An Interview for Oracle InSight with Dr Rajinder Jit Singh
I did an interview with Dr Raj, a doctor/painter/artist, you know like Dr Alban (Its My Life), dentist/pop singer
An interview with performance artist Rizman Putra
Since 1997, Rizman Putra has been actively working in per formative experimentation, crossing between different genres, including poetry, photography, video, music, burlesque, and dance. He is also a founding member of a multi-disciplinary art group KYTV (Kill Your Television), and front man of local music group, Tiramisu. Rizman has made his name as a performer both in his solo work as well as various collaborations; he has performed and exhibited his works in Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Korea, United Kingdom, Germany and Japan. He received the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's (RMIT) Most Outstanding Award 2002-2003.
As the founding member of KYTV, he is the main creative source of the performance elements and interdisciplinary project. Rizman had performed in all the KYTV performances, short films and interactive project. He was one of the recipients of the President's Young Talents Award, which was held at The Singapore Art Museum in 2005.
He has been invited to be part of the first ever Singapore Biennale 2006 this September.
RJ says:
Tell us a little about your proposed project for the Biennale, Rizman.
Rizman Putra says:
Well to tell you the truth, they have been bugging me for the proposal.
Rizman Putra says:
I have some rough ideas, but I have yet to put them down on paper.
Rizman Putra says:
I told Roger Mcdonald (curator) that I wanted to explore gender issues.
Rizman Putra says:
On using the idea of 'penis' as the main subject.
Rizman Putra says:
But I decided not to do that.
Rizman Putra says:
And now I have this new idea on archetype.
Rizman Putra says:
I am trying to create a Super Duper pop star that goes by the name of Sontol Al Loyo.
Rizman Putra says:
My plan is to create this hype/propaganda situation, where the public can see posters/flyers of an upcoming gig by this 'Sudden Super Star' which they have never heard of..
Rizman Putra says:
All of these will eventually lead to the concert itself.
Rizman Putra says:
Its like Spinal Tap but with a slight Singapore twist..
Rizman Putra says:
Let me tell you a bit about Sontol AL Loyo.
RJ says:
Yes please.
Rizman Putra says:
He started out as a folk singer, all in all he recorded about 7 albums...ranging from pop, alternative, heavy metal, hip hop....and for his tour in September, it will be kinda of a retrospective of all his albums.
Rizman Putra says:
He is accompanied not by musicians but with 'Ghetto Blasters'.
Rizman Putra says:
This is my take on what hype, fame, popularity, advertisement and all the media fancy.
Rizman Putra says:
I am using all of these as my material.
Rizman Putra says:
You know like what is happening in Singapore right now...
Rizman Putra says:
We have all kinds of 'idol' competitions...
Rizman Putra says:
The desire to be famous.
Rizman Putra says:
The desire to be someone.
Rizman Putra says:
I find it painfully interesting...
Rizman Putra says:
Personally, just look at Taufik Batisah.
Rizman Putra says:
It is like hey if you can sing, join a competition.
RJ says:
Tell me where did the name Sontol Al Loyo come from? (As an aside from the art!)
Rizman Putra says:
It is a Javanese slang for Idiot.
RJ says:
Oh really..haha!
Rizman Putra says:
Or fool.
Rizman Putra says:
It is actually Sontoloyo.
Rizman Putra says:
Its my own interpretation.
Rizman Putra says:
I added the Al.
Rizman Putra says:
For the classy feel.
RJ says:
Also perhaps just to back track a little, is there a reason why you discontinued with the gender exploration project?
Rizman Putra says:
It is still part of the project actually, a whole series of work...
Rizman Putra says:
The Elegy of Man and his Weapon of Choice.
Rizman Putra says:
This is my one year project.
RJ says:
Tell us more Rizman
Rizman Putra says:
I am interested in the relationship between man, nature and woman.
Rizman Putra says:
Why do men act the way they do?
Rizman Putra says:
What are macho men?
Rizman Putra says:
All of those questions that a woman would ask?
Rizman Putra says:
Why some of us are straight and some of us are not?
Rizman Putra says:
That is where I thought Penis is such a great subject to explore!
Rizman Putra says:
A symbol of man.
Rizman Putra says:
Normally I work on the subject which affect me the most...
