About fear, freedom and performance art in the streets of Myanmar. ‘Examining our history, I realize no artist has actually been imprisoned for doing street performance.’

We say NO political harassment of the arts and stand in full support of Arts-Ed and the myBalikPulau newsletter.

Thoughts on 2nd Beyond Pressure Performance Art Festival: “The point… is that dreams never come true”.

2nd Beyond Pressure Performance Art Festival: Mighty as the ocean and certain as the tide, the need to express oneself surpasses impenetrable boundaries.

By June Yap

Singapore again.

Seeing how censorship has become a recurring topic as well in this site, I thought I’d add a bit more to the pile: with some more examples and perspectives on contemporary art.

by Sharon Chin

ARTERI, The Art of Censorship & The Censorship of Art: It’s interesting that censorship has been featuring heavily on this site – on the main stage as well as behind the scenes. It’s easy to get caught up in the drama and excitement of censorship being practiced “out there” — Fahmi Redza’s work at VWFA? It’s much harder to look closely all the little acts of censorship in one’s living room.

by ARTERI

Critical responses to Rock Kaka by Fahmi Redza, Yin Shao Loong, Eva McGovern and Simon Soon.

by Zedeck Siew

On 4 June – or was it 3 June? – two gentlemen walked into Valentine Willie Fine Art KL. Their target: Fahmi Reza’s Najib’s Head Stolen From Billboard.

Fahmi’s Najib was behind yellow police tape. “So, basically it means that our PM is behind a crime scene, is it?”

by Sharaad Kuttan

[Random acts of silencing continue. This time, one mainstream tabloid’s folly is ARTERI’s gain. Sharaad Kuttan’s latest piece about the Tugu Negara (National Monument) for his column ‘The Pedestrian’ was spiked (read: rejected) for publication. Maybe it was the fact that the word ‘communist’ was mentioned more than once. Whatever the reason, he has very kindly allowed us to publish it here – SC]

Between the Government of Malaysia’s national memorial, Tegu Peringatan Negara, a stone’s throw from the Parliament building in Kuala Lumpur, and the Communist Party of Malaya’s memorial at Princess Chulaporn Village No. 10 in southern Thailand, is a history that remains deeply contested.

By June Yap

Advisory: This article may contain information and graphic descriptions that might be deemed disturbing for those with particular sensitivities, feel immature or find humour disquieting. You should consider yourself warned, and may stop reading now, clicking your way to another webpage with more pleasant and agreeable content. It’s not too late, go now, run along.

by Zahirah Suhaimi

The recent controversy sparked by Chinese film, City of Life and Death by director Lu Chuan, has compelled me to mull over the challenges with establishing a universally accepted perception and use of the freedom of expression. In allowing alternative views and creative opinions, can we ever find a way to manage the precarious balance between censorship and sensitivity?