Technique & medium: Pencil sketches, sculpture, prints, found objects, installation art and mixed media.

Can you tell us about this exhibition? 2nd Station is a thesis project by Shinkanzen, a group of Silpakorn University’s master’s degree students called Shinkanzen. They saw my works at the Brand New exhibition and thought I was a perfect person to contribute to their new project.

What’s your contribution? Originally I was going to hand out blank stickers to the viewers on which they could write anything. They could express their opinion no holds barred. Then I changed my mind and decided I wanted to do all sorts of things. The result is a mixed media installation with a series of found images as a highlight.

What’s going on in this image? This is a photo I found at a shop during one of my trips a few years ago. Nobody really knows who the girl on the beach is or was. I found the image very interesting and also mystifying at the same time.

We heard you also have a band playing at the exhibition? I wanted to maximize the use of space so I brought in the pin phaya nak [Isaan three-string harp] band whom I found playing around On Nut BTS station. I’m planning to bring them in again so watch this space.

Why do you think found objects appeal to you so much? It’s very intriguing, the notion of a found object to be re-found or perhaps re-lost. This image was once found, and then got re-discovered by me. Who knows whose hands it’s going to be in next?

Catch 2nd Station at WTF Gallery & Café

BK: Tell us about growing up here with Vietnamese parents?
Kom: My grandparents were from Vietnam so my father and mother weren’t registered as Thai citizens. I remember, once, our family couldn’t leave Ubon Ratchathani because we didn’t have Thai ID cards. As I was undocumented, my parents had to work very hard to send me and my siblings to a private school, which was very expensive. At school, I was discriminated against because of my race, so I decided I wanted to be a exchange student. Luckily, the government gave Thai registration to me and more than ten thousand immigrant children that year so I was able to go study abroad and then come back to study at ABAC.

BK: What was your first job?
Kom: I went back home to help my father with his contractor work for two months. Then I opened a karaoke shop and starting becoming a DJ and event promoter at a big shopping mall in Ubon Ratchathani.

BK: Why did you decide to go to Sydney, Australia?
Kom: I felt bored so I put all my money towards registering for the first semester in an event management master’s degree in Sydney. I had to work hard to be able to pay for my education and living expenses. I ate instant noodles for months. Finally I got a job at a printing house and was able to finish my master’s degree.

BK: How did you become a concert promoter in Sydney?
Kom: My final master’s degree project was a concert event where I hired a Thai band, Potato, to play there. It made me good money, so I began doing it as a job and became the partner of a Thai restaurant, Na Bangkok.

BK: How did you become a singer on Mr. Saxman’s records?
Kom: I hired Jennifer Kim and Mr. Saxman to play in Sydney and they found out that I could sing well and ask me to join them.

BK: How would you describe your album?
Kom: Easy listening pop jazz. I wrote seven songs without any music skills.

BK: Do you worry having left everything in Sydney for this album?
Kom: Yes! It was a really tough decision and I know it won’t be easy for someone to begin singing at 34. But I want to follow my dream.

BK: What's next for you?
Kom: This album helped me discover myself and my interests, especially songwriting. So I will definitely stay in the music circle for as long as I can.

Artists usually say that this was what they’ve wanted to do all their lives but not me. I was this nerd who was busy studying for the PSLE and making sure that I had perfect As. Art was out of the question because I didn’t like it and was always told that I wasn’t any good at it.

I had an epiphany somewhere in 2003. I started seeing a psychiatrist and part of the process was to talk about my likes and dislikes. She wasn’t trying to fix me or anything; she was trying to figure out what defined me as a person. We started talking about art and why I was totally blasé about it. It’s because I had teachers who didn’t really give a damn at that time.

My doctor encouraged me to give drawing a shot. We did this for six months or so and after that, I noticed that while it was nothing fantastic, there was definitely an improvement in my drawing. I guess she did it to prove a point. A lot of comic artists assume that I’m a big comic fan. They’re always asking me what comics I read and what I like. I always tell people that I’m not a comics fan. I do read comics here and there but Marvel and DC? I don’t read those because I don’t like superheroes.

In 2006, I started on comics and I decided that I wanted to draw comics about Singapore. I realized that there was no way in hell that I could draw comics about Singapore in New York. You can’t run a music label and go home to work on a comic; you’ve got to do this full-time.

