Issue #07
Initially, this book was a reading material for a university class, but it wasn’t like any other textbooks. It was a coffee table-esque book with interesting copy and graphics. I loved this book for the bold illustrations and for the message it sends. The main message for this book is to “ACT NOW” because we are always procrastinating or waiting for the perfect time to do something (or at least, I am) and here’s the thing, there is never a good time.
Issue #06
“To market, to market to buy a fat pig,
Home again, home again, jiggety-jig”
I have a love-hate relationship with wet markets….the chunks of bloody raw meat, an ear here and a tail there coupled with raw fish smell and the wet floor is really not very appealing. However, one can’t deny that somehow the meat tastes sweeter, the vegetables crunchier and the fruits fresher. But what I really enjoy about wet markets is that I get to become a “Toa Payoh Auntie”. Eavesdropping on other people’s conversations while waiting in line to buy my pork, taking in the array of colours from the fruit stores or peeking into other people’s plastic baskets and asking them where they got it from. And I am always fascinated by how the butcher effortlessly switches from Cantonese to Mandarin to English and then back to Cantonese again all while chopping up his pork orders. The cacophony of sounds and promise of fresh food brings me back once in a while as these are experiences one can’t find in an air conditioned supermarket.
Go visit one now!
Issue #05
Visiting the Asian Civilisation Museum was eye-opening and I felt like I had gained a new perspective after visiting the museum. I believe that most of the history I know was written in a Western perspective. The exhibitions featured different artefacts that showed how the cultures overlapped in Asia. Being a big fan of history, the trip was extremely insightful and inspiring. The jars on the left are a mix of Asian and European components and was produced during the 18th century.
Issue #04
I came across one of his photos featured on an Instagram page and I felt drawn to the surreality of the image. His works intrigued me and I went into more research about who he is. He’s a Taiwanese photographer, also known as 3cm, and his works dances on the line of bizarre and beauty.
When you first see his work, you feel entranced by the continuity and complexity of his photo. His works revolves around the struggles of females and questioning the relationship between women and their environment. His works have a hint of horror, leaning towards surrealism.
Issue #03
Music from the 60s – 80s are my all-time favourites. The melody and lyrics seem to resonate strongly with me compared to the current songs we have today; maybe I’m just an old soul. One of my favourite bands of that time is Queen, a British Rock band formed in London during the 1970s.
I admire the songs they have composed from experimental songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody” to sentimental ballads like “Love of my life”. Songs that make you feel like a rockstar while singing in the shower! In 2018, a movie was released titled, Bohemian Rhapsody, a biographical drama film about Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen. To watch another artist’s life, the ups and downs, twist and turns, and the passion that’s burning in Freddie Mercury, ignited my flame. It reminded me why I chose to be an artist!
Issue #02
As I transitioned into this “new life” – The CB Life – I started to feel the need to create new habits for myself. Like everyone else, we needed to find something new to do, read more, start cooking, exercise daily. But the difficulty was sticking to it. I would write these goals down but never managed to keep these habits consistent.
Coincidentally, I stumbled upon this book titled Atomic Habits by James Clear and one statement that stuck in my head was that “habits are a reflection of your identity”. This changed my perspectives on seeing habits. Instead of looking at them as checkboxes, I saw them as beliefs that enforces my identity.