What was the direction of the curatorial process like?
This project was done in the spirit of openness and collaboration, so the model of curation was giving co-curatorial power to all the artists involved. It's not your traditional top-down curatorial model. It was imperative that the initiative was a very grass-roots and ground up one, with the curatorial process reflecting that. 

That said, we did have external mentors (who are professional curators) coming in to help deepen the concepts of each artists, as well as open up conceptual dialogue between all the various installations, and throughout the various installations you'll find subtle connections (whether visual or conceptual).

How were the artists chosen?
Passion, thematic engagement, and emotional resonance were key ingredients that artists had to display. This project was a direct personal challenge to the arts community in Singapore, so see whether we could step up quickly and fervently to respond to topical issues and our local environment. So all the artists had to be serious professional artists who were recognized by their peers for their sustained practice. 

The most interesting feature about this whole process was how organically it came about. We did have enquiries from quite a few artists, so we knew we couldn't accommodate everyone, otherwise it would have turned into some sort of flea market. The artists that were merely using this project as a self-promotion platform (seeing the house just like any other vessel to hang stuff on) took themselves out of the picture. The ones who showed the most passion were the artists that stayed and pursued their concepts and ideas because of their affinity with the theme and space.  

Diversity was also vital. We wanted to acknowledge the melting pot of residents that made up the Mount Sophia/Selegie area, and this is reflected in the range of artists participating, from third-generation Singaporeans, to PRs who have been here for over two decades, to even a UK artist who's only been here six months, and our resident choreographers who only arrived a month before the show to begin rehearsals. This has always been how Singapore's culture has grown and changed over the past century—permeable national borders that allowed immigrants from all over to bring to Singapore their customs, cultures, social practices.

We also wanted a good mix of genres and artistic disciplines. It's very easy for a project like this to go the documentary route through photography (e.g. photos of old buildings, scenes of the past), so the team gathered together an even mix of artists who worked in various media, including painting, ceramics, installation, sound and video, drawing. This project isn't about just documenting a nostalgic past, but also engaging with the present and imagining possible futures and invisible connections. 

Are they also chosen because they felt somewhat displaced with this city that we call home?
It's too convenient to generalize. The point of this exhibition wasn't to merely send a single message about displacement, so the short answer is "no" to your question.

The goals of the exhibition are slightly more nuanced. The fact is that whoever we are and wherever we come from, we always face constant change, and each of us as artists react to this change differently. What we want to create is a space of diverse views to come together and just explore this concept in an open manner, without resorting to convenient reactionary sentiments that change is happening too fast, or that we are feeling displaced.

Furthermore, this general feeling of displacement isn't exclusive to the 16 artists participating in the exhibition. 13 Wilkie Terrace is a communal shared space not just for the artists involved, but for all volunteers and visitors to come together and share our thoughts with one another in an open fashion, in a comfortable and homely setting, be it through contributing to our interactive installations, or simply by spending time chatting to one another.

That said, this particular theme was chosen because it did reflect the accelerating change that was happening in Singapore, be it through the loss of buildings, the dilution of traditional practices, or the transformation of our values and social practices.

What were some of the most interesting works and how were they derived and created?
We could start with three artists who have made works which engage viewers on quite a personal but yet still universal level.

Calvin Pang's "Quiet Quiet" series took discarded objects from 13 Wilkie Terrace, and through subtle material transformations, turned their functions on their head, creating a viewer experience that is at once relatable yet surreal.

Mark Wong's projection and sound installations captures the rhythmic life of 13 Wilkie Terrace and brings haunting aural dimension to the exhibition. On a more everyday level, it's easy for anyone to connect with his piece, as we all have experiences in our own home where we can recognise the rhythms of movements of our own family members automatically. Mark's work brought a much needed dimension to the show, with his soundtrack echoing through the corridors and spaces of 13 Wilkie. 

Michelle Lim's interactive installation is also another favorite. Working with ceramics, she carves stories into the bases of her bowls and cups, encouraging visitors to have a tactile experience with her work by moving them around onto the light to be able to discover the memories of her childhood (the carved stories are only visible when put over an LED light which shines through the base of the ceramics).

