THE ART OF BEING AN ARTIST

There are many people with a career in art. Some extremely successful and influential, and doing what they love as their career. I begin to think about what I will do in the future, comparing myself to the success they’ve had. What will I become? A common question asked to me, and many other students my age from parents and teachers. Every time I think of the future I ask myself this. I want to believe that I can do something creative, following a passion. Some people are passionate about working in a corporate ladder or normal job, but for me working in a creative career seems so much more interesting and exciting. Parents and teachers are the people who introduce you to the world, some give their children as many opportunities as possible, a little of everything. But some people limit them, giving them expectations of what to do with their lives. Although this does have its benefits, it still molds people’s lives into a rigid shape.

Marc Nair was one of several artist/speakers that came into UWCSEA during Writer’s Fortnight, lots different artists coming into our school and telling us about their life. On January 19th, Marc Nair came talking about the start of his career and showcasing his music and poetry to us, explaining what had inspired him. He is a poet and photographer from Singapore and won the 2016 Young Artist Award. He has done many different forms of art. Spoken word poetry for over 10 years and competing in more than 10 different countries. Published 7 books, accompanied by the photos he had taken. He’s written scripts and even composed some songs. He’s has had a very successful career, and has been one of the most inspiring speakers.

“WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING?” – Marc Nair

This was one of his most notable statements during his talk. It posed an interesting question to the audience. For me, it was a new perspective, something to contrast my own echoing chamber of similar thoughts. A cacophony almost. To do well in school, go to college and most importantly get a good job. Marc Nair grew up in Singapore, the very same city I have lived in all my life. But he’s lived here many more years than I and received a completely different kind of education, one from a public school. He also went to Nation University of Singapore (NUS), majoring in English literature. From here he started teaching in a junior high school for 5 years, a stable paying job before he made the choice of becoming a full-time writer. Although he was a teacher for 5 years, he had still kept writing poetry, taking photos, being a creator. He was willing to take the risk and to work on an artistic career full of uncertainties. Even if others were against it, he would persevere towards his goals. In a city heavily influenced by Asian social norms, becoming an artist stands out. There are many stereotypes promoted in Asian families. For example, trying to be the perfect child, working towards a good paying job such as a lawyer, doctor. This puts stress on the children to perform and focus on studying. Often arts and the such aren’t promoted as much, but this never held him back. His work aimed to conflict with social norms, to stand out with the common, able to bring attention to an issue to its readers. “I find myself writing against the city, not with the city,” he said during his talk to us. He explained to us how every poem had a purpose, often writing with social issues in mind. In the examples he gave us, they each had a unique perspective, some had strong sarcasm like poking fun at the issue, while some were more detailed and gave

Marc Nair has something else special about him as well. He has the ability to inspire, to motivate others with his work. To convey his story and messages. To him, there are many different motives to write. As a UWC student, I’ve been told about different social messages and how we should take action to fix them. Seeing Marc Nair being able to use his work to raise awareness was a new method of doing so that I had never considered before.

Art in all forms is something that I greatly admire, its something even though I’ve done before in school, wasn’t something I felt proud about. Becoming an artist is something that requires someone to have strong commitment, and courage to take it as their career. To put oneself out there and let other people judge your work. I am considering to take more risks and challenge myself trying and creating my own art. As UWC students,  we’ve all been exposed to countless opportunities, being inspired by many people. Being a student is a time when we can grasp these chances, and even if we don’t succeed it won’t impact us. Adulthood sounds challenging, but something inevitable. So what are you going to do?

Citations:

https://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/arts/poet-motion-or-why-world-needs-marc-nairhttp://www.marcnair.com/workshops/http://www.marcnair.com/about/http://www.buro247.sg/culture/insiders/marc-nair-frances-hardinge-costa-coffee-london.html