Rizman Putra says:
The reasons for me at this moment are my failures in relationships...
Rizman Putra says:
And I am living the myth of not-easy-going-out-with-an-artist.
Rizman Putra says:
When I suffered from a break up 6 years ago, I created Manic Jango.
Rizman Putra says:
That's where I started doing performance.
Rizman Putra says:
The alter ego saved me out of depression...
Rizman Putra says:
And I explored Manic Jango for about 5 years till it became a misfit.
Rizman Putra says:
Meaning, Manic Jango took over me completely, and I failed again in my relationship.
Rizman Putra says:
Manic Jango is this lame superhero who can't save himself but has the desire to save the world..
Rizman Putra says:
He is my opposite...
Rizman Putra says:
At one point I thought I suffered from schizophrenia.
Rizman Putra says:
And now this new characted Sontol Al Loyo could be the next saviour....
Rizman Putra says:
My works are self-healing...
Rizman Putra says:
but when I present it to public, the responses are eclectic.
Rizman Putra says:
Its a combination of dark comedy and satire, all colliding, without guilt.
RJ says:
These are age-old questions which you will explore in a Singapore context through your art.. Tell us more about your 'art? Your 'live' paintings..
Rizman Putra says:
As I was trained as a painter, my performances are normally laced with a painter sensibility..
Rizman Putra says:
I believe in composition and colours.
Rizman Putra says:
I never really see myself as a performance artist...
Rizman Putra says:
The fact is that I have experience in a lot of camps such as theatre, dance, music...
Rizman Putra says:
I see myself as a painter.
Rizman Putra says:
Just like Tzu Nyen.
Rizman Putra says:
He writes and make films, but he is still a painter.
RJ says:
How if at all do you connect to you the theme of the biennale 'belief' thru Sontol Al Loyo?
Rizman Putra says:
The reason for this has got to do with the Malay Community in general...
Rizman Putra says:
I wouldn't put it only as the Malay community, but just a personal observation.
Rizman Putra says:
I got this from my parents,
Rizman Putra says:
Their only form of entertainment is the malay TV Station (SUria) and malay newspaper (berita harian).
Rizman Putra says:
Their lives are revolve around all of these...so celebrities are seen as 'godly' creatures.
Rizman Putra says:
Media has enforced them to see glamour, spectacle as something out of this world. And it is pretty sad for the media to educate the public this way I feel, it is like a form of exploitation of the mind.
Rizman Putra says:
A form of escapism...
Rizman Putra says:
For Sontol Al Loyo, I want the public to notice that...to make them believe.
Rizman Putra says:
Don't you think the Popular culture has somehow or rather transformed our lives in one way or another?
RJ says:
Sure. there is evidence and analysis of this everywhere but your particular take on it in your particular context will be breathtaking.
Rizman Putra says:
Hopefully.
Rizman Putra says:
For example, my father still listens to the Beatles, and he still thinks Beatles is the best band in the world ever.
Rizman Putra says:
Like My mum used to have an afro...
Rizman Putra says:
But now she wears a veil..
RJ says:
Isee. Rizman, moving away, what are your plans after the Biennale? Have you got something on the cards?
Rizman Putra says:
KYTV will be doing a residency with Theatreworks in November.
Rizman Putra says:
And my masters programme in LaSalle.
RJ says:
Wonderful.
RJ says:
KYTV is a great concept..do you think you are changing people's way of thinking about the arts including performance arts? Have you had any success?
Rizman Putra says:
The past 4 years have been quite fruitful for us...
Rizman Putra says:
The fact that we started out as visual artists doing performance...
Rizman Putra says:
We have gone to places with our projects.
Rizman Putra says:
Such as ICA in London, House of World Cultures in Berlin, Fukuoka Triennale, Seoul Fringe Festival.
Rizman Putra says:
And the endless collaborations with dancers,actors, musicians.
Rizman Putra says:
We are opening up the possibilities of a hybrid culture in the arts.
Rizman Putra says:
And the best thing is the people can't pigeon hole us into categories.
RJ says:
How is your acceptance here in Singapore? It is difficult to break the inertia for new forms of art here?
Rizman Putra says:
The acceptance is varied, sometimes we do get shoot down by purists..
