The crew was invited to cover the inaugural Lomography Singapore outing, a casual and spontaneous event to celebrate the opening of Lomography's Gallery Store in Singapore.

Lomographers were split into groups and given LomoMissions to complete – all themed JUMP! Though the rain was ever present, participants were all insanely creative with their shots.

Lomography photographers are really a growing community in Singapore. Some may call it a trend or a fad of our generation, but at least we know that our interpretation of it IS something our generation can call its own.

The irreverence and carefree nature of what the pros would called 'pseudo' photography is just a small part of how we have come to define ourselves. We may not be professional or know one particular field at the back of our hands, but something about how we have grown up and what we are exposed to as the Internet generation has really led us to improvise, learn and be inspired by more art forms and creative work than previous generations have ever had the privilege to.

Call us (the creatives of this generation) an amateur hodgepodge of art forms if you'd like, but give us some time to refine our craft. I'm sure someday when we're a whole lot better at what we do, we'll have the inspirations of our youths to thank.

I know this is only very vaguely related to Lomography, but thinking about the whole 'elitist-professional' vs. 'indie-amateur' debacle and how some choose to define and isolate the two often leaves a young creative confuddled. Some of us are technical gods, others are better storytellers… Can we all just get along and help each other create the important things that matter? (Like people, history, places… Of course, being biased here, because these are the things that are important to us.)

Oh well.

Thanks Meerly and Shuyun (of Lomography Singapore) for inviting us to capture this slice of Singaporean exuberance. In case you don't know it yet, we're going to have our very own Lomography Gallery Store really soon. I remember traveling in Europe and being really excited whenever I came across the stores. (Because they were colorful and shiny and one such as myself gravitates magnetically to such.)

For more photos of JUMP!, do visit our Flickr page here.

Tucked inconspicuously along Geylang Road, Medical Office is an antique little pharmacy that appears to be an anachronism stuck in time. We talked to the two proprietors, two eloquent and elderly gentlemen who spoke in the deliberate, kindly sort of way that only the wisdom of their generation offers.

A sea of untouched artefacts are placed neatly around the shop. Many appear to be no longer medically sound for consumption, but you can see the touch of pride and discipline in their profession that is present. The pair have tried to keep things the way they have always been, even if business is slow, if any, and the counter once used to serve customers is now merely a storage drawer.

In the corner, a large roll of packing paper sits forgotten behind a pile of magazines, a hint of the old days when the pair would oft be busy packing concoctions for their customers. According to both Mr. Foos (who are incidentally, not related by blood), they still sell some of these quaint medical supplies to anyone who walks in and wants to buy them.

An old photo of the pair shot by another photographer who visited their shop some decades ago. When asked when it was taken, the elder Mr. Foo (one is 85, while the other, 75 years of age) said casually that it was 'not very long ago, just in 1988'. I guess when you've seen your fair share of the years and lived through the Japanese Occupation, time is measured in a different scale. (I for one, wasn't even born yet in 1988.)

Their house brand of prickly heat powder, which they say is their best seller, and in fact the only item we saw delivery men coming to pick up single cartons of. The bigger container sells for $5.50, and the small one for $4.00.

The pair today. Still dignified and proud of the 100-year history of the shop – even as they know that the history of this establishment, first set up by German pharmacists in 1916, will fade with them once their time here is done.

More pictures on our Flickr page here.

Medical Office
648 Geylang Road
[Map]

The Broers Café is a charming little place. Kiat from Broers Café is a charming great dude. Han is the affable quiet chap. Here, Kiat shares his incredible passion for the acidic beverage, some of the challenges in setting up his own café, and what keeps him going.

Tucked away in a quiet corner near Farrer Park MRT, Broers Café isn't the most accessible of cafés. But it more than makes up for it with its easy charm. The barstools are a homage to old italian bars where the bartender-customer relationship is transcended. Broers believes in the fact that simple conversations allow people to connect with one another and true to this direction, Broers Café tries to organize movie screenings periodically. In fact, there's one coming up this Halloween week, check it out on Facebook.

