SINGAPORE HISTORY, PERSPECTIVES

Visiting the dearly departed, the undead, and a gallery at the Old Parliament

Travelling within Singapore

The Admin Building of the Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng, a Chinese cultural organisation and columbarium in Bishan. Photograph by author.

The past few months, I had been visiting quite a few places in Singapore. The click-baity title is actually meant to be taken literally: I really visited the dearly departed at a columbarium in Singapore; the undead because of Halloween; and a gallery at The Old Arts House, which was formerly the Old Parliament House.

I’m serious.

First, I was invited to attend previews of My Community Festival 2024, from 1 to 17 November 2024. The tours were designed to be a teaser to the actual My Community Festival 2024 tours.

While my invitation was probably a total mystery to those who know me, I think I was probably invited in the capacity of a “content creator” or “nano-nano-influencer”, to share more about the festival (which I did, because I am usually helpful and facilitative). I posted about it on Facebook and Instagram, and hopefully helped My Community get a little bit of traction.

But I digress.

I was very busy with my day-to-day work as well as collaborating with talented artist Patrick Yee on illustrations for my upcoming children’s books.