Rizman Putra says:
When we started out, the visual arts community thought we were too theatre, and the theatre community thought we were not theatre at all.
Rizman Putra says:
But along the way, we made both camps happy...because we kept doing it for the past 4 years.
Rizman Putra says:
You know its like when you were a teenager, and you were caught drunk by your parents,
Rizman Putra says:
After a while they realised its all part and parcel of growing up,
Rizman Putra says:
sometimes you have to do it constantly...
Rizman Putra says:
KYTV started out as a joke.
Rizman Putra says:
We had a motto once.
Rizman Putra says:
Kill your television and come to our show!
RJ says:
So is it still going strong?
Rizman Putra says:
We started out with 10.
Rizman Putra says:
Then we were left with 4.
Rizman Putra says:
Now it is just the 2 of us.
Rizman Putra says:
And collaborators.
RJ says:
I see. but you are still there and hanging on. thank god for that..
RJ says:
Has the biennale suggested a site for your 'piece' and what do you think of it?
Rizman Putra says:
They have not suggested anything, but I am thinking of using Sculpture Square.
Rizman Putra says:
I love the acoustic in that space, it is ideal for my ghetto blasters.
RJ says:
How do you reckon a white cube will be different for your work then say somewhere in city hall?
Rizman Putra says:
Personally, I went to take a look at the space in city hall...I didn't like it at all...
Rizman Putra says:
I felt it was too loaded with historical factors...and it did not have the ambiguous quality I was looking for in a space.
RJ says:
I see
RJ says:
A tangential question to our discussion thus far.. what influence do you think 'street art' is exerting on the scape of visual arts today? How does it matter if at all? How will paintings and art appreciation change?
Rizman Putra says:
I have friends who are street artists...and they really don't give a shit at all about what is happening in the Singapore arts scene...all they want to do is to draw, and I love that energy.
RJ says:
Do you think you will go back to painting someday Rizman?
Rizman Putra says:
Yes definitely...
Rizman Putra says:
that's my roots...
RJ says:
Thanks a bunch and congratulations on your entry into Singapore Biennale 2006
RJ says:
I wish you all the best
Rizman Putra says:
no worries
For more interviews with the participating Biennale Artists, visit: http://sightoracle.blogspot.com/
An interview with performance artist Rizman Putra
Since 1997, Rizman Putra has been actively working in per formative experimentation, crossing between different genres, including poetry, photography, video, music, burlesque, and dance. He is also a founding member of a multi-disciplinary art group KYTV (Kill Your Television), and front man of local music group, Tiramisu. Rizman has made his name as a performer both in his solo work as well as various collaborations; he has performed and exhibited his works in Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Korea, United Kingdom, Germany and Japan. He received the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's (RMIT) Most Outstanding Award 2002-2003.
As the founding member of KYTV, he is the main creative source of the performance elements and interdisciplinary project. Rizman had performed in all the KYTV performances, short films and interactive project. He was one of the recipients of the President's Young Talents Award, which was held at The Singapore Art Museum in 2005.
He has been invited to be part of the first ever Singapore Biennale 2006 this September.
RJ says:
Tell us a little about your proposed project for the Biennale, Rizman.
Rizman Putra says:
Well to tell you the truth, they have been bugging me for the proposal.
Rizman Putra says:
I have some rough ideas, but I have yet to put them down on paper.
Rizman Putra says:
I told Roger Mcdonald (curator) that I wanted to explore gender issues.
Rizman Putra says:
On using the idea of 'penis' as the main subject.
Rizman Putra says:
But I decided not to do that.
Rizman Putra says:
And now I have this new idea on archetype.
Rizman Putra says:
I am trying to create a Super Duper pop star that goes by the name of Sontol Al Loyo.
Rizman Putra says:
My plan is to create this hype/propaganda situation, where the public can see posters/flyers of an upcoming gig by this 'Sudden Super Star' which they have never heard of..
Rizman Putra says:
All of these will eventually lead to the concert itself.
Rizman Putra says:
Its like Spinal Tap but with a slight Singapore twist..
Rizman Putra says:
Let me tell you a bit about Sontol AL Loyo.
RJ says:
Yes please.
Rizman Putra says:
He started out as a folk singer, all in all he recorded about 7 albums...ranging from pop, alternative, heavy metal, hip hop....and for his tour in September, it will be kinda of a retrospective of all his albums.