At that time, I wasn’t thinking of doing this whole comic thing permanently. It was supposed to be like a sabbatical. I thought I’d come back, have my ass handed back to me and that I’d return to New York.

But actually I started a website and put my stuff online and people started reading it and actually liked it. Before I knew it, I’d published a book and now I’m stuck in the whole business. Life always sends curveballs at you.

I managed Elvis’s music when I was working for BMG in New York. I love Elvis! He’s the only guy I know who makes more money dead than alive. We were getting a lot of revenue out of him. I also got to hang out with Barry Manilow and Christina Aguilera; it was fun. But it also became quite a burden because we sort of had to take care of the artistes all the time.

I came back to Singapore because I found a calling here that is far larger than what New York could give me. I have inklings of plans to go back one day but as much as I love it, I also had a lot of down-in-the-dumps moments there. It’s the reason why I ended up having to see a doctor and so I am not really prepared to go there and unlock all those memories.

I’m the perfect example of how people should never underestimate the future. People keep telling you to study as hard as you can so that you can have a really great life. Obviously I screwed that up somewhere along the way. I followed that straight path up the way everyone thinks you should and I got clinically depressed and totally ruined everything.

I’m piss poor right now; this process is brutal. I don’t make any money. In fact, I’m losing money all the time. I have every reason to stop doing this but every night that I feel depressed about not making any money, I wake up the next morning still bent on doing it.

My mother wasn’t married when she became pregnant with me and the guy ran away. She had to leave me at a temple when I was 2 years old because she didn’t have enough money to raise me. I was very poor and couldn’t continue my education.

I asked a priest how I could be successful. He told me rich people have to be smart and that I needed to read a lot. So I read every book I could.

A funeral book changed my life. It was a book of self-improvement ideas from Dale Carnegie, a famous American self-help writer, who had also once been poor.

You need to target your weak point. Dale said anyone who wanted to be successful has to have life goals.

I decided I would be a millionaire by the time I was 25 years old.

I tried being a boxer after I saw a famous fighter win several million baht in one fight. I later dropped this idea after my mom asked me to stop. She couldn’t see me hurt.

I came to Bangkok to work as a waiter and was promoted to be a manager. I also studied at school to improve my English. Then I got work at a massage parlor where I was earning B500-600 a night. I actually thought I could have a million dollars this way.

I was addicted to drugs. My mom cried and begged me to stop and I did.

I later became a soldier and a sergeant for years. Then my mom, who worked as a maid for a rich family, got me work for Thai Airways in their kitchen service department.

Being a soldier was quite comfortable, so I thought really hard, because I would start from nothing at Thai. Dale Carnegie said, if you have to make a decision, choose the one that helps you acquire your goal faster. The answer, for me, was to work for Thai Airways.

After 2 years, I decided to go work with Scandinavian Airlines as a cleaner at the new Jeddah International Airport in Saudi Arabia.

I did my job well, and I finally became an Operational Assistant, the youngest executive in the company.

I also achieved my goal. I had a million baht in my account when I was only 24.

I quit because I wanted to marry, but the girl didn’t want to marry me.

I withdrew from the world and went to live in the jungle on 30 rai of land. I tried to grow jasmine but I lost all my money due to flooding.

I realized I had failed because I didn’t have a goal. I made up my mind to have B10 million and to be famous.

I tried to get into broadcasting, but ended up being a human resources guy and then a general manager.

My friends said I would never get rich being an employee. I became a partner at Banana Music records which flopped after the mp3 boom. Then I produced TV programs and talk shows which failed because of the financial crisis in 1997.

I lost everything and was nearly B10 million in debt. I even thought of committing suicide.

Carnegie said you must see the opportunities in crises. While I was looking for things to sell, I found my old talk show scripts, which still made me laugh. I decided to write books based on them.

Ha Sud Kheed (Extremely Funny) became a best seller. I could pay off my debt in 2 years. I’ve since written at least 30 more books which have made me B100 million. That’s ten times more than I first planned.

I actually retired in 2000 but I still do some lectures and write some books. Now I have a goal to make another B100 million.

If I hadn’t been poor, I wouldn’t have had a life like this. I wouldn’t be willful and wouldn’t have fought like this.

I teach my only daughter to be poor. She has to wake up early to work at the cafeteria of her boarding school before going to study.

