DI feminis in er en ions o ro n
April 2022
fo ee -- oom fo oom Ya Ya gg idak idak ll aa fo fo oo ll ee le le eading eading he he canon canon fo fo ace ace dedica dedica ed ed fo fo omen' omen' na na aa ii ee oo bb ea ea he he
?? in er en ions ??? ??? in er en
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are
o
tired from
Hearing the same, few figures recounting same ol art histories Seeing artworks that features the feminine body as the subject matter but doesn t recognise them or their labour beyond the canvas
Reading narratives that are in need of a major feminist revision
er h t r f o n then look this zine will help you think of ways to expand these histories thro gh feminist inter entions
Feminist noun
hat are
feminist interventions Interventions noun
the belief and aim in
act of intervening
gender equality with
action taken to improve
relation to
or for the betterment
the personal political
of a condition concern
economic and social
Generative approach for us to pose critical questions to expand canonical narratives and include empowered and just representations of women
through these interventions ou ill Explore in depth the varied contexts archives and artworks can be read Broaden your vocabulary on women artists histories Have a sense of curiosity to read beyond stories you ve always known hopefully
en ions ??? ??? in er en ions ?
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ace he e a chi e a d k e i ga d fe i i e b die e i i e ai i h e a he
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) @ N 2, N
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G ide f he e hibi i ca DIY i i he d fa a d i hi e hibi i
,
e
e
i
feminist inter entions
through prep room ang tidak l pa
Remember Observe narratives in the canon ver closel before attempting to read against the grain Take note of the absences in these histories for further revisions
prep room
Re read E plore various possible wa s to re interpret artworks in conversation with archives E periment with a spectrum of methods to learn and understand narratives of these absences
Re envision Visualise intersections between these re readings and make our observations known Work collaborativel with others to gather resources and s nergise in these intersections
ang tidak l pa
a ang idak l
a
to
has Entr points posed for all to tr and read artworks and archives together interte tual reading Archives for ou to start digging deep on feminine identities in Singapore s art histor
Beginning from artist Rohani Ismail
ang idak l
o
'fe i i e' b die ?? 'fe i i e' b di d
hen looking for
feminis in er en ions
e ha e o consider
Concept of the feminine is temporally and spatially contingent
Feminine identities are constructed and rooted in their own specific social, cultural, historical, ideological and etc. contexts There are multitudes that are entailed within the feminine
This includes competing notions of feminine selves too; they can and should coexist with each other
Feminine interventions demand recognition of gender power At the end of it all, feminist interventions should stand for the equality of genders, in advocacy of women s rights By learning about feminine identities in histories, we inquire deeply into the gendered power structures of the past and present art worlds, for us to shift towards an inclusive, intersectional change in the future
in
prep room
Transla ion To Rohani hose safe I care for
Remember ang tidak lupa we have
Kapada Rohani ang di kasehi selama n a
e 1. eme
Step
Yang idak l pa Chendana
Transla ion did no forge hen
The one ho Chendana
George e as nicknamed Chendana ha mean sandal ood ri ing o Rohani and o her Mala friends
Correspondences be een George e Chen and Rohani Ismail ha e plores he ar orlds in Mala a and reali ies on prac icing ar in he s
Ar icle in on an all e hibi ion omen s ha pres en ed ar like Georg is s e e Chen Rohani Is and A G mail nara nam
g of for he openin in en ak o o he Ph b ion organised i ib h e ar an LTK ard Congress Permanen Bo idah am H ani Ismail fea ring Roh S haimi e c
Archi es re ol ing aro nd Rohani Ismail s ch as le ers ne spaper ar icles and pho os ha co ld be en r poin s for all o del e deep in o an ecolog of omen ar is s ho prac iced hen s s
e 1. emembe i g
George e s all opens her le er o Rohani as s ch
Archi es presen in he prep room can also be fo nd digi all in he prep room s microsi e i s link is a he end of his ine
e 1. emembe i g
tep b t
Remember
h remember thro gh
the archives
Great way to explore crevices of histories that are often sidelined and left fractured throughout times Artists histories that could be fragmentary due to realities constraints faced Artists histories intersect one another archives acknowledges and traces these paths of interactions
b t
h
ohani smail
Correspondences between Rohani and Georgette were the curator s a k a o rs tr l first instance in learning the latent capacity of the archival realm to delineate experiences of artists who are intertwined to one another
e 1. emem
Probing further into absences of women artists in Malaya Singapore s history of art it leads to inquiring deeper on structures in both the art world then and present writings that has resulted in these gaps
ou might be asking
How do I read between artworks and archives or better known as reading intertextually
Form your own formalist observations on artworks
Glean varying contextual clues from archives to begin with
don t worry we ll cover in details in the next few pages
Reading them together and or comparatively means
Situating the work within a larger tapestry of conditions ideological political social etc Corroborating histories from both the aesthetic analysis and social life of the work Observing how archives and artworks are symbiotic in offering entry points to expand narratives
e 2. eadi g
Re read
e 2. eadi g
Step
(re)reading 'portrait of rohani' (re
For
ar er le read Ng Eng Teng Por rai of Rohani
Loca ed a he opening all of he prep room hi ork e he premi e of he prep room he feminine fig re in i al depic ion and hin a embodimen of ar i ic labo r N 2, N S M
E
P
P
P
N E
Here are ome q e ion o begin i h
P
T
a
(b. 1934)
R
a
U da d O b a d
E amine he formali elemen of he ork hi incl de he colo r pale e al e degree of ligh and dark line form hape pre en compo i ion and e en e re of he ork i elf Con ider he ign pre en in he por rai in Rohani a ire acce orie po re ga e and o for h Wha doe Eng Teng i al depic ion of Rohani ell o abo her Ho o Ho doe Eng Teng cap re indi id ali par ic lari hro gh por rai re
T K Sabapa h
Ng Eng Teng ar and ho gh
he concre ene of he i er
Singapore NUS M
e m
f
e
c e ai e P ai f R ha i i h i e f a chi e
Occa i a he E g Te g de ake c i i f ai b a ge he e ic e ed b hi i e e i he a i f i age f e h a e e a ed hi fa i ia fe i a cia
He e, he a ch e a e ea de e he de f d c a d c f E g Te g' 'P a f R ha ' !