Kiat speaks easily of his obsession with coffee, meandering into a brief history of coffee and how each set of beans is unique to the other, just as how our palates for coffee are distinct. He speaks passionately about the ever-changing face of coffee and how there is so much to pick up about the simple modest bean every day. He shuns the concept of coffee as just 'something you drink in the morning'. "It is something to be savored, and discovered."

The fine people at Broers understand that every individual's taste is different, and allows for customization of coffee to suit their customers. For the record, Kiat loves intensity in his coffee. (So if you'd want to bribe him into a huge favor, pack a coffee with loads of punch, and loads of flavor. In his words, it has to hit him!)

Like many, Kiat's venture into setting up Broers Café was met with objections from family and friends but he soldiered on, along with Han, with clarity and great determination to push for it. His advice is earnest. "Stick with it. It will eventually work out. It's a matter of hanging in there long enough." He shares several inspiring outlooks that are definitely products from the tough slog in setting up Broers. "It is really important to have a clear picture of what you want to achieve. There are mornings where I wake up and question myself, why the hell am I doing this every morning? Why am I going through so much hardship and sacrifices? Be it the objections, sacrificing of time, going through obstacles… There are mornings I feel emotionally, financially and mentally drained."

Beef sandwich with amazing potato salad

Big friendly 'giant' Kiat (left) and partner Han (right)

I'm keeping this entry short because we have collaborated with CoffeeTablePeople. CoffeeTablePeople consists of two unique individuals, Camy and Michelle, both of whom nurse a "karmic collision of the love of pretty food, an obsession with pretty decor and a penchant for pretty photography". Amazing tidbit: they shoot on only film cameras for their website.

The following is courtesy of CoffeeTablePeople:

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For many, "passion" seems like a word carelessly thrown about. But for Kiat and Han from Broers Café, it's a lifelong fascination, a permanent obsession and… pretty much a habit.

If coffee is part of your daily habitual routine, we might have scored a jackpot of interests here. Kiat and Han are coffee aficionados, but this does not mean snooty people who spend their time sipping espressos and sniffing coffee beans with upturned noses. Kiat has been pulling cups of nirvana since forever and Han picked up the love to brew from starting out in the industry and they are people who love the habit of drinking coffee.

In a period when coffee culture is blossoming in Singapore, we're filling up a new page in local food history when tastes of the typical consumer is starting to mature. Coffee used to mean tinkling cups of Kopi Siu Tai at the hawker centers pulled from the sock and always served in the transparent glass cups with a thin metal spoon. It then evolved into being served in small and thick white cups on saucers and you had them with bread with kaya and butter, dipped in soy-sauce stained yolk, a new spots sprouting within malls for an eccentric mix of heritage and modernity. Following that, we had the caffeine giants storming into town, bringing along their vanilla lattes and caramel frappucinos. Now, we are seeing a new age of local coffee houses popping up in many outlandish spots of Singapore — serving up handmade and heartmade brews.

Stepping into the Broers Café, you are greeted with a brown, long bar counter that reflects the good-nature of the bosses' interests to bond with the customers over their drinks. Over at here, they want you to realize it is not just (inclusive, of course) about a good brew but also creating an atmosphere that creates an intimacy between people over a common interest. The Broers brew is "10% caffeine and 90% soul".

We made our coffee orders and watched the chain reaction — cash register rings, barista checks orders, espressos machines starts buzzing -

I will never get sick of watching the baristas in action. Even in the heat of actions, there is a lot of detail and delicacy in their pulling of shots and pouring of steamed milk. Like what the Chinese call, the perfect mashup of yin and yang.

The Broers Café is really very much like a black cup of coffee — to be taken as it is, holds plenty of promise in its aromatic smell and is strong in taste. I think more people should know about the place and the coffee experience it offers. Beyond that, they should also join into the learning and understanding of this artistry. I wasn't a coffee drinker but I've grown to love the smell of freshly roasted coffee beans and rich passion hanging in the air.

And I hope you do too.

The Broers Café
3 Petain Road
Singapore 208108

Tue-Thu: 10:00 — 20:00
Fri-Sat: 10:00 — 23:00
Sun: 10:00 — 20:00
Website
Check out the Broers Cafe on Facebook!

