Articles Category: Culture
Rising from the Pandemic—A Culture of Prevention Approach
The COVID-19 pandemic has been the worst crisis in living memory, with its impact falling on almost, if not all, aspects of people’s lives. However, for some, especially the vulnerable, the effects feel disproportionately greater, both in terms of health and social-economic impact.
ASEAN @World Expo 2020
The World Expo, with its 170-year-long history, has become the birthplace of the world’s greatest inventions and iconic structures. It is often dubbed as the “world’s greatest show” and is held only every five years.
Elaine Chan

Southeast Asia’s enduring tradition of handwoven textiles took centre stage at the recently held TENUN Fashion Week. This inaugural event was held online in the trend of digital fashion weeks as a response to COVID-19 restrictions. It was organised by the ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA) and Tanoti—a Malaysian accredited socialenterprise dedicated to … Elaine Chan
Literacy and Sustainability in Rural ASEAN

As technology advances, the library is no longer only a place where people can read and borrow books. It also serves as a community hub, providing people with the space to develop themselves and come together as a community. But access to books and libraries is still limited for many who live in rural areas.The … Literacy and Sustainability in Rural ASEAN
Are Traditional Museums and Galleries on the Brink of Extinction?

For many of us who have yet to see Picasso’s Guernica, Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms, or any of the other celebrated masterpieces up close, they are now within our reach. More art museums and galleries are migrating their collection into the digital realm, the shift primarily driven by the ubiquity of digital technology and … Are Traditional Museums and Galleries on the Brink of Extinction?
Mike Alcazaren

Miguel “Mike” Alcazaren wears many artistic hats— animator, filmmaker, screenwriter, and comic book series creator. He began his career as an animator, co-founding a stop motion animation company with his brothers in 1989. The company is the first of its kind in the Philippines and produced experimental films, ads, and title sequences for TV shows, … Mike Alcazaren
Joshua Irwandi

Freelance documentary photographer Joshua Irwandi became the talk of the town when his photograph of a solitary plastic-wrapped corpse of a suspected COVID-19 victim in an Indonesian hospital was published by the National Geographic in 2020. “The Human Cost of COVID-19” photo quickly went viral and sparked a controversy in Indonesia. For this image, Joshua … Joshua Irwandi
Indonesia: When Creative and Informal Economies Intersect

Agus is a design student in one of the oldest design schools in Indonesia, located in Bandung City, West Java province. Like other design students and professional designers in this city, Agus came looking for a small metal workshop to complete an assignment: a set of home decor products. He hired a metal craftsman to … Indonesia: When Creative and Informal Economies Intersect
Thao Vu

In 2012, Thao Vu started her sustainable fashion brand, Kilomet109, a local label that prides itself on applying traditional methods into contemporary design and localising its supply chain. She aimed to set an example for other companies to follow. Kilomet109 is the only label to grow its own textiles in collaboration with local artisans from … Thao Vu