Is It Time To Retire The Term “Minority Artists”?
By Eunice Loh –
While the issues of cultural identity and representation continue to play a significant role in Singapore’s arts scene, many creatives resist being pigeonholed
Chonteng (2019) (Photo taken from The Living Archive of Contemporary Asian Art (LACAA))
“This phrase is problematic and will further polarise the already tiny and yet developing artistic community,” says veteran multidisciplinary creative Rizman Putra.
Putra is an artist of multiple personas who evolved his visual artwork whilst juggling theatrical, visual arts, and music jobs over the past three decades. His portfolio spans from movement pieces, interactive installations, huge mural works, to directing and acting in plays, to performing music at local and international stages, to teaching drama/theatre at the tertiary level.
Entering LASALLE College of the Arts at 17, Putra decided he wanted to achieve something distinctive, and pursued fine arts in his second academic year. During his national service commitment, he joined The Artists Village (TAV), attending art exhibitions and shows at an autonomous art space in an attempt to not lose touch with his artistic practice, eventually being able to experiment with performance art with TAV.
Having met with many like-minded individuals, they formed an arts collective called Kill Your Television, KYTV for short, with the desire to express themselves better. Despite their limited experience, they learnt to construct performances from the very beginning.
Reflecting on his multifaceted career, Putra says, “I’ve absorbed all I’ve learned, and most of my projects are diverse and multidisciplinary.”
His broad spectrum of work underscores the belief against limiting labels, highlighting that beyond the specificity of race, artists should be recognised for their diverse contributions, rather than be categorised by reductive terms.
As he reflects back on his journey as an artist, Putra expressed having doubts about his identity when he was younger, saying he gave little thought to his identity as he was surrounded by companions of different races.
“We delighted in the existence of our idyll,” he says.
However, his involvement in Teater Ekamatra, a Singaporean minority theatre company, set in motion the gradual exploration of his identity and ethnicity. In addition, his NADA project that blended visual arts and sound allowed him to explore Malay music and language extensively.
“It is critical to have a comprehensive understanding of one’s ancestry and to value its language and culture. An individual who possesses a global perspective while remaining firmly grounded is the epitome of cool,” Putra adds.
Hailing from a generation of like-minded creatives and artists who welcomed one another’s presence, he recalls that he never had to worry about being noticed in the local arts scene.
Firdy Arman, San Francisco-based Singaporean curator and founder of ROUNDCOLLAB Asian Contemporary Art gallery agrees. “Diverse artists, particularly homegrown ones, can benefit from their distinctiveness and stand out in an increasingly competitive arts landscape.”
“The visibility and success of diverse artists can also inspire young people from all backgrounds to pursue their passion in the arts,” he adds.
Despite having been placed under the umbrella term of “minority artists”, Singaporean artist-curator Zulkhairi Zulkiflee feels that an artist shouldn’t be expected to only represent a certain identity or style, or cultural and artistic values of their ethnicity. “As a minority race person, the term describes part of me. But beyond that, I don’t think it defines me,” he says.
Instead of confining his practice to invite any specific conversations, Zulkiflee feels more in tune with contributing to the intricacies of art, rather than any specific conversations.
“There must be interest and trust that art is valuable. There is a larger ecosystem out there that either limits or value-adds to the work that art is attempting to do. It’s never just about the art or artist,” he believes.
Zulkiflee’s artistic goal is to stay true to his lived experiences. “Art happens to be one of many ways I choose to talk about them,” he says. In 2016, he began working with like-minded artists of varied practices to organise their own exhibitions. As he grew as an artist, he came into contact with curating, realising that it was a great way to expand his artistic practice.
Zulkiflee is now an MFA candidate at the University of Illinois Chicago, studying on a Fulbright study grant.
A revision for one of the works artist-curator Zulkhairi Zulkiflee did in his solo exhibition, Proximities (Photo taken from Mr Zulkiflee’s Instagram)
When he was based in Singapore, his practice revolved around investigating themes of Malayness in relation to local and international settings, social agency and distinction. His most recent exhibition in January 2022, “Proximities” was the first of his solo exhibitions. It focused on a new video work that revolves around Malay masculinities, and their plural representation.
Currently based in Chicago, Zulkiflee uses the change of landscape to inspire his art works. “I’m inspired by everyday social events and often they intersect themes of race, class, gender and more,” he adds. “I often try to ask what is at stake and contribute through my works.”
The pursuit of artistic complexity often intersects with broader societal and cultural issues. But among the artists there is a concern that labels such as “minority artist” may confine their work to certain themes based on their ethnicity.
Zulkiflee comments, “To have expectations on anyone to produce or behave a certain way due to preconceived notions of their identity is limiting. It pigeonholes people into boxes. I don’t think anyone likes that.”
Putra agrees, “We can observe minority artists who exhibit a strong inclination towards Western concepts while disregarding the cultural and traditional aspects of their ethnic backgrounds. Conversely, we can find minority artists who actively promote and uphold their cultural traditions and history.”
“While race can play a significant factor in attracting interest, I believe my portfolio goes beyond simple categorisation,” Zulkiflee adds.
However, the artist-curator also believes that, in conjunction with his art being able to heighten awareness about viewer’s perception of the world and how it varies among different people, society must “be better equipped to partake in conversations that art generates”.
Zulkiflee says, “Part of visibility also involves interest and engagement. And this may vary depending on the artistic practice/topics pursued.”
“While art is universal, it is also subjective in nature. I dedicate a portion of my being to the world; my contribution is to ignite a conversation by even a minor dent, and I shall persist in doing so for as long as I am capable of doing so,” adds Putra.
Arman shares that while Singapore has done a fair share in helping ethnic-minority artists excel in their careers, he feels, “There’s still more room to foster greater inclusivity and representation.”
On March 7 2024, the Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Low Yen Ling announced in Parliament that Singapore would devote an extra S$100 million towards strengthening the Our SG Arts Plan 2023 -2027. This would allow the local arts scene to become more vibrant.
However, increased participation in developing the scene does not stop short at monetary assistance. According to Arman, it is also about “adding value and substance, new skills and diverse perspectives”.
“For the arts scene to truly reflect the diversity of society, it is essential to include the voices and perspectives of artists representing ethnic minorities – and the audience must also keep evolving to embrace and appreciate them. This ensures that all cultural narratives are recognized and valued,” concludes Arman.
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Edited by Gosia Kimovicz