The practice of dharma is the best science. The trend is reversed now. Normal folk stop practicing dharma because materialism makes them want money. Rich people have returned to dharma because they’ve realized that everything that they ran after cannot bring them real happiness.

Chinese philosophy says that if you strive and fight unflinchingly, god has no choice but to give you great achievement.

Are shop houses endangered?
You’re the first one I hear worrying about their survival. The urban fabric in Bangkok is a result of its regulations and shop houses offer some of the least restrictions—hence their popularity. If you build a mall, you have to deal with certain regulations, you have to have parking. If you have a plot of land and no space for parking, you can just build a shop house. That’s why they’re all over Thailand. It’s the simplest and cheapest option.

But people now live in condos and shop in malls. Aren’t shop houses more charming?
Sure, I like the idea of shop houses. It’s the Bangkok of 30-40 years ago. You do business on the ground floor, live on the second floor. Now, people live in a condo on top and the commercial space is at its foot, but it’s the same thing, really. Only it has spawned horizontally. But I like the idea of mixed-use spaces in the city. It’s crucial.

Any chance for the shop house model to be revived?
I don’t think anyone is actively trying to preserve it but it’s true that it’s dying in some areas, mostly because you can’t park there, such as around the flower market. But as the master plan for public transport in Bangkok is implemented, I think people will start to walk on the streets again. And with the introduction of mass transit and more walking, shop houses will return. It’s happening in Thong Lor because people can park and it’s close to the main transport system.

What’s the main issue with shop houses, from an architectural standpoint?
I mentioned parking but the first issue with a shop house is light. Shop houses are designed to be built side by side, so it’s not very healthy. They can go really deep and you have to deal with that, either with artificial or natural light. The other issue is fire exits. But actually, the whole point of the shop house is that it’s a blank canvas. It gives you a lot of flexibility.

Read tips on how to decorate a shophouse from Ekkapong Tritrong,  Head of the Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn University

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What inspired you to write Tok Taeng Teuk Thaew Hai Na Yoo, about redecorating shop houses?
Many people live in shop houses and it’s quite a cramped space. I wanted to explore better ways for living in this type of building. Nowadays, shop houses can also be the face of a town or city if they have a distinctive look. Just look at the colonial style shop houses in Bangrak.

Why are shop houses so popular?
You can’t do business in a standalone house. Shop houses are much more multipurpose.

What are the three top rules when thinking of renovating a shop house?
First, the design must allow for good air circulation and plenty of natural light. Second, get a qualified engineer to check out the shop house’s structure tosee what condition it is in. Finally, consider
your neighbors. Make sure you don’t upset them.

Phuket Town: New Old Fashion                

All about shophouses: a Q&A with celebrated architect Duangrit Bunnag

Let’s face it—nice art is something we’d all like to have on our walls, but it’s something few of us can afford. Well, that’s all about to change with the arrival of the Affordable Art Fair, an art extravaganza selling everything from paintings and sculptures to prints and photography, all priced below $10,000 and all clearly labeled, so there’s no question about what you can and can’t afford. 

What is it about the Fair that you think resonates with the public?
It’s approachable, accessible and fun!

What are some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the AAF?
People seem to think that affordability means low quality. There are both established and young artists who sell a good range of quality works for under our price ceiling. Furthermore, when we go to new cities, the ‘established art market’ tends to make the assumptions that there is no space in the market for this kind of show, that the buyers we attract don’t exist because they don’t even go to the galleries. It is always a great feeling when the galleries actually see the show and think, “Wow, I have never seen these people before in my gallery. They are really interested and they are buying.”

How is the AAF Singapore different from the other editions?
Each market that we go to is, of course, different – even if they come from the same region (for example, in Europe, Italy, France and the UK are all very different). With Singapore, the art market is growing quickly and is very dynamic, more so than other new markets that we have entered recently. There is strong support from the government. It’s a very exciting market to enter and also interesting because there is such a diverse mix of people here.

Can you describe a typical day for you during the fair?
I like to spend a lot of time with the galleries and see them interacting with the visitors. I also like to see what is being bought.

What’s next for the AAF?
The next new fair that we have is in Milan in February 2011, which we are excited about. Aside from that, we are looking at a number of potential cities in Europe, Asia and also Latin America, although these are at the early stages of research!