Rizman Putra says:
He is accompanied not by musicians but with 'Ghetto Blasters'.
Rizman Putra says:
This is my take on what hype, fame, popularity, advertisement and all the media fancy.
Rizman Putra says:
I am using all of these as my material.
Rizman Putra says:
You know like what is happening in Singapore right now...
Rizman Putra says:
We have all kinds of 'idol' competitions...
Rizman Putra says:
The desire to be famous.
Rizman Putra says:
The desire to be someone.
Rizman Putra says:
I find it painfully interesting...
Rizman Putra says:
Personally, just look at Taufik Batisah.
Rizman Putra says:
It is like hey if you can sing, join a competition.
RJ says:
Tell me where did the name Sontol Al Loyo come from? (As an aside from the art!)
Rizman Putra says:
It is a Javanese slang for Idiot.
RJ says:
Oh really..haha!
Rizman Putra says:
Or fool.
Rizman Putra says:
It is actually Sontoloyo.
Rizman Putra says:
Its my own interpretation.
Rizman Putra says:
I added the Al.
Rizman Putra says:
For the classy feel.
RJ says:
Also perhaps just to back track a little, is there a reason why you discontinued with the gender exploration project?
Rizman Putra says:
It is still part of the project actually, a whole series of work...
Rizman Putra says:
The Elegy of Man and his Weapon of Choice.
Rizman Putra says:
This is my one year project.
RJ says:
Tell us more Rizman
Rizman Putra says:
I am interested in the relationship between man, nature and woman.
Rizman Putra says:
Why do men act the way they do?
Rizman Putra says:
What are macho men?
Rizman Putra says:
All of those questions that a woman would ask?
Rizman Putra says:
Why some of us are straight and some of us are not?
Rizman Putra says:
That is where I thought Penis is such a great subject to explore!
Rizman Putra says:
A symbol of man.
Rizman Putra says:
Normally I work on the subject which affect me the most...
Rizman Putra says:
The reasons for me at this moment are my failures in relationships...
Rizman Putra says:
And I am living the myth of not-easy-going-out-with-an-artist.
Rizman Putra says:
When I suffered from a break up 6 years ago, I created Manic Jango.
Rizman Putra says:
That's where I started doing performance.
Rizman Putra says:
The alter ego saved me out of depression...
Rizman Putra says:
And I explored Manic Jango for about 5 years till it became a misfit.
Rizman Putra says:
Meaning, Manic Jango took over me completely, and I failed again in my relationship.
Rizman Putra says:
Manic Jango is this lame superhero who can't save himself but has the desire to save the world..
Rizman Putra says:
He is my opposite...
Rizman Putra says:
At one point I thought I suffered from schizophrenia.
Rizman Putra says:
And now this new characted Sontol Al Loyo could be the next saviour....
Rizman Putra says:
My works are self-healing...
Rizman Putra says:
but when I present it to public, the responses are eclectic.
Rizman Putra says:
Its a combination of dark comedy and satire, all colliding, without guilt.
RJ says:
These are age-old questions which you will explore in a Singapore context through your art.. Tell us more about your 'art? Your 'live' paintings..
Rizman Putra says:
As I was trained as a painter, my performances are normally laced with a painter sensibility..
Rizman Putra says:
I believe in composition and colours.
Rizman Putra says:
I never really see myself as a performance artist...
Rizman Putra says:
The fact is that I have experience in a lot of camps such as theatre, dance, music...
Rizman Putra says:
I see myself as a painter.
Rizman Putra says:
Just like Tzu Nyen.
Rizman Putra says:
He writes and make films, but he is still a painter.
RJ says:
How if at all do you connect to you the theme of the biennale 'belief' thru Sontol Al Loyo?
Rizman Putra says:
The reason for this has got to do with the Malay Community in general...
Rizman Putra says:
I wouldn't put it only as the Malay community, but just a personal observation.
Rizman Putra says:
I got this from my parents,
Rizman Putra says:
Their only form of entertainment is the malay TV Station (SUria) and malay newspaper (berita harian).
Rizman Putra says:
Their lives are revolve around all of these...so celebrities are seen as 'godly' creatures.
