Yeng Pway Ngon talks about Art Studio

24 July 2017

1. With more than 240 thousand words and multiple stories overlapping, Art Studio is by far your longest novel. What motivated you initially to write such a long novel?

Before writing Art Studio, there was a period of time when I would meet up with a few artists every week to do sketching. I was thinking, no only does every artist have their own ideals in artist pursuit, they also each has unique journey in their lives. Hence, this triggered an inspiration for Art Studio. By drawing on my friends’ and my life experiences and using imagination, this novel is created.

2. Spanning half a century, the fates of the characters in Art Studio were affected by Singapore’s changing socio-political landscape. You mentioned once that a novel depicts the plight of man. Does this mean that there will be no novel without plight?

The reason why the writer writes and the reader reads is because we are concern about the plight of man. When one is concerned, one naturally tries to understand and ponder man’s existential conditions. Everyone encounters his own challenges, but they rarely give them much thought. It is then the writer’s responsibility to think deeply about the plight of man. I do not dare to claim that there will be no novel without plight, but I can definitely say that if one were not concerned, one would not write a moving novel that has depth.

3. Many of Singapore’s young generation today have everything provided for them since young, with parents laying out a smooth path to success for them. In your opinion, would this generation of young people be able to understand the sentiments of those who struggled for their ideals, ideologies and survival during those turmoil times in history?

Everyone wants to lad a happy life. Most people think that wealth equates to happiness, therefore they strive towards a well-to-do life. There are also some who perceive happiness as living their ideals and ideologies. However, the path to living by one’s ideals is never an easy one, especially in Singapore’s pragmatic and materialistic society. I admire any young Singaporeans who could give up the conventional route and tread the path of hardship to live their dreams; they would definitely understand the sentiments of those who fought for their ideals. In fact, what many perceive as the easy path may not necessary be so. Of all the people who seek a wealthy life, how many actually succeeded? Life is not just about striving towards fame and fortune, attaining them does not necessarily mean you have found happiness.

4. One of the themes in Art Studio is loneliness. There is a sentence in the book that says, “Death, is the ultimate loneliness.” A character in the book, Yan Pei, also says, “True artists must be able to bear solitude and loneliness.”. As a writer and artist, are you lonely?

I am lonely when I am creating. Art creation is personal. No other person can help you. However, figuratively speaking, one is not alone when one is creating, as you are with your creation and your potential audience. As a novelist, while writing, I am with my novel’s characters and my potential readers, who in turn encourage and spur me on spiritually.

5. Which is your favourite character in Art Studio and why? If you are able to live the life of a particular character, which will you choose?

Actually, there are quite a few characters in Art Studio that reflect my personality and beliefs. Some of my favourite characters are Yan Pei, Wan Zhen, Jian Xiong and Ah Gui. If I have to choose just one, it would be Wan Zhen; it is not easy to marry a poor and stubborn artist. If I have to life the life of a certain character, it would be Yu Qi Fei. In the book, he is inconspicuous, and a solitary writer. 6. Have you ever watched a performance by Nine Years Theatre? What were your considerations when you agreed to the stage adaption of Art Studio? Would you be concerned that a three-hour performance would not be able to present the novel’s full narrative and philosophies?

I have watched Nine Years Theatre’s past performances and hence, I have confidence in them. Literature and theatre are two different art forms, and to transform a novel into a stage performance or film is a re-creation. It is impossible and unnecessary for the director to fully present the novel’s full narrative and philosophies. He should, instead, through his adaption, unleash his own ideas and artistic direction.

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