KEMAS
"It is my wish to create images for, and with, dancers that will bring them joy and fond memories."
- Bernie Ng
A Dance by P7:1SMA performed for
A Slice in Time – Celebrating Dance Photography
An exhibition of dance photography by Robin Chee, Matthew Johnson, Bernie Ng and Tan Ngiap Heng
Dance, the ephemeral art form, arguably only meaningful in the passage of time. And yet, photographers undertake the impossible task, to capture the essence of dance, in a still image.
This exhibition featured the performance photographs of Robin Chee and Bernie Ng, and the photographic collaborations with dancers of Matthew Johnson and Tan Ngiap Heng, as part of NAC's Got To Move 2016 festival.
KEMAS, one of the on-site dance performances, means 'tidy' and 'to clean up' in Malay. Stamford Arts Centre is undergoing a renovation and KEMAS presented that notion by showing how it was like cleaning up during the kampong days. It is an engaging chore, yet spiritual at times. It also unleashes the meticulous behaviour in oneself. The space and 'barang-barang' (things in Malay) hold memories which invite you to reflect on it while cleaning.
Duration: Approx. 20 minutes