish made me feel distant from people outside of my immediate social circle.

I was of course, aware of and exposed to Singlish from the time I could speak. From playground chatter to local television sitcoms, Singapore’s unique brand of colloquial English has been a deeply-entrenched part of living. I was just rusty in my use of it because of my anxiety of being viewed as someone who cannot speak English properly.

In the end, I embraced Singlish—or at least I thought I did. It was a tool I kept at the back of my mind, to whip out at social gatherings when I wanted to appear “down-to-earth” or when I wanted to prove my Singaporean-ness to people I’d just met. I learnt a few Hokkien and Malay words that constituted Singlish, and that helped me communicate with people of the older generation, to show them that I was not a “proud girl” and that I was a filial product of the my generation. But back at school and work, it was very important that I slipped back into the mode of speaking the “Queen’s English” – minus the British accent - to prove my value as a person with social status and class. I wonder if my relationship with Singlish will always be this paradoxical. But more interestingly, what is the role of Singlish in an increasingly cosmopolitan Singapore? In a divided discourse on what it means to be Singaporean, perhaps speaking Singlish is a cushion for Singaporeans to fall back on to remember their roots. Or will Singlish cement an existing socio-economic class divide among locals, deepening the cracks in an already-fractured Singaporean identity? I don’t think there will be an answer in the near future, but Singlish is here to stay and I will continue to have a complicated relationship with it.

Racy Lim

Marc X Hashy is a music-making duo whose music is best described as intensely passionate. Marc and Hashy first made their debut on the reality show, The Final 1. Their premature eviction from the show did not deter them from music, but rather kick start a beautiful relationship. Their decision to be together, privately and musically, has sparked unbridled emotions in the sounds of Marc X Hashy since.

1. How would you describe your musical influence and style as one, given that Marc comes from a rock and blues background while Hashy leans towards folk? 

H: A middle ground - exactly in between of folk and rock/blues. What do you call that?

M: We have been asked this many times and I think our answer fluctuates. There is a blend of many styles. Some songs are closer to Hashy and others a little closer to me. Battles is better centered, I believe, but the next single, Photographs, that is launching soon, is definitely more of Hashy's style.

2. What is Battles about, and what is the statement line of this song?

H: Battles was about persevering through difficult times, no matter the obstacles. When I wrote the song, our relationship was not exactly smooth sailing but in the end we triumphed! If I were to choose the statement line, it would be "Building my own fort, Fighting my own battles". Everyone has their own battles to fight. 

M: At the start, it was not easy given our age difference and coming from a reality television show. The media was constantly trying to find out more about something we were still new at. However, we are still here, and stronger than ever. That is definitely the line to lean towards. 

3. 2014 has been a year of rising local acts. What are your thoughts about it, now that there is a louder voice for the local music scene?

H: It is amazing. I feel like the support for the local music scene is stronger these days.

M: During the time when I started playing music, we had a pretty solid underground, indie scene but not as much local media support as now. I am lucky to have been around local greats like Impiety and Melting Snow from the metal scene, who were always supportive and showed by example that effort, perseverance and passion above all else is the core of being a musician. It is great now when I hear the likes of Gentle Bones or even younger artistes I have had a hand in producing, such as Debbi Koh, Enriquo Garcia, or even our own songs playing on the radio. I love it! That was the drive for me to start my unit, Cornerstone, to aid the younger artistes in Singapore realise their dreams, and with my team consisting of Chris Grosse, Ao Cheng Su and the maestro Marco Iodice, it looks like 2015 is going to be an even better year.

4. Speaking of local music, you will be performing at Go Loco Local 2015 Countdown Party this New Year’s Eve. What can we expect from Marc X Hashy this time round?

M: It is the beginning of an exciting year for us. Our set list consists of our favourite tracks to perform in 2014. We will be playing more up-tempo sounds to usher in the New Year as our set is just after midnight.

5. You have a unique combined sound, as heard on Battles. When can we expect a series of original songs, such as an EP or album by Marc X Hashy?

