It was a dark and stormy night.
(to be honest, it was probably a hot and humid afternoon)
Sick of feeling aimless during the malaise that was Circuit Breaker, the four of us came together weekly to write short pieces of fiction, pouring our woes into angsty characters and convoluted plots. In the midst of of drafting a series of stories revolving around the adventures of an e-scooter and his murderous owner (((don’t ask))), we reflected on how in such a time of crisis, it was the arts that yet again provided a platform for us to connect and a space where we could laugh over the most absurd things. We wanted to share this with the wider community, and thus our anthology was born.
This year, the creative arts have been used in multiple capacities: to provide escapism or confront reality; give voice to the marginalised or provide a different interpretation of the familiar; present a warning of the future or stir up hope for what is to come. We wanted to make sense of this particularly peculiar period through a prismic, creative lens.
As they say, hindsight is 2020. Our three branches of retrospect, introspect and prospect represent past, present and future, but more than that, they invite reflection and the deconstructing and rediscovering of this year.
So, what would we like you - dearest reader - to gain from this product borne of our blood, sweat and (mostly) tears? We hope that this pushes you to examine how you are a product of your times. 2020 is living proof of how circumstances can shape one’s reality, and so many of these pieces reveal how the instability of our times produced not just wide sweeping changes to be recorded in official documents, but on an individual level, to one person’s psyche, and worldview. We don’t grow up all at once, but one day at a time.
We hope that you take a greater and genuine interest in the world around you, and that this anthology pushes you to take action toward something you are passionate about. But most of all, we hope you enjoy what’s in store!
Love,
Faith, Letitia, Tara and Clarice
(to be honest, it was probably a hot and humid afternoon)
Sick of feeling aimless during the malaise that was Circuit Breaker, the four of us came together weekly to write short pieces of fiction, pouring our woes into angsty characters and convoluted plots. In the midst of of drafting a series of stories revolving around the adventures of an e-scooter and his murderous owner (((don’t ask))), we reflected on how in such a time of crisis, it was the arts that yet again provided a platform for us to connect and a space where we could laugh over the most absurd things. We wanted to share this with the wider community, and thus our anthology was born.
This year, the creative arts have been used in multiple capacities: to provide escapism or confront reality; give voice to the marginalised or provide a different interpretation of the familiar; present a warning of the future or stir up hope for what is to come. We wanted to make sense of this particularly peculiar period through a prismic, creative lens.
As they say, hindsight is 2020. Our three branches of retrospect, introspect and prospect represent past, present and future, but more than that, they invite reflection and the deconstructing and rediscovering of this year.
So, what would we like you - dearest reader - to gain from this product borne of our blood, sweat and (mostly) tears? We hope that this pushes you to examine how you are a product of your times. 2020 is living proof of how circumstances can shape one’s reality, and so many of these pieces reveal how the instability of our times produced not just wide sweeping changes to be recorded in official documents, but on an individual level, to one person’s psyche, and worldview. We don’t grow up all at once, but one day at a time.
We hope that you take a greater and genuine interest in the world around you, and that this anthology pushes you to take action toward something you are passionate about. But most of all, we hope you enjoy what’s in store!
Love,
Faith, Letitia, Tara and Clarice
Where would you like to begin your exploration?
1. Diary of the 2020 Lamppost, Yeo Xin Yi
2. Packing up, Zou Jiayue 3. Trifecta, Raeann Lee 4. Horizon of Introspection, Tan Khin Teng Victoria 5. Achilles Come Down, Katriel Ng 6. The Last Show, Shermaine Lim 7. Mask Up, Vera Ang 8. The Cost of Being Human, Alexis Choong Tongwei 9. Jar of Memories, Arissa Binte Kamaruzaman |
1. Reflection, Wu Si Yun Ice
2. My Dearest, Abigail Oon 3. Mother Tongue-Tied, Dana Namali 4. Masked Regency, Abigail Oon 5. Bars, Daisy Liow Han Yi 6. Poreskoro, Monika Thadisetty 7. Humanity: Expectations VS Reality, Hannah Lee En Xi 8. Balance, Sarah Aw Yong 9. The Migrant Worker's Letter, Deborah Chai 10. No Man Is an Island, Er Kay Lynn 11. Solidarity, Wen Baihe and Gladys Ong 12. Made Up, Mirella Ang 13. Source B, Katriel Ng |
1. Self, Noh Sangeun
2. Three Women Walk into a Public Bathroom, Er Kay Lynn 3. Abscission, Shreya Singh 4. A Moment, Shannen Lim 5. Stairway to Heaven, Audrey Lee 6. Possibilities, Chloe Fong 7. All of It, Abigail Oon 8. Future, Marisa Binte Rizal 9. Interlude, Toh Xue Qi 10. Hope, Archita Ravisankar and Farhanah 11. Blind Sight, Eashaa Pillai |