Migration Addicts, Venice in June

Summer in Venice... rock n roll! Presenting my Hyperbolic Alpha Male series in a bourgeois setting. How nice...



Opening party (by invitation) on June 7th 2007, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., at Orange Restaurant and Champagne Lounge, Campo Santa Margherita, featuring Rizman Putra The Hyperbolic Alpha Male performance, and Giorgio Pulini aka RACH3 live dj set.

Participating artists and sites: Htein Lin, (Myanmar), Campo San Barnaba; Jin Shan, (China), Campo San Polo; Li Pinghu, (China), Campo San Salvatore; Huang Kui, (China), Campo San Maurizio; Miljohn Ruperto, (Philippines / USA), Campo Sant’Angelo; Josefina Posch, (Sweden / USA), Campo Santo Stefano; Mogas Station, (Vietnam), Cultural Association Aurora Street, Caffè Aurora, Piazza San Marco, 48,49,50; TODO, (Italy), the town - starting point at Chiostro Ex Chiesa Santi Cosma e Damiano, Giudecca, 620; Belén Cerezo, (Spain), Campo San Bortolomio; Yap Sau Bin, (Malaysia), Cultural Association Aurora Street, Caffè Aurora, Piazza San Marco, 48,49,50; Hasan Elahi, (Bangladesh / USA), Campo Santa Margherita, Dorsoduro, 3054; Rizman Putra, (Singapore), Orange Restaurant & Champagne Lounge, Santa Margherita, Dorsoduro, 3054.


Migration Addicts began as an ongoing project two years ago in Shanghai, investigating how migration re-determines issues related to human identity, gender and spiritual needs. The fast expansion of urban spaces, following the model of big cities, has led to new social conflicts within the social structure.

Recently the tension between Western and Chinese traditional values and lifestyles, as well as the late arriving of capitalism and the persisting communism, have not hindered the Chinese impulse towards assimilating the “international standards”, while fostering its own economic development.

The project is touching upon topics which concern not only Shanghai but many other expanding Asian and Western cities. The structure of the exhibition is based on a series of interventions that will take place throughout the public space in Venice, articulating new perspectives entrenched directly in the urban environment, and methodologically operating in time and in space.

The exhibition investigates the questions of temporal and spatial strategies which deal with this situation. On political and aesthetic levels, these projects interact with people from outside artistic circles opening to the encounter with the unknown viewer, expanding the idea of art and its experience, to continue an engagement with the public sphere.

Venice is currently undergoing profound changes with respect to the urban landscape and its own future depends on the new structure it undertakes. More and more Venetians are leaving the lagoon to settle in other towns. In the next 30-40 years, it is certain that Venice’s population will be dramatically reduced.

The artists participating in Migration Addicts face through their own culture and artistic practices the topic of migration, providing a direct relationship with the public space where the exhibition is hosted, reflecting on the peculiarities of the territory, investigating differences and possible points in common.

Presented and organized by ddm warehouse, Shanghai, China

Nothing at The Esplanade

My third piece with Cake Theatre, enjoy so much working with them! We have the legends Nora Samosir and Goh Guat Kian plus the ever exciting Peter Sau and Singapore Theatre's new discovery, Siti K. If you are interested in Love and Death, come on down, tickets are selling fast!

The Master and Disciple

The Phone Call:

Art: Hey Rizman, I'm calling you regarding your works for the graduation show in June.

Riz: Oh ok. (Thinking what to present)

Art: The things that you need.

Riz: .... (Still thinking) OK I need a projector and a DVD player.

Art: Any specific model?

Riz: The huge ass ones.

Art: Are you showing video of your performance?

Riz: Should be...(Still thinking what to show)

Art: OK, have you thought of the space yet?

Riz: I just need a dark corner...I guess

Art: oh ok...Thanks.

Riz: Oh yah...I need speakers too....(Thinking still)

I am not sure what is the point of posting this, but the conversation was so deadpan and souless, like in a Jim Jarmusch's film. I guess I have to get back in track and prepare for my final assesment which is like really, really...e soon

The Last Day of Our Big Mouths

Poster by the one and only Onde Maestro, Chee Wai.

