Eye/Feel/Write: Experiments in Ekphrasis

by Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé (Editor), Alfian Sa’at (Contributor), Chow Teck Seng (Contributor)

What happens when art meets literature? How does a writer view an artwork, and render new writing that stands on its own as a work of art? A special commission by the National Arts Council for the Singapore Writers Festival, Eye|Feel|Write is an ekphrastic project that pairs twenty eminent writers in Singapore to pen texts inspired by artworks exhibited at The National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum. The twenty distinguished contributors include: Alfian Sa’at, Alvin Pang, Anne Lee Tzu Pheng, Chow Teck Seng, Divya Victor, Edwin Thumboo, Eric Tinsay Valles, Gwee Li Sui, Isa Kamari, Jerrold Yam, Jollin Tan, Joshua Ip, K. Kanagalatha (Latha), Leong Liew Geok, Ovidia Yu, Ramanathan Vairavan, Robin Hemley, Tan Chee Lay, Yeow Kai Chai, and Yong Shu Hoong. The selected artworks trek a bold and broad range, from the contemporary to heritage. Each text inhabits the artist’s material, yet frees itself from it: teasing, testing, extending, tasting, in beautiful acts of transference. From this relationship between two different kinds of artist is borne an articulation, an architecture/architectonic that celebrates the making of texts as experiment.

Genres: Poetry

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé is the author of an epistolary novel, a hybrid work, a neo-noir proem suite, and six poetry collections. Founding editor of Squircle Line Press, Desmond has edited over fifteen books and co-produced three audio books, several pro bono for non-profit organisations. Trained in publishing at Stanford, with a world religions Master’s from Harvard and creative writing Master’s from Notre Dame, his honours include the PEN American Center Shorts Prize, Poetry World Cup, Beverly Hills International Book Award, Living Now Book Award, Independent Publisher Book Award, National Indie Excellence Book Award, and USA Regional Excellence Book Award.

Reviews

[Elizabeth H.]

Personally didn't enjoy this book much at all. Probably more a reflection of my own inclinations and preferences than the quality of the poems in this book.