M: We will be entering 2015 with a new single. It will be something very intimate and we hope the masses would like it. Then again, the heart is where most of our tracks come from. As a couple, we are very private about our lives and I think our music best represents us. We are planning for a music video to accompany the launch of the new track as well, and we will be recording an EP.

6. What are your New Year’s Resolutions as a duo?

M: We are expecting to launch an EP and we plan to collaborate with other local artistes in 2015. We are generally open-minded about music and approaches. In fact, we will be approaching a few artists ourselves. Be it covers or originals, I think it is fundamental for local bands to first support one another before expecting love from the home front. 

Listen to music from Marc X Hashy here and here. Discover more of Marc X Hashy here.

Gracia Ting

There is something about the night, something about the darkness of the skies that feels expansive and refreshing. Your thoughts are for yourself, unafraid and safe in the dark. You feel wistful for things you don’t allow yourself to hope for in the day. You are restless and sombre, yet thoughtful and bold, all at once. The contradictions might feel too much at times, but they fuel the beauty of the night, and therein lie the allure of Swedish-born, Berlin-based singer-songwriter Adna’s music. Her debut album, entitled Night, effortlessly marries the melancholy of hope, and the hopefulness of the dark. With achingly honest and immersive lyrics, (in Rain she sings: ‘go / before you’re too lost in love / when you’re in / you’ll never get out / I will cut myself open / in hope of removing the hurts of the past), Adna’s music transports you back to the stories of your heart, and inspires in you a quiet boldness you can’t quite forget.

With her sophomore album Run, Lucifer out in the Spring of 2015, and her song Living recently included in Nordic by Nature’s 20 Best Scandinavian Songs of 2014, we can’t wait to see what this brilliant artist does next. We recently spoke with Adna about her music and her love for the night.

Adna, thank you for taking the time to chat with Wallflowers. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? (E.g. your beginnings in music, what you’re listening to at the moment, what book you’re currently reading?)
Hi, and thank you for having me. While answering these questions I’m listening to Nils Frahm and reading Norwegian Wood a third time. I got in contact with music at quite an early age, since I studied music in secondary school, but it wasn’t until my time at a music high school that I started caring more about it. At some point, I just saw something new in music with which I started identifying myself.

What’s your creative process usually like when creating a song?
Whenever I get some free time, usually at night, I collect words or melodies I’ve been writing down and then I try to do something with it. Sometimes I improvise with an idea I have in mind. But often I already know how I want it all to sound like, before I’ve even started, so I work with it until I get there.

We love the melancholic sound and achingly poetic lyrics of your songs. Do you have any favourite lines from your songs? Why so?

Thank you, I’m glad to hear that. However, I don’t really have any favourite lines because it means that I have to look closer at my lyrics and I usually try not to over-analyse my songs. I’m afraid that if I over-analyze them, I’ll lose the first thoughts and feelings I had when starting off, and I believe that the very first ones are the truest ones. Also, if I start analyzing, then I’ll never finish anything. I believe in my feelings so I just let them lead me trough the process, and feelings have different meanings to everybody and I would not like to take that away from anyone by talking about the songs too much.


You titled your album ’Night’. What is it about the night, or this word, that you love?
I’m grateful for the silence that comes with the night. I like giving myself that time at night to process feelings and experiences, and I find it inspiring how silence can bring out new sounds.

What are you up to next in terms of music? (By the way, we’d love for you to perform here in Singapore!)
I finished my second record a few weeks ago, and now I’m really excited (and nervous) about sharing it with others who are interested in listening. The first single is out in November, and I have a couple of shows left this year, before I lock myself inside my bedroom to finish all the live sets for next year’s release. The plan is just to give it an honest try-out, and if I’m allowed to dream very big, then I might get the chance to see other places (like Singapore) in the future.

Listen to Adna’s music here and here. Discover more of Adna here and here.

