As citizens of a self-styled developed world, we succumb to an increasing need to upgrade and keep up with our peers. Amidst this whirldwind of change, we seem to struggle with defining who we are, and inadvertently morph into different identities necessary for different circumstances.

It would seem that at the root of this blind chase to keep up lies a deep-seated fear. Fear of losing out, or in our local lingo, our innate “kiasu-ism”. And this fear stems from the widely acclaimed meritocracy we painstakingly subscribe to. Or at least, been used to. How then, can we account for the lesser, weaker, and needy, who fall through the cracks? Or is there then, no value in their worth?

Unassuming Voices is a full length arts production performed at Drama Centre Black Box, Singapore in collaboration with dance group PARAGRAPH and pianist/composer Aditya Permana. A mixed media painting series is done live as part of a collaborative multidisciplinary arts performance. The paintings were all auctioned out as part of the show.