Words by C and Shots by M.

If the youth are the heartbeat of our nation, then the future of Singapore certainly seems (or more accurately in this case, sounds) bright. Currently away representing our nation in Korea for the 2011 World Percussion Performing Arts Festival, Rhythm De Pasión comprises of individuals from different walks of life and a variety of musical backgrounds. Through their infectious beats and energetic performances, it is no wonder that the band has made a name for themselves in the local music scene.

[Show as slideshow]

Tracing the origins of this raucous percussion band, we learnt that Rhythm De Pasión was formed back in 2007 while most of the band members were still pursuing their diploma. Despite having very different musical foundations (some based in traditional malay music while others played in local rock bands), their common love for percussive sounds eventually led them to each other and the rest as they always say, is history. Instead of being an obstacle, the multicultural musical knowledge that each member brought to the table would later prove to be their defining difference, playing an integral part in the creation of their very own unique brand of music.

Five years on, the band has since come a long way. From frequenting both local and international music acts at the Esplanade in search of inspiration and different ways to improve themselves, to being specially invited to perform at the World Percussion Performing Arts Festival this year in Geumsan, Korea, Rhythm De Pasión is living proof that anything is possible with passion and heart. Having invested the better part of their past four months on intensive rehearsals, the band aims to take the festival by storm and fly the Singaporean flag high.

Performing on an international stage overseas for the very first time, Rhythm De Pasión hopes that this festival will serve as a platform for future opportunities to travel around the world, share their love for music and do our country proud. With all that they've achieved thus far and an even brighter future ahead of them, Rhythm De Pasión is definitely a born and bred Singaporean band to look out for!

As a kid, reading Russell Lee's True Singapore Ghost Stories gave me the chills. Particularly stories about the Hungry Ghost Festival. Who could put down a book with a pair of eerie almond-shaped eyes on the cover? I was clearly courting trouble, when reading such stories rendered me too frightened to make the short walk to answer nature's call in the middle of the night, a majestic distance of no more than 14 metres separated my bedroom from the toilet. I still read (past tense) them anyway. A decade and a half later, I find myself exploring one of the 'rituals' so closely associated with the seventh month — the getai.

The Hungry Ghost Festival is known as the seventh month in the Lunar calendar. The Chinese believe that during this month, the hell gates of the underworld open and hungry spirits walk amongst us. On top of offering hell notes, food and prayer to these spirits, they also organize performances to keep these "brothers and sisters" well entertained during their month-long stay on earth.

Each getai I visited assaulted me with colourful extravaganza. Music thumped relentlessly as singers belted out old songs in dialects — something which might well be a thing of the past in the future. 'Dressed to kill' would be an understatement for some of the performers at the getai events. Smoke machines provided a dreamy (or smokey) backdrop as dancers twirled in tandem with the spotlights. The light sliced through the smoke and painted the stage ruby and magenta and emerald and cobalt and amber, and where the light on occasion did not manage to slice through the performers, mesmerizing shadows were cast on the large white canvas tentages.

For those couple of hours, adolescents (many younger), adults and the aged stood spellbound, soaking in the carnival-esque atmosphere of the getai. No longer was it a display simply to keep the spirits entertained, it did a fine job of keeping the mortals absorbed and removed from their current world. The curious sought ways to achieve a vantage point for the getai, peering through pockets of HDB concrete at floor landings. It was interesting to note that fewer getais adhere to the traditional custom of leaving the first front row of plastic seats for the spirits.

I fell in love with the getai atmosphere instantly. Situated in the heartlands, the getai epitomizes the pretentious and the genuine at the same time. There is something romantic about standing on a tiny patch of grass, shared by strangers swatting flies lazily in the evening air, and winding down at a getai after a taxing day at work battling datelines, bosses and a growling stomach. There was something magnetic; an almost-inexplicable allure in the way the audience paid rapt attention to the onstage acts. The attention was the currency between performer and spectator, and I was but an observer of this transaction.