Racy Lim

Kai is a local artist – beat boxer, singer-song writer and vocal percussionist and tenor with the a cappella group Vocaluptuous. A believer in creating music through personal experience, Kai has earned himself multiple platforms to showcase his works at musicals, festivals and café gigs. His drive to be different and unique values in making music make him one talent to look out for.

Acoustic songs are general favourites. What made you decide to experiment with beat boxing in your compositions instead of going with what most artists typically work with? 

While I think the melody and lyrics are extremely important in any song, I feel very strongly about musical arrangements as well. In producing the EP, I was influenced by my background in a cappella music, arranging in layers and in certain keys or chords to give the music particular colours. My background in beat boxing also led me to explore different rhythms and incorporation of more electronic sounds.

Even though I categorise my music as acoustic indie-folk/pop/rock, they sound vastly different when I’m performing solo with guitar and vocals, versus the produced tracks because of the different elements involved in my arrangements, and that’s something I hope makes my music unique.

What is your motto when it comes to creating your own music?

In the interest of keeping my music completely independent, I took it upon myself to work on all facets of the album, from writing to performing, recording to producing, and that might well be my motto – that music can be highly personal and that I would like to retain as much creative direction as possible in the work which I put out.

This attitude has also impacted my outlook on music appreciation as I listen to a lot less mainstream music and instead choose to support excellent but less well-known local independent artists; since I know just how difficult it is to make it in the local scene.

One of your songs from the Beginnings EP, Masks, starts out slow but transits into a short beat box arrangement. What is the story behind this unexpected arrangement?

The songs from the EP are about relationships – not just romantic relationships but all sorts of interpersonal ones, and just how fragile they are.

Masks has a backstory deeply personal to me, which I tried to reflect both lyrically and musically. The beat box interlude which then progresses into musical chaos, incorporating more electronic influences like synthesised wobbling basslines and lead guitar riffs, followed by a sombre quiet thereafter, was intended to represent how this particular relationship was strained by disagreement. Metaphorically, Masks would feel something like waking up the morning after a massive argument being very unsure of oneself, and feeling a little regret.

With a wide variety of experience from café features, being involved in a production by Dream Academy and even teaching at beat boxing workshops, how different is each experience?  

Café features of course allow me to showcase my music to audience that tend to be more receptive since they willingly and readily attend original music nights.

Crazy Christmas 2013 by Dream Academy was definitely a memorable experience – working alongside renowned local entertainers, having a two week run at the Esplanade, and falling in love with the magic of musical theatre.

Teaching beatboxing workshops is also always enjoyable as I have a special interest in pedagogy and it’s just incredibly rewarding watching kids (mostly) learn a noisy and thoroughly useless skill.

Other memorable gigs include performing at the National Museum of Korea, doing the National Day Parade last year, collaborating with various musicians for a series which the Esplanade invited me to perform (Kai and Friends, 2014), judging the National A Cappella Championships Beatbox Battle this year, and so many others that it really is impossible to pinpoint just one favourite.

Given the rising exposure of independent music artists, has there been more support for your works from the local audience?

Perhaps several years ago, before the emergence of younger local independent musicians, it might have been more difficult to break into the scene.

Beat boxing is about percussion, rhythms, and is combined with vocal sound effects. I think it speaks to most of us on a level that transcends lyrics or musical background. People were very receptive towards it, but at the same time it was not really the kind of music which would draw long-term sustained support from the same listeners over and over again.

As an independent singer-songwriter now I am glad that my songs have been well received in the live-performance scene; friends and total strangers alike have been very kind in going out of their way to tell me how much they like the album, but there are still so many more venues I would love to play and so many more listeners I’d like to reach out to.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to be able to do my own music more often in the future. In the short term over the rest of this year, I will be involved with festivals including the Y2K14 International Live Looping Festival in California, where they invited me to perform as a Featured Performer at the main festival and in a select pre-festival concert entitled “Best of the Fest”, as well as the Singapore Night Festival, Singapore Live Looping Festival, International A Cappella Festival 2014, and a bunch of other upcoming gigs, which with a little luck will enable me to do music most of the time!

