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[Interview] Liz Kow

Taking place over a single weekend at The Substation Gallery, Method Hominid, the Live Art project of performance-maker and artist Elizabeth Kow is an exercise in self-control—for the audience that is. Allowing near absolute control over herself as audience members populate two rooms, Kow shares with Producers SG her experience staging the work in Singapore and the differences between her journey here and in London where she was previously based.

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How did you originally conceive the idea of Method Hominid?

I was interested in the subject of identity, because when I was living in London at that time I was going through a lot of experiences that forced me to come to term with the person I was, and that I was becoming. I was also feeling anxiety from trying to support myself financially in a foreign country, and from trying to make sense of the culture there, and wanted to use art as an outlet for this.

How was the experiencing performing in Singapore as an independent compared to when Method Hominid first premiered at the TAP Out Festival, which was a graduation showcase?

Being an independent artist in Singapore was definitely much more daunting, as I was alone in the endeavour. However I felt more motivated as I wanted my art to be more accessible so that the public can support it, so I did not put myself in a bubble like how when i was in university.

Perhaps it is because one has the support and backing of ones peers and lecturers to experiment and fail numerous times, but being in university made me feel like I was in this idyllic bubble of a encouraging and widely accepted arts-loving society.

In Singapore, it is completely the opposite—I personally find our arts industry/ community to be especially cynical, which makes it even more difficult to accept a life here as an artist.

Were there any audience responses from the local performance that surprised you?

Indeed, those who came all enjoyed being in the Control Room. To the point where they were using me as a tool to torment the audience member in the Experiment Room relentlessly, or just sitting comfortably to watch the rest of the performance play out.

What was the biggest challenge you faced with mounting the work in Singapore?

Funding—I had to fund the project almost entirely by myself. Convincing audience members to come was also a big challenge—especially for them to come and stay for the entire 3-hour duration. I cannot put it into words—there is this feeling I get when I see them being paiseh that they find this interesting, thrilling, or even so unusual to the point of curiosity so much so that they stop themselves short from fully experiencing it.

Another challenge was the audience members who did get tired of the work or had “too much” of it—one man even said “OK, I think that’s enough,” a few minutes before his time was up in the Control Room. Whereas in London, audience members participated for an average of 3-4 rounds in both rooms altogether.

Are we so repressed that we are not even able to fully allow ourselves to enjoy art?

…and conversely, what was the easiest part?

Booking the venue. The Substation team were very accommodating and easy going!

Drawing from this experience, is there anything you would change about producing/staging Method Hominid for future productions?

I would like to do more extensive installations; maybe even collaborate with another artist to go deeper into the concept and dialogue the work sparks amongst audiences.

I would definitely want to tour it to other countries; it would be fascinating to see the comparisons between different societies in their reaction towards the performance. Lastly, I would have had more publicity for the project, if I have enough financial resources to put together a small team and create more collateral.

Did you feel that the Producers SG’s Producing Clinic with Tay Tong was useful for this production?

Yes, it really helped me get outside of my head and air all my thoughts and concerns. Much better as well to have done it with a seasoned veteran!

What is one big takeaway from this experience?

Never underestimate the power of have a strong team, and support system. And don’t take the people who make us these for granted. It really gets you through the toughest times.

What is next for you?

Hopefully another solo show in 2021! I’m busy with other projects next year.

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Interview by Alfonse Chiu.

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