Front Row

On this episode of Speak Easy, we hear about the coming-of-age story for the poetry open mic event we all know as If Walls Could Talk. After 55 shows, Walls will be closing its doors and to celebrate more than 3 years of providing a platform for poets and poetry lovers alike, they recently announced the publication of a love letter to the scene in the form of an anthology of KL spoken word poetry aptly titled When I Say Spoken, You Say Word. The editors join Sheena Baharuddin for a conversation about the anthology. Later, Elaine Foster gives us an update on the poetry scene in London.

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It’s been just over a year since the Cultural Economy Development Agency, or Cendana, was founded, and a lot has changed in Malaysia in that time. The government agency was started last September with the aim of energising the Malaysian arts and culture scene, and to generate economic output from it. One year down the line, and with a new government in place, how has this been going? We get a progress report from Cendana’s founding CEO, Izan Satrina Mohd Sallehuddin, as well as some updates on what the future might hold for the agency.

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The director and actors share on this collaboration between Japanese and local theatre practitioners to stage a piece of physical theatre. The work is based on the writings of renowned author, Kobo Abe who was once a candidate for the Nobel Prize for Literature. The director tells why this work translates well into Malaysia, underscoring that the play will be performed in Japanese, English, Malay and Cantonese. In Japan, when this play was first staged by Theatre Moments, it won ‘Best Show, Best Direction and Best Audience.

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How is craft different or distinct from art, and how is it evolving? How do the various crafting practices - both traditional and modern - fit into the contemporary idea of art and artmaking? We speak to Lindy Joubert, vice-president of the World Craft Council, about her work in various sustainability initiatives, and the importance of craft in the 21st century.

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Two mountains, almost 4,000km apart, yet each may have more in common than we first realise. The “Two Mountains Photography Project 3.0” brings together six photographers from Malaysia and Japan to create personal photo-stories about Mount Kinabalu and Mount Fuji. By focusing on the people and communities who live on or around these mountains, the project aims to highlight legends, folklore, and traditions from each. We speak to Steven Lee, one of the founders of the project, and photographers Nadirah Zakariya and Nana Safiana, about the exhibition from the project and how it all came together.

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Projek K3 is a theatre platform by Anomalist Production for fresh writers and directors to display their talents. Now in its third year, the project this time around will feature a line-up of five women who are up-and-coming writers and directors. We speak with Projek K3’s producer Ridhwan Malik, and two of this year’s participants, Evelyn Khaw and Lavinya Kalai Chelvan.

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Satish Gupta is one of India’s most celebrated artists, known for, among others, his monumental sculptures that often engage with “mysticism and the Zen spirit”. His works have been shown all over the world, including at the Beijing Olympics, and back home, his works are on display at the New Delhi International Airport and the Bengaluru Airport. With Satish down in Kuala Lumpur for his first local exhibition, “Zen Whispers”, we take the chance to speak with him about his career, his work, and how he invokes the spiritual in his creations.

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This community choir, founded in 1958, brings Christmas cheer with songs from France, Austria and Broadway in its seasonal end-of-year concert. The choir conductor and the general manager, tell about its offering of a relaxed performance which is open (but not limited) to those on the autism spectrum, anyone with sensory and communication disorders or learning impairments. They also share on the program and how this choir has transformed over the years.

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“Art in the City” brings art out galleries and museums, and onto the streets of Kuala Lumpur. Initiated by the Cultural Economy Development Agency, or Cendana, the project sees the works of 13 Malaysian artists being shown in larger-than-life displays around the city for six months, and aims to create interest and accessibility when it comes to the visual arts. We speak to two of the selected artists, Samantha Cheah and Sivabalan Arumugam, and Cendana representative Smek Almohdzar, about the initiative.

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The aliens have invaded Earth… except that, in this stage adaptation of a bestselling children’s book, the little outer-space visitors are here because they’re out to steal everyone’s underpants! We speak to three of the performers from “Aliens Love Underpants” - Kate McKeown, Natalie Simone, Tom Allenby - about how they have been bringing the beloved book by Claire Freedman to life for children around the world.

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