If you are interested in 4 Malay Men in a gallery space creating a new animal, please do come, we had a very interesting opening night just now. I came back thinking, what was that all about? Of course, I screwed up some of the songs and broke my tambourine. We are working in between serious/how to be serious situation, so its a perplex piece, a lot of 'mat' ideologies interweaving into an avant garde discourse...

To quote from a fellow collaborator in this piece. "4 Malay Men in a space is already political."

Of course, if you are a big fan of onde-onde, you should come too... its all about the ooze in the onde. Friday night is the last night, so, come and have a date with your favourite Copper Brown Soul Brothers. Cheers!

Documenta 12, Kassel in July

Bjorn Melhus at his beautiful best.

The next 2 weeks, I will be involved in 2 productions, this week will be 'Because We Have Big Mouths' and next week will be nothing. There is no doubt I have been abandoning my rightful school duties for better pastures outside the institution. Someone once said, contemporary art does not happen in an art school, it is happening outside. Maybe I get bored easily, with the ever so sleepy art college mentality. Or it could be just an excuse to get my butt moving so that I won't feel bored.

Nevertheless, it is going to be pretty exciting times ahead. Institution is always a love/hate relationship, and I have been selected to be part of the International Workshop for Art Academies in Kassel in July. Where Documenta 12 will be happening. Yes, Documenta 12... the art event that only happens once in every 5 years. An exhibition which have featured from Picasso to Beuys...for the past 6 decades.

http://www.openspacekassel.de/

The person who is organising this event is Bjorn Melhus who is famous for his media intergrated works of multiple personality disorder. I didn't realise it was him who will be organising this event, till a course mate of mine pointed it out... wohoo!

Blame the HAM!

The last performance of the semester... raw meat, dry ice and everything's nice...

How it all Started...

Another one from the archive, taken by Aaron Kao, at MYX studio, circa 1997.

Another New Phase

The past couple of weeks, life has been pretty intense, it does not help that my studio is surrounded with new construction. I have this feeling sooner or later we are going to get kick out of this space due to the rising property value. That is how it is, life is a constant evolution, an old friend of mine whom I met told me my voice has changed.

No doubt, I don’t look 21 anymore, its funny sometimes age passes by while you are busy doing things. Recently, I went to a club, I have never been to a party for a very long time. I was invited to a party at Butter Factory, and it was RnB night, a good friend of mine was leaving for London. So I had no choice.

So there was I standing in the midst of all these party-goers, that’s where I realized my party days are over somehow or maybe I was in the wrong club. There were these young B-Boys strutting their ‘up rock’ skills on the dance floor. I really don’t want to sound like a party pooper, but its all very existential lah.

A weekend in Singapore now is going to Mustaffa with your love one buying cheap DVDs and some tidbits, after which we can hang out eating chappati or naan. Then drop by Haji Lane, for a drink or two. I am not sure if that’s fun, but its enough to soothe the beast in me. To get wasted in a drunken stupor is too much of a hassle…

I am ready to embrace the age of new… give it to me…

The Bee Kids Revival

I have gone through so many relationships in my life, most of them were difficult, the difficult part is the enemy within myself. 3 years ago, I met this amazing person ever. She has been with me through my madness, deadly catharsis, insecurities and many other complexities. I have to admit myself, I am a very difficult person, sometimes my ego is bigger than my testicles. I can be the dumbest person on this planet when it comes to love. But at times I can be mushier than Sponge Bob Square Pants. There are many things that I have realised, this lady whom I have been with, she has the greatest deal of patience. I am truly grateful, she has been beside me eversince we got together.

The Soul Lady Funky Mama, my bee girl, Sabrina the Strompol Bee Zaire...

The Bunch of Bradies

Recently, I have extracted my file from my ancient PC, this is what I got, my first year in art college, about 11 years ago. From left me, Keith Su, Jeremy Sharma, Angie Seah and Adrian Seow

Hyperbolic Alpha Male (H.A.M): The Performance v 0.1

A 'Not So Good Documentation' of H.A.M tryout. complete with dry ice, raw meat and sparklers for your viewing pleasure.