Source: The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission
Arts
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014
C5
LASALLE’S ALUMNI
Amanda Heng (left), 62,
artist and curator
Began her studies at Lasalle in
1984 and graduated with a
diploma in printmaking at the
age of 37. She received the
Cultural Medallion in 2010.
“I was part of the first batch. I
remember we did casting and
all that in a shed at St
Patrick’s School and there
weren’t any proper furnaces
yet. It was quite simple
facilities-wise, but it allowed
me to try something that I
hadn’t done before. Lasalle
gave me the chance to figure
out what I really wanted to
do.
We learnt from all these big
names – Han Sai Por, Chong
Fah Cheong, Chng Seok Tin
and Tang Da Wu.
Although I’d done painting
and drawing in school, this
was the first time I got to
experience casting and marble
carving, and learning from the
artists themselves, I think that
was a very great experience.”
PHOTOS: ST FILE, LASALLE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS, NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL
Lasalle turns 30
Eight new courses will be added
to the arts college, which has
produced illustrious alumni and
Young Artist Award recipients
Lisabel Ting
A
s Lasalle College of the Arts marks its
30th anniversary this year, it is looking to
the future by introducing eight new
courses and increasing the focus on
research.
The eight new courses – two undergraduate and
six masters programmes – will be introduced over
the next four years. They will cover topics such as
Asian film studies, art history and curating, medical
illustration and interior architecture.
President Steve Dixon says the new degree programmes were developed in close consultation with
outside bodies.
“We’re doing a lot of work with the National Arts
Council, Design Singapore, the Media Development
Authority and other government departments, we’re
doing a lot of consultation to see what’s needed for
Singapore. We have also done our own research into
the business viability of the programmes,” he says.
As Lasalle hits the big 3-0, alumni and staff
believe that it has carved out a niche in the arts education landscape here.
Its proprietary courses are underpinned by a
unique blend of Eastern and Western influences, and
the institution has inked partnerships with internationally recognised schools such as Goldsmiths,
which is part of the University of London.
Three decades of schooling have produced
illustrious alumni. Three out of five of this year’s
Young Artist Award recipients – dance artist Lee
Mun Wai, theatre practitioner Ian Loy and film-maker Jow Zhi Wei – are Lasalle alumni.
Other illustrious alumni members include singer
Kit Chan, performance artist Lee Wen and theatre
practitioner Natalie Hennedige.
Lasalle has come a long way since its humble
beginnings in 1984, when Brother Joseph McNally,
who died in 2002, founded the St Patrick’s Arts
Centre at St Patrick’s School in Marine Parade,
offering diplomas in painting, ceramics, sculpture
and music.
A year later, the school was renamed Lasalle
College of the Arts and it expanded to a second
campus in Telok Kurau.
Three years later, in 1987, its first cohort of 27
students graduated with diplomas in the creative
arts.
Now, the college has about 2,700 students, who
are housed in a state-of-the-art, 35,000 sq m
campus in McNally Street, next to Sim Lim Square.
Earlier this year, it opened a second 5,000 sq m
campus in Winstedt Road, about 2km away.
Mr Dixon, the university’s sixth president, has
angled the prow of the institution towards a more
research-focused direction.
“There’s always been some key research done at
Lasalle, but I broadened that. We’re looking to create
new knowledge through practice-based research, but
also to publish,” he said.
He introduced three new funding schemes, which
were implemented in January last year. They provide
funding of up to $50,000 a project, or $25,000 per
annum for staff who wish to undertake research activities or pursue higher education.
As Lasalle is a private, not-for-profit institution,
its income comes from programme fees, Ministry of
Education subsidies which total about $17,000 for
each Singaporean citizen in a diploma programme,
and other sources such as bank interest. For the
financial year 2012/13, this added up to over $47 million.
The college is also keen to continue working with
overseas universities, to strengthen its international
standing and to bring multi-cultural influences into
the school.
Currently, 39 per cent of the student body is international, and the much-lauded partnership with
Goldsmiths produced its first batch of graduates last
year. Ms Barbra Gan, vice-president, strategic
developments, says that although the first partnership agreement with Goldsmiths lasts for five years,
it is likely to be extended to 10 years.
Lasalle is also looking to expand its physical
space. Earlier this year, it opened its Winstedt
campus, which houses studios, workshops and
photography laboratories.
It hopes to build two blocks above the underground Rochor MRT station, after it is completed in
2016.
The progress of the institution has not always
been smooth. In 2007, the college’s president and
chief executive Robert Ely and his two vice-presidents quit, reportedly over disagreements with the
Ministry of Education over how its funds should be
used.
Lasalle had marketed its programmes as four-year
degree courses and the ministry wanted the college
to abide by its guidelines and use the money solely
for diploma programmes.
Senior fellow Milenko Prvacki, who has been at
Lasalle for 20 years, says: “That was the moment
which affected the school in name, in our
relationship with the Ministry of Education, the
Government, and in the eyes of the public. It wasn’t
pleasant.”
The sudden departure of the trio shook up the
institution. Chairman of DBS Group Holdings and
DBS Bank Peter Seah was brought in to be the chairman of Lasalle and he led an international hunt for a
new president.