Pearlyn Soo

Connie Cao is a 22 year old fashion/lifestyle blogger, Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) student at Monash University Australia and owner of a floral crafting Esty shop, K IS FOR KANI. She got into the floral crafting game after realizing that there was an absence in the market for high quality, controversial headpieces that were unique and one of a kind. Loved and adored by brides, bridesmaids, flower girls, spring racing and attendees all around the world, K IS FOR KANI has grown to become one of the largest handcrafted floral headpieces stores around the world, having embarked on projects with Topshop, L’Oreal and Peppermint Magazine.

What is a typical day in the K for Kani studio like?
Always crazy crazy, as I manage my time between studying, blogging and my business. When I'm in my studio, I'm either packing orders, creating new designs or photographing, listing online and answering emails or messages. I think I spend more time on admin than creative work so it's not as glamorous as it looks! But all in all I love it and I love being able to do what I love doing.

What is your differentiating factor from the rest of the floral crafters in the market?
I always pair colours and textures to come out with different variations. I design according to the occasions, as well as what I think my customers would appreciate seeing. I always create unique floral headpieces which I haven't seen anywhere else and I love mixing unexpected colours and creating conversational silhouettes.

Which is the most challenging part of the crafting process?
It has got to be organizing my time as everything is handmade, photographed, listed, packed and shipped by me. Each of the process takes up a substantial amount of time. I'm juggling my business alongside full time studies and blogging so it is all about prioritizing, working ahead and making sure everything is done when it needs to be done.

Tell us about your wildest creation thus far. 
I love something different - this would probably be one of my favourite 'different' pieces. It's a bird nest hair clip and I think it is so beautiful for a bride . They are all sold out now but I hope to bring some similar ones in again soon.

Is there a story behind the Emma orchid FLOWER HEADBAND? 
I just love orchids and thought they would be beautiful arranged across the side of a headband for the races!

There is so much effort, love and care that go into your products. Even the parcel speaks for itself! How do you ensure that the products are delivered safely?
I always make sure I package my items carefully in sturdy boxes. The last thing I want is a customer to open a package with damaged product inside, so I make sure that never happens!

Poems by Guest Writer Daniel Kay

Photos by Fatin Iesa

Grandfather & Grandson

From gummy fangless jaws

Folding golden toffee wrappings

Away neatly in a pocket

On his breast

Treasure chest-

Drooled streams of spit

And wisdom

To all who cared to listen

Though no one cared to listen

As was law-

Family tradition

Tribal elders are denoted

By a firm upright position

And with the years and weight

Of golden wisdom

Grandpa formed

A sort of corner

Of the recent family portrait-

And though he steamed with sage emissions

It’s just as well that no one listened

For golden toffee wrappings

Make for gassy pirate pleasure

And grandpa was purported

To have stolen all that treasure.

First Crush

Knotty ginger curls

Make tangled castle turrets

That sit atop the fortress

With the gaping portcullis-

Had not yet noble lustre

But sugar rush desires

Which made our romance burn

With the strength of a thousand fires-

Though we were hardly worthy champions

Representing rival houses

In the fight for a love condemned

Wearing armour from pages of comics

And lights in the our heels

And a Spiderman breastplate

And couldn’t count to 10

Which was already twice our age

Firstborn Son

Hold the whimsy

From the cocktail, waiter

I’ve a stern thirst to abate

But maybe later

After drinks

Should I end up at the brink

Of the evening

And m’lady

Has decided that she’ll stay–

Then let it flow freely

As it’s fit so to do,

Because I’ve often thought

It fine to take

A dram of whimsy

On a first date

And somewhat further down the line

To lace the affair-

Spike the wine

But when we wake

From out drunken state

It’d be best to hold the whimsy

When it comes

To naming the firstborn son

*

Daniel Kay is a 22 year-old who is originally from the UK. 

Find him here: notesfromtheunprofound.tumblr.com