What does nostalgia mean to you?
Nostalgia is such a value-laden term. By default, it casts a fond eye upon the past. On the one hand, there is an appreciation of the past, but what this can sometimes entail is taking our present for granted, and that itself is a dangerous thing. We tell visitors for every house like 13 Wilkie Terrace, there are many other old places that are still standing? The real question is why must we ourselves wait to hear about the impending loss of a place before we truly start to appreciate it? People did not really care abut Bukit Brown until we heard about the plans for redevleopment. Same goes for our old National Library. The message here is that we can't take anything from granted here in Singapore, whether it's a building we walk past everyday, or our favorite hawker stall. Let's not wait for things to go to feel nostalgic about what we've lost, instead, let's cherish the past and also really embrace what we have in the present as well!

Are Singaporean apathetic towards nostalgia?
From what we've seen, there has been no shortage of interest shown by our artists, volunteers, and visitors towards Singapore's past and history. DISPLACEMENTS is merely a small piece of a much larger picture, tapping upon the growing consciousness of Singapore citizens, PRs, and even expatriates of Singapore's heritage.  We are such a young nation. I think after the past few decades of trying to chase a "world-class" and "developed nation" status, we as Singaporeans are now in a position to look back and try to explore where we came from, how we got to where we are, how our past informs our present identity, and how do we move on from here.

Is Singapore going to be running out of old places soon?
It's quite a coincidence that you raised this. We just screened "Old Places" (by Royston Tan, Eva Tang, and Vitric Thng) with our collaborators last weekend, where Puiyee from Objectifs was saying that 40-50% of the places shown in the documentary have already vanished since the film was shot 3 years ago.

DISPLACEMENTS is on through June 23.

Cuban cigars are famous, why only select cigars from other countries? Typically, Cuban cigars are produced in facilities owned and run by the government. In the late 1950s most experienced cigar professionals fled Cuba and settled in places like the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras. It’s these traditions, experiences, passions and love for the industry that we believe makes non-Cuban cigars better than those coming out of Cuba today.

What are the basics for those who have never tried a cigar before? Firstly, cigars are not cigarettes. Typically, the tobacco that makes up the filler of cigars is aged for 1-2 years. The binder and wrapper can easily be aged for 2-4 years. During this aging process, the tobacco releases ammonia thus releasing much of the nicotine. Cigars are also all tobacco without paper and chemical additives. Secondly, cigars are meant to be a relaxing experience: dedicate up to an hour to unwind and enjoy it. Cigars are not to be smoked quickly for a quick fix. Thirdly, any hand-rolled cigar has been touched by at least 70 hands during the aging and production process. It’s a very meticulous art form and cigars should be respected as such.

How do you tell a good cigar?
It should feel good to touch, with a solid roll and good bunching in the foot. A good cigar should also draw well. Being handrolled, it isn’t always perfect, so even your favorite cigar will have some sort of flaw. Most importantly, a good cigar is the cigar that you enjoy.

What’s your favorite cigar and whisky pairing? If I’m enjoying a scotch that’s a bit on the peaty side I would probably grab an EPM Liga Miami or a PDR Small Batch Habano. If it’s a smokier, heavier scotch, a good choice would be the A. Flores Serie Privada Maduro or EPM La Hermandad. Those are good places to start.

Let’s face it: the only waves that pack a punch here are of the heat variety. But with world class breaks a short flight away in Bali, surely some of us are surfing? Since International Surfing Day (June 21) is just around the corner, we decided to ask the President of the Surfing Association of Singapore, Nazir Salleh, about the state of the scene here.

How’s the popularity of the sport these days?
We have seen a steady trend of young local Singaporeans and expats taking our surfing classes [and] can see that the sport will grow in years to come. We think that part of the interest has to do with the opening of Wavehouse Sentosa (see wavehousentosa. com for updates on future classes). That’s really a nice place to hang out and enjoy the artificial surf—the best we can have here.

What are some of the difficulties you face?
Surfing is not a mainstream sport here and this has been our biggest challenge. Having an association in a country where there is no surfing culture is never going to be easy. There is so much work to be done and funding seems to be our main problem. But we’re trying to start our own Singaporean Surfing league outside Singapore just for our local surfers in spots around the region.