P.S. A good friend and aspiring documentary filmmaker, Bang Lin, accompanied me on the expedition to observe getais and has also allowed me to share an excellent short he did of the seventh month festivities. Enjoy the stories, and I'll leave you with a quote from Bang:

"This was a personal project to document and preserve a small part of our culture. It's also something I made for my mom and dad, something for them to reminisce and also for me to remember what it was like growing up with hokkien songs that they always sing at home." (Ngo Bang Lin, 2011)

Without realizing it, 10 weeks have come and gone since we first launched the Unseen/Unsaid series. The journey has been eventful, and most importantly, personally fulfilling for us as storytellers on a mission. This is our modest attempt to freeze a slice of home as we know it now, before it once again becomes merely a memory, as it often quickly does in land scarce Singapore.

We hope you have enjoyed the journey with us. If you have stories to tell, memories to share about the people and places we've covered in the series, we would like to hear them and share them too.

For now, we'll be continuing our search for stories in the lesser known fabrics of community life in Singapore. We are always looking for ideas, and more importantly, contributors who want to take this journey with us.

Enjoy the last episode. We'll see you soon.

The Unseen/Unsaid 10-part mini series

Episode 10. Horseman
Derek Foo, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Lee, Lim Song Lip and Jeremy Tan, 2011, 3 minutes, Rating TBA
Episode summary
Most Singaporeans are familiar with the honking and shouting of their neighbourhood Karung Guni men as they make their rounds, collecting the unwanted and the abandoned. This story takes from the perspective of one particular Karung Guni trolley, who sees itself as its master’s horse; riding through the neighbourhood and collecting the souls of the forgotten.

About Unseen/Unsaid
Using narratives from everyday Singaporeans to personify forgotten trades and places, Unseen/Unsaid allow viewers a glimpse into the personal struggles of individual Singaporeans whose stories draw a parallel with the surrounding places and landscapes. The 10-part series is born out of a desire to preserve the fragments of Singapore’s past that is rapidly being replaced by new developments.

One new episode will be released from 29 June, 2011, every Wednesday, 11.00AM on rediscover.sg till the week of 31 August, 2011. 'Horseman' is the last episode in this 10-part mini series.

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The Unseen/Unsaid Paper Toys Collection
As a tie-in with our Unseen/Unsaid series, Lizzy and Jeremy of the RediscoverSG crew have spent the past few months designing a set of five paper toys related to the people/places featured in our webisodes.

These DIY paper toys are retailing at $20 for a set of 5. 100% of the proceeds from the first 500 sets sold will go to the MILK (Mainly I Love Kids) fund to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

If you'll like to buy a set, head over to our shop. Toys are sold while stocks last. We ship both locally and internationally.

Today, we speak to Zakaria Zainal (or Zak, as he commonly goes by) and Jean Loo. Both Zak and Jean are alumni of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information (where the RediscoverSG crew are finishing their final year of undergraduate studies), and contributors to GE11: We Were There, a 60-page magazine featuring photos of the General Elections 2011 done in collaboration with Platform, a volunteer photographer group.

We talk to them about the GE11 project, their experiences as young independent creatives, and suss out some advice for young, aspiring Singaporeans who may be considering the freelance route upon graduation.

Zakaria Zainal and Jean Loo, at the launch of 'GE11: We Were There' at BooksActually in May.

Jean currently works as an independent photographer, producer and writer, and the last we heard, Zak has just returned to Singapore from his second trip to Nepal to continue a story on the Gurkhas of Singapore that he started while on internship there in 2009.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you're doing now.

Zak: I am currently working on an anthology of portraits and anecdotes from the retired Singapore Gurkhas as they reminisce about life in the Lion City — from the 1950s till modern day Singapore. The topic of the retired Singapore Gurkhas and their families is something I have been working on for a couple of years.

Jean: Most of my time's spent cooking up projects which are of a pretty diverse nature and makes work very interesting. I've just finished up a short film on love in Singapore for IDEO, a multimedia piece on dog abuse and abandonment for an animal welfare group, and co-produced a roving exhibition on The Singapore Spirit and National Day Parade. I'm currently "switching channels" to a few other projects like a documentary multimedia clip on Lien Aid (a Singapore-based NGO dealing with water and sanitation in developing countries) which took me to Yunnan, China and another piece on ex-offenders in Singapore looking for a second chance in life.

