06 May 2025

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On the second day of the student exchange workshops at LASALLE, the theme revolved around ‘Immersing into the Natural Environment'. The participants first drew the relationship between the natural world and art-making through their expedition to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, collecting sounds of nature and incorporating them with live music during the Soundscapes workshop. Subsequently, the participants strengthened their connection to nature with the T-NET for natural disasters workshop, utilising natural elements to prompt reflection and healing. The day ended off with an Open Mic session, celebrating the diversity of participants and bringing everyone closer together as they approached the halfway point of the conference.

LASALLE College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore

Soundscapes: Creating an Aleatoric Performance

T-NET for Natural Disasters

Open Mic: Picnic on the Frass

LASALLE College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore

Soundscapes: Creating an Aleatoric Performance

From Mangrove to Studio: Translating Nature into Art

Gathering at dawn, the participants embarked on a multisensory journey, beginning with a field trip to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and culminating in a workshop back at LASALLE. Initiated by lecturer Belinda Foo, the participants collected soundscapes of the mangrove, such as the cawing of sunbirds and hornbills, alongside the ever-present buzzing of cicadas.

After encountering our local inhabitants, the participants were brought back to the studio to begin the workshop session. Using traditional instruments alongside the captured sounds, the participants created layered artistic expressions, resulting in evocative sound collages. The experience was incredibly visceral for many, with the tactile and emotional exploration of sound, movement and environment simultaneously reminding them about the richness of local ecosystems alongside the pressing realities of climate change and conservation. As nature’s voice echoed through the studio, participants left with a renewed understanding of how listening can become a radical act of art.

An Interview with Belinda Foo

T-NET for Natural Disasters

The participants laid down symbolic markers along a rope timeline of their lives. Flowers, stones, and candles marked their positive, adverse, and grief-filled moments with nature. Volunteers later dramatised these stories through physical movement and tableau, offering catharsis without the burden of words. The improvisational collaboration became a powerful moment of vulnerability, connection and healing.

Finding Healing Through Playback Theatre

Led by Alexandru Berceanu, participants gathered for a workshop exploring their relationship with nature through elements of playback theatre. The session opened with warm-ups, including mirroring and memory improvisation, that created a safe space for emotional openness.

Open Mic: Picnic on the Frass

Performing Your Heart Out

To end the day off, participants took to the stage for a lively Open Mic session. Conducted at LASALLE’s Frass, the participants shared pieces of their identity with one another through song, dance and acting. Inspired by everyone’s performances, many were encouraged to add themselves to the line up! The unique mix of participants from Australia, Hong Kong, Romania, Singapore and Thailand reminded us of the arts’ ability to connect individuals across diverse languages and cultures. The atmosphere was electrifying, even garnering the attention of passers-by!