The Affordable Art Fair will be running from Nov 19-21, 11am, 6pm at the F1 Pit Building, 1 Republic Blvd., 6736-1430. $25-30 from Sistic.

How did you guys get together?

I was born in Southwick, next to Manchester. Most of us were either born or grew up in the West Midlands and that’s where The Charlatans were formed.

You’ve had an illustrious career; which album was the most memorable?

Our first record Some Friendly was definitely memorable because it became so successful so quickly. They all took a lot of energy to make and made up a lot of my personality; of who I am now.

Recently your pal and drummer Jon Brookes was diagnosed with a brain tumor. How has that affected the band?

It’s changed us a lot, having to watch our friend collapse on stage with the audience filming him. The whole diagnosis has been playing on our minds throughout our tour. Anyway, we’re lucky to have a replacement of such high caliber as Pete Salisbury from The Verve.

Does this take you back to the mid 90s, when keyboardist Rob Collins died in a car accident?

Rob’s death was instant. It was instant closure. With Jon’s sickness, there’s still optimism.

What’s the biggest lesson singing for The Charlatans has taught you?

To believe in myself. In 80 percent of the things I do, I experience those moments where there is a lot of self doubt. I’ve learnt to keep telling myself I’m always right.

What would you change about the band if you got the chance to meet yourself from 20 years ago?

I wouldn’t change a thing. Yes, there have been some distressing times but I always remind myself that this whole thing is about music.

Tell us a little bit about your latest album Who We Touch.

We created it so that it would tell a story and grab the listeners’ attention. It’s sometimes disturbing, and sometimes triumphant and optimistic—it’s an interesting one.

Catch The Charlatans featuring Pete Salisbury from The Verve on Nov 23, 8pm at The Warehouse, Scape, 2 Orchard Link, 6521-6565. $75 from Sistic.

One half of American duo Asobi Seksu, Yuki Chikudate, lets Terry Ong in on what’s going on her head and various influences before their much-anticipated gig here.

What’s the weirdest dream you’ve ever had?

Probably a dream that inspired the lyrics of the song “Nefi + Girly.” The dream was literally filled with dead kittens covered in flowers, sickly smells, and buzzing bees. It was great to turn a terrifying nightmare into a positive uplifting song.

What’s your guilty pleasure (in terms of music)?

There's so much to draw from. At a Halloween party I just went to, I sang along and danced my heart out to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.”

What’s your guilty pleasure (in terms of everything else)?

Sugar, fried food, bad TV like the original Beverly Hills 90210, taking walks in the afternoon on a weekday, and not feeling guilty about any of it.

How has your mood changed over the years and how is that related to the slight change of mood in the music (from dark to light)?

I'm getting happier! I don't know if that necessarily has affected the mood of the music but it's affected my approach for sure. Maybe that comes through in some way.

What is your songwriting/working process like together with James Hanna? James and I do individual work and work together. It's highly collaborative between the two of us—always has been.

What are you listening to now?

Lots and lots of girl groups, as well as 50s and 60s rock and soul tunes, like The Shirelles.

What are your other influences?

I love and respect films by Werner Herzog, Woody Allen, So Yong Kim and Bradley Rust Gray, artworks by Gerhardt Richter, books by Haruki Murakami, just to name a few.

What can we expect at the gig?

Loud.

Asobi Seksu Live in Singapore happens Nov 27, 7pm. Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $56-65 from 4imaginaryboys.wordpress.com.

Technique & medium: Canon 5D and Nikon D90 digital photography.

What got you into photography?
My dad gave me a camera when I was a kid, and that sparked my interest. While pursuing a degree in media studies, I had a chance to travel to India on several occasions.
Why is it called The Poetry of Public Space?
It’s an accumulation of my trips to India between 2007-2009. I set out to capture the rhythm of India’s vibrant street life and this exhibition is a celebration of it all.

Can you tell us about this image?
I personally love to shoot in black and white. This image has no bright colors but it still manages to portray that a lot of emotions through these women’s eyes.

Can we expect any more exhibitions from you here?
I’m keen on photographing Bangkok’s local shops, especially the ones that are run by one person. I’m intrigued by their colors and their stark juxtaposition to the shopping malls.

Catch The Poetry of Public Space at Indian Cultural Centre