Tag Archives: History

THE HE(ART) ❤️ OF STORY-TELLING

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In my various lines of work as cultural historian, museum director, policy-maker and even strategic planner, I essentially play the role of a story-teller. I tell stories – about history and culture, about works of art in museums, about people … Continue reading

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ME = CULTURAL HISTORIAN | The Great Port Cities of Asia: In History

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It’s been a busy month and a bit. Short spurts of travel. Loads of things happening that have import on my future. Plus, I was also ill for a couple of weeks. So I had to pause on my journey … Continue reading

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IMPACT | RELEVANCE and the Importance of Having a (Strong) Personal Compass

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Not long after I stepped down from the museum last year, I was invited by SAYA, for an interview on their new podcast, SELF, MADE. Initially reluctant, I gave in. It turned out to be a joyful and transformative experience. … Continue reading

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The Joy of Moving in Slow Motion

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This past week, I succumbed to a spurt of anxious activity, only to be reminded that I should be taking it easy. The goal (of blogging and reflection) is to slake off old skin, so a new and refreshed ME … Continue reading

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A Season of Anniversaries

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Autumn is the season of anniversaries, and I’ve got a trio of them stacked up – well, technically, a quartet… Yes, I haven’t written anything here in six months. I’ve been busy – with a new book, a burgeoning relationship, … Continue reading

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…dreaming, in a city, of light & colour…

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These past couple of weeks I’ve been in a dream of a city… an imperial city… wandering its streets, admiring its architecture and its art, appreciating the warmth of its people even as I remain wary of the danger that … Continue reading

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CLOSURE & DISCLOSURE – Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020!

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These past two weeks I’ve been hiding away in my own personal, private, solitary retreat in Bali, thinking through all that has happened in 2019 (and before). To tell the truth, I needed to go away. The work had become … Continue reading

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Glimpses of EPIPHANY

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In the last post, I waxed lyrical about Rapture and Epiphany. I suggested that the latter was something that could be man-made, precipitated through (careful) design and curatorial, in the context of an exhibition at the Museum. That much is … Continue reading

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Tsundoku 積ん読, or the Elegant, Obsessive Art of Book-Hoarding

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So in the spirit of balance, I thought I’d post something completely frivolous, and almost nothing to do whatsoever with work.  Well, almost… I’m an incurable bookworm, and a TOTAL geek.  There’s nothing I like more than curling up in … Continue reading

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Of Navels and Navel-Gazing – the Question of Singapore Identity in the Global Context

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I had the privilege today to be invited to deliver the Opening Remarks at the National Museum of Singapore’s international Symposium, ENCOUNTERS & CONNECTED HISTORIES: PRELUDE TO 1819, which the museum has organised in support of its new special exhibition, … Continue reading

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