Rizman Putra says:
Media has enforced them to see glamour, spectacle as something out of this world. And it is pretty sad for the media to educate the public this way I feel, it is like a form of exploitation of the mind.
Rizman Putra says:
A form of escapism...
Rizman Putra says:
For Sontol Al Loyo, I want the public to notice that...to make them believe.
Rizman Putra says:
Don't you think the Popular culture has somehow or rather transformed our lives in one way or another?
RJ says:
Sure. there is evidence and analysis of this everywhere but your particular take on it in your particular context will be breathtaking.
Rizman Putra says:
Hopefully.
Rizman Putra says:
For example, my father still listens to the Beatles, and he still thinks Beatles is the best band in the world ever.
Rizman Putra says:
Like My mum used to have an afro...
Rizman Putra says:
But now she wears a veil..
RJ says:
Isee. Rizman, moving away, what are your plans after the Biennale? Have you got something on the cards?
Rizman Putra says:
KYTV will be doing a residency with Theatreworks in November.
Rizman Putra says:
And my masters programme in LaSalle.
RJ says:
Wonderful.
RJ says:
KYTV is a great concept..do you think you are changing people's way of thinking about the arts including performance arts? Have you had any success?
Rizman Putra says:
The past 4 years have been quite fruitful for us...
Rizman Putra says:
The fact that we started out as visual artists doing performance...
Rizman Putra says:
We have gone to places with our projects.
Rizman Putra says:
Such as ICA in London, House of World Cultures in Berlin, Fukuoka Triennale, Seoul Fringe Festival.
Rizman Putra says:
And the endless collaborations with dancers,actors, musicians.
Rizman Putra says:
We are opening up the possibilities of a hybrid culture in the arts.
Rizman Putra says:
And the best thing is the people can't pigeon hole us into categories.
RJ says:
How is your acceptance here in Singapore? It is difficult to break the inertia for new forms of art here?
Rizman Putra says:
The acceptance is varied, sometimes we do get shoot down by purists..
Rizman Putra says:
When we started out, the visual arts community thought we were too theatre, and the theatre community thought we were not theatre at all.
Rizman Putra says:
But along the way, we made both camps happy...because we kept doing it for the past 4 years.
Rizman Putra says:
You know its like when you were a teenager, and you were caught drunk by your parents,
Rizman Putra says:
After a while they realised its all part and parcel of growing up,
Rizman Putra says:
sometimes you have to do it constantly...
Rizman Putra says:
KYTV started out as a joke.
Rizman Putra says:
We had a motto once.
Rizman Putra says:
Kill your television and come to our show!
RJ says:
So is it still going strong?
Rizman Putra says:
We started out with 10.
Rizman Putra says:
Then we were left with 4.
Rizman Putra says:
Now it is just the 2 of us.
Rizman Putra says:
And collaborators.
RJ says:
I see. but you are still there and hanging on. thank god for that..
RJ says:
Has the biennale suggested a site for your 'piece' and what do you think of it?
Rizman Putra says:
They have not suggested anything, but I am thinking of using Sculpture Square.
Rizman Putra says:
I love the acoustic in that space, it is ideal for my ghetto blasters.
RJ says:
How do you reckon a white cube will be different for your work then say somewhere in city hall?
Rizman Putra says:
Personally, I went to take a look at the space in city hall...I didn't like it at all...
Rizman Putra says:
I felt it was too loaded with historical factors...and it did not have the ambiguous quality I was looking for in a space.
RJ says:
I see
RJ says:
A tangential question to our discussion thus far.. what influence do you think 'street art' is exerting on the scape of visual arts today? How does it matter if at all? How will paintings and art appreciation change?
Rizman Putra says:
I have friends who are street artists...and they really don't give a shit at all about what is happening in the Singapore arts scene...all they want to do is to draw, and I love that energy.
RJ says:
Do you think you will go back to painting someday Rizman?
Rizman Putra says:
Yes definitely...
Rizman Putra says:
that's my roots...
RJ says:
Thanks a bunch and congratulations on your entry into Singapore Biennale 2006
RJ says:
I wish you all the best
Rizman Putra says:
no worries
For more interviews with the participating Biennale Artists, visit: http://sightoracle.blogspot.com/
posted by TIRAMISU at
8:16 AM
2 Comments