It was the dawn of a new hi-tech era. In 1972, political parties were given airtime to talk to voters in their own living rooms via television. The tradition of the party political broadcast was still with us in 2011. But with all the hype surrounding the internet and social media, watching the broadcasts on television — even on a flatscreen high-definition set — had an oddly nostalgic feel. (Zakaria Zainal/2011)

How did you get involved in the GE'11 We Were There project?

Zak: Tay Kay Chin, my photojournalism lecturer in WKWSCI, had approached several photographers including myself and asked if we wanted to be part of the GE11 magazine, a commemorative publication for the historic elections. Kay Chin was also the picture editor and designer of the magazine and I knew that this collaboration of highly talented individuals would lead to something special. I feel really blessed to be part of this magazine.

Jean: I learnt about the project through Kay Chin on Facebook and things just happened from there. It is very gratifying to be part of such a project with my fellow photographer peers.

As his wife Lina Chiam addresses supporters after the Singapore People's Party loses Potong Pasir for the first time since 1984, Mr Chiam See Tong sits quietly in the front of a lorry as residents come up to thank and comfort him. (Jean Loo, 2011)

Tell us a bit about what it meant to you personally to cover the GE'11 happenings, why you wanted to document it, your sentiments as a first-time voter, was there a story you wanted to tell?

Zak: The elections is an event of great importance to all Singaporeans, including myself. Photography is a method of commemoration—to have people, places and objects from document to memory. And that was what I sought out to do, to have my own photographs and interpretation of the elections.

As I had spent a large chunk of my time photographing events and people in countries like Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh, I have been trying to make a greater effort in documenting events and people at home. Personally, these are the things which matter the most to me. The elections was a wonderful opportunity to do so as well as to make meaning of this place we all call home.

Singaplural is a tilt-shift perspective on the recent Singapore General Elections. Singaporeans from all walks of life — regardless of race, language and religion — come together to attend and listen to various political rally hotspots all over Singapore—in what is a contest of the hearts and minds of citizens. (Zakaria Zainal, 2011)

Jean: I remember attending a Workers Party rally in 2006 at Serangoon stadium and was completely overwhelmed by the energy in the air. Back then, I hadn't discovered photography and only had one picture snapped on my old Nokia handphone of myself in the crowd. This time round, I was excited to be able to use my photos to show my friends overseas the excitement going on at home because I wished that they were here to experience it with me.

Particularly, I am a very emotional person and was drawn to the intensity of passion in the air. I wanted my photographs to convey the feelings I felt — whether it was the anxiety in the air at Hougang Stadium on Polling Day or the heart-tugging moments centered around Mr Chiam See Tong. I made it a point to attend rallies to listen to speakers whom I felt for — I find that invisible bond between speaker and listener extremely powerful.

Supporters of the Singapore People's Party listen to Mr Chiam See Tong speak. (Jean Loo, 2011)

As both of you are currently freelancing/independent creatives, could you share with us how and why you chose to do your own thing after graduating, what are the pros and cons of having chosen this life, and what are some of the most important lessons you've learnt so far from choosing this path?

Zak: The independent creative option is probably similar to running your own business. Besides the creative work, there is also a substantial part of quotations, invoices and accounts to manage. It is an avenue worth exploring as you get a bit more freedom to do the work you are really excited about and also get to explore your personal creative vision. It will be good to build up networks and relevant skills sets before graduating and embarking on this journey.