What are your thoughts on the future of surfing here?
It’s growing, slowly but surely. We now have around 800 members on our Facebook page and that is a good sign. We have more events in the pipeline for locals and expats to come together and create a surfing contest for beginners and experienced surfers. Whether you’re young or old, surfing is a sport for everyone.

Think you've got what it takes? Check out where to get the hottest surf boards in Singapore.

I am a product of pop culture... TV, books, movies, soundtracks, magazines and websites. I am definitely a part of the jacked-in, 24-hour, constant buzzing of things that scream “YOU MUST DO THIS!”

I like to hear about the underdogs, people who were so determined with their vision and idea that they were able to overcome naysayers to turn their idea into reality.

When I was a teenager, computer hacking was still in its infancy. We used to hack phone company calling cards so we could call long distance for free and also pirate computer games. One was considered elite if they could distribute a game within three days of its release. I was elite.

Like any Chinese kid in America, I was forced to take piano lessons and also sent to Chinese nursery school to make sure we wouldn’t lose touch with that side of our roots.

I need quite a lot of alone time. It was a shock moving to Singapore where it seems like people can never spend a minute away from another person.

My favorite feeling is when you look at your appointment book and the whole day is clear. I don’t know why people are always trying to fill their days with things to do.

I dreamed about working as a Disney Imagineer. They’re the guys that figure out how to make all these fantasy lands into reality. How to make the rides, how to make the smell of fresh baked cookies drift down Main Street, and essentially how to engineer every moment of your vacation.

When Tanuki Raw was under construction, I put up a sign that said “Media Preview” and had my wedding on the balcony. Everyone had to walk through the rubble of the interior.

Things to do with feet or shoes gross me out. If I touch my shoes I have to wash my hands, so I wash hands every time I put my shoes on. I had a roommate that used to run long distance every day. One day he came back after a run, took off his shoes, took off his socks, and then put his sock in his mouth to keep his hands free to do something else. I felt like throwing up.

Back in university I was dating a black girl and she took me to this reggae club. Everyone else there was black and over six feet three inches tall. The style of dancing was to jump up and hit the ceiling with your palm. I did not fit in no matter how hard I tried.

In order to have time for love, you need to have money. That may be the most depressing thing I have ever said. Money buys you freedom which you can use to spend time together, explore new things and help minimize day-today stresses.

The meaning of life is found at the bottom of a just-emptied beer glass. You may need to empty a few before you find it.

Where did the idea for the LPHM come from?
It really was a question of “why isn't there one already?” Bere Olmedo, who works in the Amantaka in Luang Prabang, and I both ran the Angkor Wat Half Marathon in 2011. When we bumped into each other in Luang Prabang last year, the question just naturally came up, but instead of thinking that someone else would do it eventually, we just thought we should give it a go ourselves. It’s also such a beautiful place it would be great to visit with a group of friends. One of the best ways to get everyone in one place at the same time is to do an event—and a destination race is great for that.

Why make it a charitable event; and how did you choose this charity?
It had to be a charitable event, right from the very beginning. While the town Luang Prabang itself isn't “poor”, it isn’t rich either, and the area around it has some of the lowest GDP in Asia. It felt wrong that we could even consider coming to such a beautiful place, enjoy the hospitality of the town, and leave very little behind us. It’s something really tangible that runners can see every time they go back.

Personally, one of the motivations was to see if we could create a new business model for destination races. If you add up the amount of money that gets spent on the tourism around a destination race, it can be huge, but often only a fraction of that stays in town. The amount that reaches the people who need it can be even smaller—we’re talking about a lot less than 1% of total runner-spend. Maybe 0.1 or 0.2%. I think that's wrong, so I wanted to see if I could do something to change it.

So far it seems to be going well, and although we might have a lot more runners by now if we'd used a different model, I think we'd have raised a lot less money. We chose to partner with NGO Friends International after a lot of searching. We like that they set up sustainable enterprises that don't require constant funding and that they provide vocational training, which is one of the most effective ways of helping people at the bottom of the pile. The idea of a training restaurant matches Luang Prabang perfectly, as there is already demand there for trained staff. Friends was voted one of the top 100 NGOs in the world earlier this year too—which helps confirm that it's not just us that thinks they do a great job.

