From dream to dystopia: The cultural critic in the age of pandemic
about 54 months ago (05/21/2020)
From dream to dystopia: The cultural critic in the age of pandemic | ArtsEquator Thinking and Talking about Arts and Culture in Southeast Asia Articles Ryuji Miyamoto May 21, 2020 By Katrina Stuart Santiago (1,000 words, 6-minute read) February 2020 seems like years ago, and it feels like escapism to even go back to that time. To some extent, it’s almost like a dream, where for over a week, one had nothing else to do but to watch stage productions from across the world; the plethora of voices, the various bodies, the intellectual exercises, a reminder of how large the world is, how massive the notion of performance still is, and how ironic that it still depends on the smallness of the live collective experience. This year’s TPAM (Performing Arts Meeting in Yokohama) was also extraordinary because it gathered together Southeast Asian critics who are kindred spirits, who know of how difficult critical work is, and how while it is neglected and dismissed, if not shunned altogether, it is labour that is invaluable.