Using a perspective control lens, it created a miniaturised and alternative perspective to the elections. For Singaplural, these common, and sometimes overlooked, spaces have combined a plurality of people, perspectives and ideas converging into one location during this elections. (Zakaria Zainal, 2011)

Jean: I'm quite a free-spirited person and realised during my travels earlier on as a student that I wanted to get the most out of life before I die. I realised that photography could be a means of achieving that so I decided to give it my best shot and see where this path would take me. I'm currently in my 3rd year of working independently and there have been plenty of rough moments — To name a few: a lack of confidence, the initial depression of earning way below my peers who took on a more stable job in the media industry, trying to grapple the concept of balancing passion and survival, how to run my skills as business assets… and the list goes on and on. But the beautiful thing about doing your own thing is that you really understand about what it means to "own your life". I'm constantly fueled on by exciting projects which open my eye to another aspect of life, encouraging friends and strangers from all walks of life who I meet through my work and most importantly, understanding my place in this world to a deeper extent.

A Wokers Party supporter listens to Mr Low Thia Khiang speak at Hougang Stadium on the first day of rallies on 28 April 2011. (Jean Loo, 2011)

Was there any societal pressure for you to choose a more conventional path after graduating? Was it difficult to make the choice to go independent?

Jean: Yes, of course there was. It was pretty cool to be doing your own thing, but definitely not cool when you can barely earn enough to keep your dreams alive. I gave myself 3 years after I graduated to work towards a certain standard of achievements that I mentally set for myself (whether in terms of dollars, travels and happiness.) Glad to say, I've achieved what I set out to do 3 years ago and am very excited to continue growing as a young photographer and see what comes along.

The choice to go independent was not easy as I had to give up a job, I had no idea how to make money from it but I knew I was craving for an adventure and was willing to work extra hard for it. Thankfully my parents and friends were very supportive with my "three-year-plan", so it was pretty much up to me to make it work.

What advice would you give to students and undergraduates who may be considering the freelancing option, either while they are studying or immediately after graduation?

Jean: If you do have a passion you want to pursue — PLAN HARD. I'm a firm believer of planning your passion to make it work for you. Granted that there are certain things beyond our control (I call it fate — angelic clients, people who help you along the way, opportunities, luck), there are MANY other aspects we can control to make sure that we are ready for opportunities that come knocking on our door. Make the most out of your time at university by picking up hard skills that extend beyond your scope of interest, meet people and talk to them, be prepared to work extra hard because you don't have a large corporation to fall back on. I don't think it's a matter of working first or doing your own thing first — but rather find out what suits your character and personality so that you get the most out of whatever situation you're in.

The crowd rushes forward to shake Mr Chiam See Tong's hand at the Singapore People's Party's rally at Bishan Stadium. (Jean Loo, 2011)

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Click here to find out how to purchase a copy of GE11: We Were There, here to find out more about Jean, and here to find out more about Zak.

As an aside, Jean will also be a mentor for this year's Noise Singapore's TAP (The Apprenticeship Programme), an excellent platform for young creatives to glean from the experienced old birds in the industry.

Time has passed really quickly since we launched this series, and now we're already at the second last episode of our 10-part production. It's been a good journey for us, and we hope you have enjoyed walking it out with us.

The Unseen/Unsaid 10-part mini series

Episode 9. Through Thick and Thin
Derek Foo, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Lee, Lim Song Lip and Jeremy Tan, 2011, 3 minutes, Rating TBA
Episode summary
Almost every day ‘Ah Pui Kia’ wanders the neighbourhood with his pushcart; a cart that had seen much of the excitement and vigour of the past. It has watched the children in the neighbourhood grow up and leave, and the familiar faces of regular clients quietly disappear. It ponders when will be the last time its wooden sheaths are opened and the charcoal fires burn. And it wonders, what will become of it the day the current satay man decides he has finally earned enough to retire to his home in China.

About Unseen/Unsaid
Using narratives from everyday Singaporeans to personify forgotten trades and places, Unseen/Unsaid allow viewers a glimpse into the personal struggles of individual Singaporeans whose stories draw a parallel with the surrounding places and landscapes. The 10-part series is born out of a desire to preserve the fragments of Singapore’s past that is rapidly being replaced by new developments.

One new episode will be released from 29 June, 2011, every Wednesday, 11.00AM on rediscover.sg till the week of 31 August, 2011.

