Letter from the Editor
For something we never see, we surely think—and talk—about time a lot. Some refer to it as a thief, others see it akin to gold, and Albert Einstein even likened it to an illusion. Just a year ago, we all had a different perspective of time and how to use it, a status quo challenged by the pandemic. I realise the lesson, which can take a lifetime to fully learn, is to savour time’s passing and value every moment because everything can change in an instant.
For artist Dawn Ng, who graces our cover this month, capturing time has been a major preoccupation running through most of her work. “One of the things that has always bothered me about the processing of time is how it boils down to numbers—cold, linear, sterile data points. I’ve always thought that this is antithetical to the true nature of time, which is emotional and elastic. Time flies when you are having fun and stands still when you fall in love,” says Ng.
Her recent exhibition Into Air revolves around “giving time a colour, shape, and form”, which she achieves with ice as her medium. The resulting paintings and photographs are incredibly beautiful but also poetic, even more so as the works were set against the backdrop of 2 Cavan Road, a former ship repairs factory whose patinated walls bear witness to the passing of time. Read the cover story on page 144 and see her speak about it on tatlersingapore.com.
While March 2020 introduced Tatler’s new look and direction, this issue showcases another first—our inaugural Asia’s Most Influential: Culture List (page 150).
We’ve chosen the most relevant voices in Singapore’s art and culture scene, which is growing more vibrant every year. We also look at another bright spot in the Little Red Dot—food tech and innovation. It may sound like a stretch to think of Singapore as a centre of food production, but what it lacks in arable land, it more than makes up for with the proliferation of talent finding alternative ways to feed the world, sustainably at that (page 180).
Where did the time go? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself a lot since March marks a year since our borders closed and I last travelled abroad. Perhaps more poignantly, this month represents the end of another journey—that of editing this magazine. It’s been an honour to lead the transformation of Tatler Singapore for over three years, expanding the stories we cover and the subjects we feature across our platforms. I’m confident that the new editor-in-chief, Karishma Tulsidas, will take it even further.
My time with Tatler, however, is far from over as I take on the role of editorial director, homes and travel in Asia. I’m excited to focus on design and travel, two of the topics I consider personal passions, both of which have the power to inspire us to live better. I hope you join me in my next chapter, in print and online at Tatler and Tatler Homes, as well as on social media—from Instagram to Clubhouse—at @kissacastaneda.