The board picked Alastair Pearce, a British arts
education stalwart with a doctorate in music analysis.
Mr Seah said: “The job of the new president was
to restructure both the academic as well as the
administrative aspects of the college and to put it on
firm ground.”
When Mr Pearce left in 2012, he was succeeded by
Mr Dixon, who was the pro-vice chancellor (deputy
head) of Brunel University in London.
While Lasalle’s dream is to become a university
one day, that is something which is not yet on the
cards.
Lasalle chairman Seah says: “Lasalle will
ultimately, if evolved successfully, be an institution
which awards its own degrees.
“But that’s a long-term vision, it’s not something
that you say that you’re ready, and you’re ready.”
As the college marks its 30th anniversary with
exhibitions, performances and other events starting
tomorrow, Mr Dixon says he hopes that Lasalle will
put Singapore on the cultural education map.
“All great cities have great arts institutions, such
as the Julliard school in New York or the California
Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. We want that
sort of recognition in Singapore for Lasalle.”
[email protected]
Milestones
1984 Brother
Joseph McNally
(right) establishes
the St Patrick’s Arts
Centre, offering
diplomas in
painting, ceramics,
sculpture and music
1985 The arts
centre expands to
its second campus
in Telok Kurau and
the institution’s
name is changed to
Lasalle College of
the Arts
1992 The Goodman Road campus is opened,
housing the schools of fine art, music and
drama
1993 Agreement signed with the Royal
Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia
to award its bachelor’s degree in fine arts to
graduates of the college’s fine arts programme
2004 Awarded Accredited Institution status
by the Open University in the United
Kingdom, which allows it to award its own
degrees that are designed and developed in
Singapore
2006 The Puttnam School of Film is opened
by Lord David Puttnam, a British film-maker
and educator. It offers the first BA(Hons) Film
programme here
2007 Lasalle moves into its new campus at
1 McNally Street
2012 Partnership agreement with Goldsmiths
to launch 14 undergraduate arts degree
programmes. Graduates of these programmes
will be awarded a Goldsmiths degree
2014 The school officially opens its
5,000 sq m Winstedt campus
Lee Mun Wai (above), 32, dance artist
Majored in contemporary dance at Lasalle from 2003
to 2006 and is one of the founding members of
contemporary dance company T.H.E Dance
Company. He received the Young Artist Award this
year.
“Lasalle gives you a lot of leeway to be yourself and
to just do what you need to do as an artist. I didn’t
feel like there were any no-go zones or limits at the
school. The first day I stepped into the school was
the first day I told myself I was finally home.
The fellow weirdos with the orange hair and the
too-thick eyeliner, boys who dressed like girls, girls
who dressed like boys. Schoolmates who discussed
performance art, schoolmates who were finally
discussing life, the larger social environment, and
not essay grades. Lasalle was wild.
The learning environment was so different from
a normal academic school. It was truly about
honing your craft and skill. Teachers guided, but
never forced anything down my throat. They were
there to answer questions, but always took a step
back to allow me space to explore.”
Boo Junfeng
(right), 30,
film-maker
Was part of Lasalle’s
pioneer batch of
students at the
Puttnam School of
Film in 2007, where
he graduated as
college valedictorian.
His debut feature film
Sandcastle (2010)
was the first
Singaporean film to
be invited to the
International Critics'
Week at Cannes Film
Festival.
Yuni Hadi (above), 38, producer
Obtained her bachelor’s degree with honours in arts
management in 2005, and her masters in arts and
cultural management in 2007. She is the co-producer
of Anthony Chen’s Cannes Award-winning Ilo Ilo,
and is also the executive director of Singapore
International Film Festival.
“What I found useful was that at Lasalle, you’re
exposed not only to the course you’re taking, but
you can also take classes in other departments.
Many of the teachers were industry professionals,
who practise in the field, have relevant connections
and understand what’s going on in current
practice.”
John Clang (above), 41, photographer
The New York-based photographer and visual artist,
who dropped out of Lasalle in 1990, re-enrolled this
year to study for a master of fine arts.
“I first studied at Lasalle in 1990. At that time,
Lasalle was still very young and what it was was
“I think being a part
of the pioneer batch
of the film school, we were allowed to set a
precedent for the college and the school. That was
quite exciting. The lecturers were very encouraging.
The mixture of various art disciplines under one
roof also made the experience unique and I was able
to collaborate with students from the acting and
music schools for my film projects.
When my thesis short film, Tanjong Rhu, got
into Berlin Film Festival in 2010, the college helped
me with the press kits and gave me its full support
to make the most of the occasion. That had an
impact in my transition from making short films to
feature films.
Lasalle and the Puttnam School of Film continue
to be very supportive of my work as an alumni and I
will always appreciate that.”
not enough to fulfil my hunger. So I left after six
months. Now, 24 years later, I have a lot of respect
for Lasalle, it has a strong international standing
and I like the artists it has produced like Amanda
Heng. It now has an international faculty and the
members are prominent and respected in their own
right. I’d like to teach in Lasalle and schools here.”