Resonates With Residency
Resonates With Residency
National Gallery Singapore 2022
Across a span of three months, as part of the artist collective PLAY! , I created and presented the performance ‘Big Feelings’ and also a workshop ‘run run run, let’s go together’ in 2022. We were invited to respond to the Children’s Biennale so with our theme of We The Children, we created work and workshops for children of all ages.
This residency was for me a first step to reconciling my creative facilitation work at the children’s centre with creation processes for public facing performances. It was a space to reflect on the kind of performance i would like to watch as a child, a caretaker and as someone who works with both in a ground-up neighbourhood setting, and also at that time, a school setting. I was thinking of how to honour a child’s wisdom and gaze, and to not infantilize them through my work. I was thinking a lot about the specificities of a parents’ gaze and attention when they bring their child to attend a performance or public workshop, and how to subvert that so the relationship between caregiver and child can soften for the duration of their time with me and my collaborators, so that we can play, laugh, and watch on an even playing field.
resonates with residency - PLAY
This residency was for me a first step to reconciling my creative facilitation work at the children’s centre with creation processes for public facing performances. It was a space to reflect on the kind of performance i would like to watch as a child, a caretaker and as someone who works with both in a ground-up neighbourhood setting, and also at that time, a school setting. I was thinking of how to honour a child’s wisdom and gaze, and to not infantilize them through my work. I was thinking a lot about the specificities of a parents’ gaze and attention when they bring their child to attend a performance or public workshop, and how to subvert that so the relationship between caregiver and child can soften for the duration of their time with me and my collaborators, so that we can play, laugh, and watch on an even playing field.
resonates with residency - PLAY
Big Feelings
work-in-progress
Instead of swallowing big emotions, we choose public proclamation, and in its irreverence find release, humor, permission to be improper, and in the folds of less than perfect, find regulation.
An irreverent short work inspired by children’s complaints, for adults. A lighthearted duet using voice, dance and rhythm, I chase the idea that regardless of our age, we can strangely be similar in how we respond to trials, joy and the gamut of human emotion.
An irreverent short work inspired by children’s complaints, for adults. A lighthearted duet using voice, dance and rhythm, I chase the idea that regardless of our age, we can strangely be similar in how we respond to trials, joy and the gamut of human emotion.
Direction & Choreography: Chew Shaw En
Performers: Chew Shaw En, Syimah Sabtu
Music: Good Lovin’ by Bobby McFerrin
Photos: Claire Chong
Performers: Chew Shaw En, Syimah Sabtu
Music: Good Lovin’ by Bobby McFerrin
Photos: Claire Chong
In the course of my time as a teacher to children, often hear their protestations, complaints, grievances. In that, I see their journey to understand the reality they’ve somehow found themselve to be born in and a guiltless reach towards trying to understand their agency as growing, young dependents. Looking behind such expressions reveals what they presently desire, their hopes and ideals, and I feel a resonance – even wisdom – as it echoes a lot of what we desire as adults. This is a work for adults, to remind us of the wisdom of children and how much of the child is still in us.
run run run, let’s go together
amazing race + shadow puppetry workshop
Creative Lead: Chew Shaw En
Facilitators: Neo Jialing, Lim Ci Xuan, Tan Xin Yen, Syarifuddin Sahari, Zulfikar Iskandar, Andrea Nelson
Photos: Claire Chong
Facilitators: Neo Jialing, Lim Ci Xuan, Tan Xin Yen, Syarifuddin Sahari, Zulfikar Iskandar, Andrea Nelson
Photos: Claire Chong