What are you currently working on—and what do you find particularly stimulating or challenging about it?
I’m working on my first solo exhibition, ›Make a travel deep of your inside, and don’t forget me to take‹, as well as its central work, a 3-channel video installation titled ›The Moon is Wet‹. It’s my most ambitious artistic undertaking so far, but I truly appreciate the room to explore. It opens Wednesday, 10 SEP 2025 at the PalaisPopulaire.
Do you have a daily ritual that gives you structure or inspiration?
Running by the Panke in the morning.
What kind of music do you listen to when you want to focus or reconnect with your creative process?
Ambient music curated by NTS. I can’t listen to music with lyrics when I’m working.
Has there been a book that fundamentally changed your perspective—and why would you recommend it?
›The Prophet of Corruption‹ by Kim Bo-Young; the way the narratives shift between characters create a fluidity and inter-connectedness that have inspired me to be more precise in my writing. I’ve also been reading historical fiction like ›The Great Reclamation‹ by Rachel Heng, which takes place in mid-20th century Singapore, and ›Do Not Say We Have Nothing‹ by Madeleine Thien, which looks at the Cultural Revolution in China, and am floored by the level of research, detail, and rich internal lives of their characters.
Is there a work of art you would love to have in your home?
Anything by my friends Lê Hiền Minh and Soe Yu Nwe, with whom I exhibited in January this year. I love their sculptures.
Which exhibition venue in Berlin inspires you?
Spore Initiative.
Is there an object that accompanies you and reflects a part of your identity?
A Mazu amulet for protection, especially when travelling that my friend Mooni Perry gave to me. Mazu is the Chinese sea goddess, and also features as one of the characters in ›The Moon is Wet‹.
What keeps you going, even in moments of doubt?
The understanding that we have just one life, and the present moment, and therefore the curiosity is bigger than the fear.
Which personality would you like to have a conversation with—and what would you talk about?
I wish I could go back in time to the 1930s to talk to the Majie in Singapore, when they were young. The Majie are part of a group of women known as the self-combed women, who come from Guangdong Province. Many of them swore themselves to celibacy and moved abroad to Singapore, Hong Kong, and then Malaya. They are also characters in my new film.
What do you look forward to when your working day comes to an end?
The moment just before you fall asleep.