tag:peatix.com,2011:1 2019-10-30T21:54:40+08:00 Peatix National Arts Council tag:peatix.com,2014:event-50956 2014-09-13T10:00:00SGT 2014-09-13T10:00:00SGT

HEIRLOOM OF STORIESArtist ProfileAhmad Abu Bakar (b. 1963) since the late eighties, he has participated in numerous local and international exhibitions. His time as a lecturer at LASALLE college of the arts from 1996 to 2008 also presented another significant contribution towards the local ceramics scene. He has been involved in many community projects including the Yellow Ribbon project with Prison inmates organised by the Singapore Art Museum. www.ahmadabubakar.comQ&A with Ahmad Abu BakarHow did you find the participants' engagement as a whole?They responded with enthusiasm and energy. They were always excited and mostly on time. It is totally different from teaching students on a tertiary level. When it comes to this project it's not about achieving a grade; the challenge for the participants lies in creating an interesting object that both they and their family can appreciate. It's a nice honest experience for them.What did you feel the participants took away from the whole experience?Appreciating everyday experiences and objects in a new way. In being present through the creation of the cup there is a greater experience of the object. There is beauty in drinking coffee from such a cup because when you know intimately about the life of this object, there is a greater connection to it and more depth to the experience.From your years of experience working as a teacher and a facilitator, how do you think community arts could be developed further?I think things could be improved by inviting artists to work with participants over a longer period of time and in a more collaborative capacity, rather than forming a teacher-student relationship over a short duration. This would allow themes and concepts to emerge more organically and enable more depth in learning for all involved.