What is it about LP that, in your opinion makes it so special?
Where can I begin? Maybe it’s the alms procession every morning. Hundreds of Buddhist monks and novices walk all the way around town in a long orange line to receive their day's food from the local people. It can be a bit of a tourist scrum in places, but away from those, down the back streets, the procession continues and is a genuinely touching and dignified tradition. It's another reason our run had to focus on charity, because the town itself is so focussed on charity at the start of every day. But then there are the 800-year-old temples, the cafes, the architecture, the Mekong, the perfect view around every corner, the unspoilt nature of everything around you, the stillness, the quiet, the charm...The best perk of my “job” organising the race is that I have to go back there a lot!

Anything in particular runners should know about the course and conditions in advance?
The course goes around the UNESCO World Heritage site, passes countless ancient temples, will probably pass the monk procession at some point, and hugs either the Nam Khan River or the Mekong for half of the 7km loop—so it will be beautiful. I think it may well be one of the most beautiful race loops you’ll find anywhere in the world. I know that's a big claim, but LP is that special a town.

The Luang Prabang Half Marathon (LPHM) is on October 5.

What are some of your post-rock idols? What is it about them that draws you? Post Rock? Hmm... been a long time. We were very heavily in to Slint when we were starting out, I think they were a big influence on us. Same can be said for Tortoise.

How have your motivation and sound changed or evolved over the last 15 years?
We just go where the music takes us and it takes us very many different dirctions, I don't look at it so much as a linear progress. Not playing the same song all the time and not making the same album all the time is what keeps us motivated to keep on keeping on.

You’re quite a large collective—how do you guys keep your relationships positive while on tour?
Yes, I think all in all you might say we are quite a big clan, but the great thing is that we rotate a lot and it varies all the time who plays the shows. People take breaks for shorter or longer times, but it's easy to come back. As for being on tour, I guess it took us a while to learn just to be polite to each other and sensitive to other people’s needs and then you'll be all right. Same goes for everyone individually, it is important to get yourself into the mindset that helps you get through the stress as easily as you can.

How would you describe your music if it was a drink and what would you call it?
Haha, good question. It would be some sort of strange smelling cocktail and it would have so many different ingredients that it would be hard to tell what's in it. People sitting around a dinner table would pass the drink between them and have a taste and everyone would have a clear idea what it tasted like, but nobody would have the same idea or agree about what is in it. I would call the drink Ambiguous Undercurrent or Sigmund Void or mr.Spaghetti Pants or Sylvester Alone or Jambon Jovi.

Bjork once said, “Most Icelandic people are really proud to be from there.” What are you proudest of?
I don't know if I am especially proud to be Icelandic, I do not think it is any better or any more interesting than being from somewhere else. I realize that the nature we have in this country is amazing, but it is important to remember that the people who live in the country do not own the nature and are not entitled to it in any way. And nature does not make you a better person; it only provides you a chance to become one.

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had on stage, whether it be good or bad?
A couple of years ago we played a show in Warsaw in Poland with a polish choir and  string orchestra which was amazing, but the best thing is that we got to invite very many of our friends to play the show with us, so they came and did one song with us each. We had Sin Fang, Benni Hemm Hemm, Amiina, Jóhann Jóhannson and many others and it was a magnificent evening. So that goes in to the good experience pile. I can't recall any bad memories from stage at the moment, maybe I just suppress them. Maybe they are not worth thinking about, I don't know.

Name one artiste the band would love to work with. Why?
Oh, I don't know... the Singapore Symphony Orchestra? Are they available? We like playing at Esplanade last time and we really liked the building. So, it's perfect. If they are not available, we can try and go for... Ennio Morricone? First one that pops into my head at the moment. And why not?

If you could turn back time and change something, when and what would it be?
It's not about the choices that we make, but what we do to make them right. That being said, I don't know. Not sure if it is a good idea to go back in time to change things, I have recently been watching Back to the Future and I think this film proves that it is a bad idea. Not that it stops Doc or Marty. Maybe I would change some football results, that seems harmless enough.

What are you guys like when you’re jamming and creating?
We keep it very loose and sloppy. 95% of the time will go into joking and about 5% into the music. When we write the songs, Gunni and myself will do that often very individually and then we meet up and mash things together.