A hi ia T K Saba a h had i e h ai b E g Te g a e a d ced
R ha i e i ed ab he c e f ie d hi i h E g Te g a d Ge ge e Che i hi d c e a he a e i a k
He e i a h f E g Te g hi e f i h he k di a ed f hi fi e hibi i i h Ka he i e A Sch id A de d i Feb a Thi k a a e di a ed i NUS M e C fig i g he B d F a d Te i Ng E g Te g A a a f E g Te g fi a d a i f k he M e T K Saba a h Cha e Ne A h T K Saba a h TEENAGE a k a
Thi a ic e e de i ed R ha bec i g a a Na a g Acade NAFA a d E g Te g a a
Ng E g Te g a a d h gh Si ga e NUS M ia The W d f Ge ge e Che E i de J e be c a ch GgHVVL g Ng E g Te g a a d h gh Si ga e NUS M d TALENTIME ARTICLE ILLUSTRATION The Si ga
e e
d c e F ee P e
e
a Ma
ed i a i de a f Fi e A he a e i e de he e i
)reading 'portrait of rohani' (re)
N
(re)reading 'portrait of rohani' (re
He e a e e a e ia f R ha i a chi e ha c d he i e eadi g
Translation: "The role of women artists in societ , exploring the world of art "
R ha i a e f he i ee e ec i e e be A gka a Pe ki A eka Da a APAD a ee i hi h f i i a g a f a i ake i
Full view of the archives on Rohani Ismail can also be found in the microsite too - link is at the end of the ine!
R ha a i i a b h a d a g f a a i
i
a a ac ici g he She a be f e hibi i i Ma a a a d Si ga e a ed i hi a ic e ide Ha idah S hai i e i g he a da d k f e e gi g e e a e
Th
gh he a chi e ha a e he ci hi ica i ica e c c di i ha E g Te g ha ked i h d ce hi ai Wha ca he e c e i f ab he ki ef
H c
j
d e he a chi e a R ha i I he i age ed i i a diffe e E g Te g i a de ic i f he H
Wh a he e f R ha i a a ig ifica i eadi g f he H d e i i i g dee e he ide i fe i i e b d de ic ed ha e e
de k ie f he eadi g
He e h
d e aci g he ide i f he fe i i e b d i hi k ead de c i g he i e i ed a e f he a d he H d e de a di g he ec g f e k be ee a i he i e eadi g
I a g a i f APAD A cia i fA i f Va i Re ce Ph g a h Si ga e Abd Ha id C ec i F Na i a A chi e f Si ga e h a g g a chi e i e h g a h ec d de ai d d e d Bah ah Mah d T ga e ki a i a da a a ha aka ARTICLE ILLUSTRATION Be i a Ha ia Dece be
Gha i ad
Le del e a bi deeper in o Rohani archi e T an c i ion: "...Ho a e o no ? (H)a e o ain a lo ? a fo m elf, ince I a i ed he e o fa I ha e com le ed o (?) and ano he i half a done! hich mean in h ee mon h I ha e h ee onl ! Oh, ho I i h o a e he e o I can ain o . I find i o diffic l o find a model, e eciall an in e e ing one o a illing o o e..."
e' a
o expand our re readings further
T an la ion: "(Geo ge e), ho i o "Sa a " ain ing going, i i com le e? I ha no been ea fo me he e o find a model and ha made i diffic l o ain oo, ha i h he e en i e co of ma e ial . Ho e e , hene e I hea he e on e f om b S ai Comme cial ( o end ma e ial o me f om Singa o e), I'm ha - ho gh igh no m "bank" i em !! (al a em ..."