—

The Unseen/Unsaid Paper Toys Collection
As a tie-in with our Unseen/Unsaid series, Lizzy and Jeremy of the RediscoverSG crew have spent the past few months designing a set of five paper toys related to the people/places featured in our webisodes.

These DIY paper toys are retailing at $20 for a set of 5. 100% of the proceeds from the first 500 sets sold will go to the MILK (Mainly I Love Kids) fund to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

If you'll like to buy a set, head over to our shop. Toys are sold while stocks last. We ship both locally and internationally.

Taking place once a month on Friday evenings in Red Dot Design Museum, the Market of Artist And Designers (known as MAAD in short) is a congregation of the Singaporean creative, art and design scene. Not to be mistaken for your run-of-the-mill flea market, MAAD showcases a wide spectrum of works by local talents, such as poets, painters, visual artists, jewelry crafters, product designers and many more. Started since July 2006 as a campaign to “save, support and sustain Singapore’s creative souls”, MAAD has expanded rapidly through the years in scale and now even boasts exhibition opportunities.

The Rediscover crew went down to the recent MAAD on 12th August 2011 and found the experience to be thoroughly enjoyable! Upon entry into Red Dot Design Museum, a pajamas-donning pair armed with a curious-looking typewriter greeted us. We soon found out that they were from the Proletariat Poetry Factory and were writing poems based on any single word provided by participants. These participants were then told to return an hour later to collect their personalized poems for no charge at all! Jeremy jumped at the opportunity and asked for a poem to be written for him, based on the word ‘summer’.

And here’s what Jeremy got! (Hmmm… cryptic…)

Something else that caught our eye was the Organization of Illustrators Council’s (OIC) Portraits After Dark. Here, visitors can go up on stage to pose and the army of illustrators from OIC will have exactly 20 minutes to get down to work and finish their portraits. When the 20 minutes were up, the illustrators would hang up their artworks and visitors would then be able to buy the portraits at $10 each.

(Portraits of Dr Tony Tan, who graced the event that evening!)

Numerous other booths were spread all throughout the area, selling one-of-a-kind items like handmade jewelry, crafts, and prints against a backdrop of live music played by local acts. We took the liberty to talk to a few of these inspiring people to get a sense of what motivates them to fight the good fight, especially in a pragmatic society such as our own.

(Hair tattoos, how cool can?)

To sum it up, just being at MAAD is an awesome experience, even if it's just to soak in the visual and aural experience of the local creative scene and remind yourself, proudly, that it is very much alive and well. MAAD is an event that we would definitely recommend checking out every month. Remember to visit the MAAD site or Facebook page for more information about upcoming events!

The Unseen/Unsaid 10-part mini series

Episode 8. Of Keys and Melancholies
Derek Foo, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Lee, Lim Song Lip and Jeremy Tan, 2011, 3 minutes, Rating TBA
Episode summary
The key-cutting machine, a close companion of the key maker, has realized that while Time has worn out her blades, tarnished her façade and chipped her sides, Time has been far less kind to her human master. Today, she finds herself idling most of her hours away, cutting the occasional key while closely watching her human master, though still wiry and strong, slowly fade at the hands of Time.

About Unseen/Unsaid
Using narratives from everyday Singaporeans to personify forgotten trades and places, Unseen/Unsaid allow viewers a glimpse into the personal struggles of individual Singaporeans whose stories draw a parallel with the surrounding places and landscapes. The 10-part series is born out of a desire to preserve the fragments of Singapore’s past that is rapidly being replaced by new developments.

One new episode will be released from 29 June, 2011, every Wednesday, 11.00AM on rediscover.sg till the week of 31 August, 2011.

—

The Unseen/Unsaid Paper Toys Collection
As a tie-in with our Unseen/Unsaid series, Lizzy and Jeremy of the RediscoverSG crew have spent the past few months designing a set of five paper toys related to the people/places featured in our webisodes.

These DIY paper toys are retailing at $20 for a set of 5. 100% of the proceeds from the first 500 sets sold will go to the MILK (Mainly I Love Kids) fund to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

If you'll like to buy a set, head over to our shop. Toys are sold while stocks last. We ship both locally and internationally.