What’s a typical moment of inspiration like for you?
I get inspired while swimming. There is an isolation you can find by swimming that you cannot find anywhere else. The problem is though, that you can't write anything down or record anything underwater, so many inspired thoughts, melodies or words are lost in the water.

Múm performs alongside Shelves and Wavves in a triple-bill concert at Zouk, Jun 15.

What’s your background in brewing? Where did you learn the trade?
I first started my career in brewery in England in 2005. In 2008, I moved on to become head brewer for Neaustadt brewery in Canada. After a year brewing in the freezing cold and soaking up as much knowledge of North American brewing practices as I could, I headed for the southern hemisphere to  Australia, where  I brewed for Little Creatures and James Squire. Over the years, I brewed a large variety of different beer styles.

How have your brewing methods and tastes evolved since you first started?
The methods used for brewing beer depend on the country that I work in. Essentially, the science does not change. In terms of the tastes, I used to like flat and warm English Ale, and now, since I am in living in a much warmer country, I drink colder and darker beer.

What’s your favorite thing to drink?
My personal favourite is Irish beer because of the caramel and malty flavor.

What’s one surprising thing about brewing that most people wouldn’t suspect?
Brewing beer is actually more manual than what people think it is. It is not only about mixing different ingredients, the brewing process requires tremendous amount of time and effort, which usually involves hard manual labor.

What trends are you seeing on the local beer scene?
We certainly see an increasing consumer base trying out new beer styles and much more awareness of craft beers. We are also seeing a growth in discerning female drinkers who are gravitating towards craft beers.

What food would you pair with the new limited edition British India Pale Ale?
It is dependent on each person’s preference, but we suggest pairing the beer with game meat, such as venison, duck, or even kangaroo.

Robert Beck’s new beer for Archipelago Brewery, the British India Pale Ale will be available at Beerfest Asia 2013 on June 13-16 at Marina Promenade.

Why are you here today?
To show that there are some people who are upset about this government, which is led by an incompetent prime minister. There is corruption, injustice and they take advantage of good people. Our ultimate objective is to have the Thai parliament replaced.
 
Is the mask because you’re afraid of people knowing who you are?
I’m not afraid of anything. My name is Wuttipat Krasaesinth, the same name as my Facebook account. I am a Bangkokian, a Thai, and I work in a car firm.  
 
Why use the Guy Fawkes mask?
It’s a universal symbol of the fight against autocrats and those in power who oppress their citizens. There was a movie called V for Vendetta that came out years ago. According to the movie, Fawkes was a freedom fighter who was tired of the government as it oppressed farmers, laborers and citizens. So he put on the mask and protested against the government. The parliament in that movie was similar to ours right now. The ‘V-mask’ is a global symbol now. If the governments of the world governed fairly, there would be no protests. This gathering is meant to tell the world that our government is unable to govern.

Are you a Yellow Shirt? Who makes up your group?
Me, yes. Previously, some of us were yellow shirts, multi-colored shirts, and some also Democratic Party supporters. We come from numerous groups but we have the same goal, to overthrow this government.
 
What makes you different from other protesters?
We just try to express our opinions about society peacefully. We are not hooligans. We are employed—actually, everyone here has a pretty high salary. All of the masks, we bought ourselves. No one paid us to be here. We don’t tap into the city’s electricity. We don’t block roads. We don’t set anything on fire. We’re here to wake Bankokians up from the spell that they’re under, without any violence.
 
Are there no other means of expression for you?
Not really. The mass media is too scared to criticize the government or red shirts so they don’t give us coverage. Facebook is easy to access from anywhere in the country. But if you change your profile picture to the V-mask, you’ll be blocked for two days. This happened to some people here.

What do you remember from watching the film for the first time?
The music, Baby's curly hair and the iconic Patrick Swayze lift.  

How does Dirty Dancing compare to the other musicals you’ve done?
With most musicals the story is told through song, where Dirty Dancing is scripted and the music creates the atmosphere.

What's your favorite song in the show?
“Time of My Life” is the highlight of my show. There is such an electric energy on and off stage. 