Thi le er reflec ed Rohani reali ie in prac icing ar no onl in he b al o from a loca ion remo e from he ar orld he ha been engaged i h I peak abo her con rain in prod cing and al o ending ork back o Singapore for e hibi ion In o her le er here ere co n le of ime here he ried o par icipa e in Pachik Abd l Ghani Hamid co fo nder of APAD e hibi ion b ere nable o do o d e o he e reali ie
I mail Rohani Rohani I mail Singapore Archi e and Librar I mail Rohani Rohani I mail Singapore Archi e and Librar
o George e Chen Ma George e Chen Archi e Na ional Galler Collec ion o George e Chen Unda ed George e Chen Archi e Na ional Galler Collec ion
e a i
i Si ga
In hi le er be een Rohani and George e da ed Ma Rohani alk abo he diffic l ie of finding a model for her o n ork af er he mo ed emporaril o K ala L mp r De pi e being ph icall di an George e and Rohani con in ed o ri e le er o one ano her from o he before he la er re rned o Singapore
ep
Re read
e a i
W a ea c R a a d fR ( e) ead
e a
ead b E Te ' P e e f, c de e e e f e a d fa
a :
What were the realities of being an artist e g financial opportunities presented in Rohani s archive Within what possibilities and constraints were Rohani working with How did her ethnic and class identit made these conditions distinct from her contemporaries
i Si ga
How did reading Rohani s archive intersected with other women artists lives that were also not included in canonical art histor Is this method of re reading productive in positing entr points for these artists to enter the canons and wh What are the long standing caveat on the inclusion of artists in Singapore s canonical art histor Wh are the maintained and what are structures in place that ensures its continuit Rohani s archives for this prep room follows her navigation of Mala a s art world in the s How do the narratives present in her archives offer means for us to e plore narratives on Singapore s art world be ond state borders
Do artists with fragmentar art practices like Rohani have a place within histor How do we read their subjectivities with relation to canonical histories
e' a
This curated set of Rohani s archive was initiall inspired b Georgette s archives on Rohani What are the inherent comple ities in building an archive birthed from another individual s recollection of the artist
ip alk o o r friends abo
hese q es ions
h
Most important step of all making your observations known to the world a k a ✨ manifesting ✨ Create something from all that you have seen in a g idak l a Write talk debate perform and many more that reflects your experience in the prep room
What were your main takeaways from experiencing the prep room Did it expand your knowledge on art and the art worlds around us How so How many feminine identities that are present in the prep room are you more acquainted to How many more have you learnt more about Why have you not heard of them before How does this prep room makes you think about gender deeply Does it introduces nuance in the narratives of art you ve seen today Does the prep room makes you think differently about histories Why and how so
Try taking on these questions to think about your encounters with the prep room to take it to the next level flip the next few pages and find out
e 3. ( e)en
Re envision
e 3. ( e)en i i n
e
e 3. ( e)en i i n
ep
Re e
i
i
Magic i fe i i i e e i ie i he eff c ab a e ih ea he Take e i e hea ha f ie d hi k ab he e
in
a er bin der of all arch i al ang ida k l pa
U e he ab e a d ea i g a ea ang idak l pa i c e a e i h f ie d a
e 3. ( e)en
The e ec e a ki d f dia g e ea h he e hi ie be i f ec a i e c j c e a e i g h ead f a a ge a e he a d ha had e i ed he hi e
ec a i e hi ki g a ef ec ea i ie a ek i he e i i e c ea i e de f hi ki g ha c di a e he a i hich e ead ge a e hi
c
be di a ia a egie ✨
femini ion n e r e in be
ond art histories
e ?? g
is it possible to pose
How do I pose feminist interventions in other fields You will have to begin with the steps to DIY our own interventions all over again when encountering with different fields
But fret not You will now have some experience probing further into the feminist praxis it could even help ou form more nuanced observations after much practice✨
da
BUT while the main aim of these interventions is to revise gendered power structures toolkits and registers of questions differs from one field to another
g be
It is important to highlight that these toolkits adopt the feminist praxis as a primar categor of anal sis which can also be used in almost an other field
h
Can I bring these toolkits of questions out of histor
in concl sion... in concl sion... in c
e hele hinking abo in e ening in hi o ie and na a i e i h he in en ion o ackno ledge gende o e and e and he na a i e incl i i i al ead a
femi i i e e i
i h ha
f i elf
Go fo h e lo e he e oom and a in e ening
Yo can ri e o r no e and ob er a ion of he prep room here There i pace for femini in er en ion ✨
Ya da a a e ec a ed b N Ka a (Ka ), e NUS M e a a Y M e P e a T a ee (YMPT). H e e , e e d e e da ce a d e e ; S dd a a Pe e , De a d/ M a a, a a de R e a (Ra d), N Wa da B e M a ad a d Ma A L H M . T a a ! T
e e , DIY e e e , b e a ed a a de e e a d ae , e e a e e e e a d ab e dee .
a
L
Ya :// a
a da
QR c de
a' a' a. a e
g idak l
c e : d e .c / e e!
a kai
our notes our notes our notes
e