Welcome back! In this special episode, I sat down with Indonesian-Australian artist and researcher Tintin Wulia. Tintin wore many hats over the course of her artmaking journey. Before becoming an artist, she was previously trained as a musician, composer, and architect. Tintin’s journey in making art had many unexpected turns, but she has always been guided by her passion for learning and embracing the process wherever it may take her. We spoke about stories from her childhood, uncovering her family history and her grandfather's disappearance, her journey from composing music to making her very first artwork, and what art means to her in a constantly changing world.

This episode is made in partnership with Artlink who are supported by the Australia Council for the Arts; Arts SA; and their subscribers.

In this episode, I sat down with my good friend artist and painter Zico Albaiquni. I spent the day at Zico’s and his wife, Ayas’ house as they settled down in their new home in Melbourne, Australia. We spoke about his experiences growing up in a family of artists, his daily routine as a father of two young kids, and the power of gratitude, creativity, and reflection in life and artistic practice. We also discussed the importance of asking questions and cultivating curiosity in Zico’s artmaking journey. We found that it is often the seemingly small or mundane moments in our everyday life, whether it be making coffee, playing with our kids, or walking to the train station, that feed into our creative practice and strengthens our ability to think deeply about the world around us.

In this episode, I sat down with my good friend artist and painter Zico Albaiquni. I spent the day at Zico’s and his wife, Ayas’ house as they settled down in their new home in Melbourne, Australia. We spoke about his experiences growing up in a family of artists, his daily routine as a father of two young kids, and the power of gratitude, creativity, and reflection in life and artistic practice. We also discussed the importance of asking questions and cultivating curiosity in Zico’s artmaking journey. We found that it is often the seemingly small or mundane moments in our everyday life, whether it be making coffee, playing with our kids, or walking to the train station, that feed into our creative practice and strengthens our ability to think deeply about the world around us.

Our lives revolve around time. Collectively, time can be a set duration or norm like working 9 to 5. Time can be a form of value like the saying ‘time is money’. Time can also transcend different dimensions – the past, present, and future. Time is the one thing that we hold on to, but can’t always control. When doing creative work, I often find myself having to slow down. Thoughts, ideas, and even the act of making or producing creative work take time, patience, and the ability to let go and trust the process. 

In this episode, I spoke with Thai artist Pinaree Sanpitak who has been making art for over 40 years. Pinaree’s practice is centred on her fascination with the potential of the body, especially her own body as a woman and a mother, and how our body teaches us about time. She shared about her early interest in art, and her decision to pursue a career in the arts despite societal expectations. We spoke about her extensive journey, embracing change, and her lifetime dedication to her practice.

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the word ‘belonging’. What does it really mean and why do we want it so badly? What does it mean to belong to a community, to a culture, to a state, and to the world? Do we ever really, truly belong somewhere? 

For this episode, I invited artist James Nguyen who is based in Naarm, Melbourne. James works with video, writing, collaboration, and social performances. We spoke about James’ childhood experience migrating from Vietnam to Australia, adapting to Australia at such a young age, and the ways in which he has come to terms with belonging, self-worth, and resilience in a world that’s constantly changing.

The stories we hear growing up have great power over us. From folklore, and fairy tales, to anecdotal moments, shared in fragments by our family members, these stories are essentially imagined memories that are always created and re-remembered in ways that speak to the present. Memories of migration, displacement, conflicts, and racism, can be difficult to understand when we have not directly experienced them. So how do we deal with these past stories? How is history, and especially painful histories, being digested by younger generations? And why is it important to remember? In this episode, I invited Cambodian-Australian artist Linda Sok. We spoke about childhood stories, her family history, google translate, family group chats, and how art can be a space for us to heal together. 

What is Southeast Asia? To what extent do we identify as ‘Southeast Asian’? In this episode, I spoke with Singaporean artist, researcher, and philosopher Ho Tzu Nyen. We spoke about what sparked Tzu’s interest in Southeast Asia and how this has resulted from investigating his own identity. One of his most renowned works is the Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia, an online interactive dictionary that embraces chance, encounters, and diversity of Southeast Asia. In this conversation, we spoke about Tzu’s approach to ‘visualising’ and re-imagining Southeast Asia, why he chose the dictionary format, and how we could learn with and from tigers, weretigers, and ghosts. Tune in to start the journey!

For the longest time, art and storytelling have gone hand in hand. From caveman drawings, myths, folklore, and architecture, the stories passed down for generations, from our parents, grandparents, and ancestors, are testaments to human history and become a shared language that changes and adapts through passing time. Our stories never leave us. In this conversation, I’m joined by Balinese artist, illustrator, and storyteller Citra Sasmita. We spoke about her process of ‘hacking’ traditional stories and unraveling the myths and misconceptions of Balinese art and culture. We also reflected on her experiences, thoughts, and struggles of being a woman artist in Bali. Tune in for more!

The saying “A picture’s worth a thousand words” speaks to the multiplicity of stories, ideas and perspectives in an image. Every place, every object, every being has a story within them. And when they are stitched together in a series of images (or moving images), we are invited to reflect more deeply on what is visible and invisible. In this conversation, I invited my good friend, artist, and filmmaker Leyla Stevens. Leyla is an Australian-Balinese artist who works within moving image and photography. We spoke about the power of image and filmmaking in uncovering and disrupting histories left hidden in our surroundings. We also reflect on Leyla’s relationship and research into her Balinese heritage having grown up in Australia, and the power of image making and storytelling in contemporary society today.

Full podcast notes: https://talkingcontemporary.com/season2/leylastevens

Follow us on Instagram at @talking.contemporary

Do you ever wonder where our best ideas and inspiration come from? Is there a way for us to spark and sustain our creative juices? In this episode, I sat down with Thai-born, Melbourne-based artist Vipoo Srivilasa and we spoke about the importance of routines and finding ideas and inspirations from everyday objects. We also spoke the meaning of happiness in his practice as well as the pressures and expectations of being an artist and having a 'signature' style. It was such an honest and heartwarming conversation to kick start the year. Tune in for more!

Full podcast notes: https://talkingcontemporary.com/episodes/vipoosrivilasa

Follow us on Instagram at @talking.contemporary