What’s your inspiration, what made you start dancing and acting?
I always loved dancing and singing as a little girl, but when I saw Cats in London with my grandma when I was eight, I was hooked.

Any advice for anyone who wants to go into performing and dancing?
Hard work and dedication will always pay off. If you sow good seeds you will reap the rewards. Don't take short cuts. It's always worth putting in the time and love.

Dirty Dancing is on through Jun 16 at MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands®.

Everyone has a duty. My dad taught me that you must take responsibility in society, starting from the micro-society of family.

You can’t wait until you grow up to take responsibility. On top of studying, I had housekeeping duties while my parents were out at work.

I was lucky that I grew up in a rich family, but I didn’t revel in our wealth. Seeing my parents work so hard for money and have no time to enjoy it made me realize I wanted to do what I love rather than what would make me rich.

Being rich is nothing. Capitalism teaches us that wealth is the most important thing in life. Everyone aspires to make the most money possible, which leads to a hollow existence.

Try everything to find out what you love most. I didn’t know the answer when I was a teenager, so I tried every job imaginable to discover what I most wanted to do.

I tasted success with my first job as a car washer. Ever since, I’ve simply done what I love to earn a living. With each change of job, I’ve experienced the changing face of success.

I never thought I would work in the media even though I graduated in mass communication. But some circumstances led me to work in television. I started in production before becoming a host. I’ll never forget how I got to where I am today.

The charm of making a TV show is in bringing stories to people. No matter whether it’s happy or sad, these stories flow through us first. We absorb it before releasing it to our audience.

Managing audience emotions is important in TV. I learned this since becoming host of Thailand’s Got Talent where we try to capture the true emotions of both participants and the audience. Society tells us to keep our real feelings out of public scrutiny, but not in our show. That’s why such programs are international hits, because they’re real.

Most Thai TV hosts are more like MCs rather than real hosts. A host must be like a home owner, someone who knows their place best and invites others to enjoy it. But many just stand there reading a script.

Desire to prove themselves drives people to enter Thailand’s Got Talent. It’s not the B10 million prize money. Participants just want a stage to express themselves or prove they have the guts do it.

You can’t do new things without cutting back on old things. I’ve worked as a TV host for ten years now and it feels repetitive. I need to cut down on my workload in order to take a step back and do something new.

People have me all wrong because of the press. After holding a press conference to announce I was cutting back on my hosting duties last year, the media reported that I had quit my job.

It’s dangerous when the media sends out a message without truly understanding what they’re saying. I’ve spent a whole year explaining that I was just reducing my workload!

It’s almost pointless trying to fully explain things in this era of the 140 character limit!

Losing out on B24 million a year is nothing to me. I’ve reduced my workload so it’s only fair that I make less money. I’ve never been all about the money, anyway. I now get something much more valuable, time, which I’ve been craving for a decade.

It’s easy to make B24 million, in the entertainment industry, anyway. It comes down to making the most of your abilities and working hard.

Entertainment news is just news that entertains people. If you don’t read any entertainment news for a whole year, it won’t affect your life, unlike political or economic news.

My dad’s death made me think I’d never have happiness again. I had been lucky and never lost a loved one until his passing. My mind had never felt such depths of sorrow before. I still can’t believe that I’ve lost him.

Time heals. After five years, I gradually regained my normal energy. I whistle while I drive now. My mind has installed a “grieving mode,” so if I lost my mom, it wouldn’t hit me quite so hard.

Wearing sunglasses is part of my personality. When I was a photographer, my foreign colleague once told me that the light here in Thailand could destroy my eyes. I’ve been wearing sunglasses ever since. He still doesn’t understand why sunglasses aren’t the highest selling products here.

Bangkok is a land of extremes, and I like it. We have the most luxurious malls standing next to slums. The places where billions of baht flow through daily have the poorest people out front selling stuff. Our most developed areas have the worst pollution in the country. It’s the best and the worst of everything. It’s so me.

I will retire at 50. I hope to be a married middle-aged man who travels around with my loved ones. I might make a show out of it or become a chairman of a company who does nothing.

We live in an unpredictable world. This planet changes so fast, especially with social media. A man of my age can’t keep up sometimes. Things that are trendy today can be outdated tomorrow, or even within hours.