SINGAPORE: From an art exhibition on love using bookcases made of wine crates to a debate on whether Singaporeans are “in the mood for love”, the Singapore Writers Festival is looking to “sayang” its audience this year.
The 10-day event, which kicked off on Friday night (Nov 4), carries the theme “Sayang”, a word that has multiple meanings such as “love” and “regret” in different languages in the region.
This year’s festival, which will take place at various venues in the Civic District, features more than 300 local and international writers. Many of the events, which include talks, workshops, screenings, performances and exhibitions, will be held over the two weekends.
The festival officially opened at The Arts House with a performance by musical trio SA and actor Kamil Haque, as well as a recital of a commissioned diptych poem by the mother-daughter writer tandem of Noor Hasnah Adam and Nur Aisyah Lyana titled Genggaman Sayang (Love’s Grasp).
Musical trio SA performing at the opening of the Singapore Writers Festival (Photo: Mayo Martin)
“This year’s Festival theme, ‘Sayang’, is a word in one of Singapore’s national languages, Malay. With its dual meaning, ‘sayang’ aptly represents how the stories which speak the most deeply to us – whether written, spoken, danced or sung – are centred on love and loss,” said festival director Mr Yeow Kai Chai during his welcome speech.
This edition will also go “topical by exploring impactful, current issues,” he added, citing issues such as data privacy, the migrant crisis in Europe, the post-9/11 “landscape of terrorism”, among others.
Among the highlights this weekend is a lecture by academic and television documentary host Dr Farish Noor who will talk about the different meanings of the word “sayang” in the region’s history.
A performance titled Between The Lines: Rant And Rave II, conceived by Singaporean playwright and director Chong Tze Chien, looks at Singapore’s English language literary scene through the years, while acclaimed American author Marjorie Perloff will hold a lecture on poetry for the Internet age.
The following weekend, the festival plays host to the likes of Lionel Shriver, the author of We Need To Talk About Kevin which was adapted into a film in 2011, and German investigative journalist Frederik Obermaier, one of those who had initiated the Panama Papers revelations.
Popular Singaporean theatre and TV actress Siti Khalijah will also feature in a one-woman show written by playwright Alfian Sa’at, while the closing debate – a lively festival tradition – will feature eight speakers discussing how Singaporeans fare in the love department.
Some of the region’s contemporary literary luminaries – who have either been shortlisted or longlisted for the prestigious Man Booker Prize – will also be present during the festival.
Malaysia’s Tan Twan Eng and Tash Aw will be taking part in a few panels this weekend, while Indonesia’s Eka Kurniawan will be in town next week.
This year’s country focus is on Japan, in celebration of 50 years of diplomacy between Singapore and Japan, with 10 Japanese writers taking part.
Among the exhibitions that will run throughout the festival is the Great Wall Of Sayang, an installation made of wine crates that will feature the works of 12 artists and writers who have interpreted the festival’s theme. An exhibition by artist Wong Maye-E titled Shades Of Sayang also features photographic works inspired by extracts from 20 works of Singapore literature.
In her opening address, Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, Sim Ann, said the positive trend of attendance at literary events has been very encouraging.
“For many readers, like me, the opportunity to meet the creative geniuses behind our favourite books would have been few and far between in the past. The Singapore Writers Festival has made such opportunities regularly available to fans of the written word, and has helped to place Singapore on the literary world map,” she said.
More details on the Singapore Writers Festival can be found on its website.
