Lecturer, BA(Hons) Arts Management
School of Creative Industries
24 June 2016
Tell us a little about yourself – which country do you come from and how did you come to pursue the arts?
I was born in Sungei Petani, located in the northern state of Kedah in Malaysia, but spent most of my growing up years in Selangor. I’ve also lived for a while in the UK, the USA and the island state of Penang in Malaysia.
I’ve always been working in the arts; though I once had the intention to apply to a medical school when I was pursuing my ‘A’ Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics. The arts did not offer an obvious career path for a young person in Malaysia in the 1990s and most did not know that the profession of an arts manager exist. Many today still don’t, in fact. However, I was in love with paintings and sculptures –mainly through books—and decided that I wanted a job where I could be surrounded by art.
I knew I had no desire to make art professionally, but had only a vague sense of the other available professions until I met an art historian who advised on my career options. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree with a minor in Art History, I was hired as a curator in the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia. Since then, I have worked with many different types of art forms in a wide range of contexts.
What made you decide to be an arts educator; and why Singapore?
I only became a full-time educator when I joined LASALLE in July 2015. Prior to that, education has always been a significant remit in my work in the arts but never as an educator. Although the arts ecosystem is still developing in the region, it's growing significantly in Singapore due to the financial support of the government and arts policies.
I have been contributing to the development of arts practitioners in many ways and have reached a point in my career where I felt I would like to do this within a formal education setting.
Briefly describe your experience at LASALLE and share with us a memorable/rewarding experience in your time at LASALLE.
I am still learning, but it has been a good journey so far! I’m looking forward to my second year.
What are you passionate about besides your work, what keeps you curious?
The work I do and my professional interests are far ranging; they go beyond just the classroom. It’s hard to say what I’m passionate about that isn’t work related as I think they are all inter-related. I think some people are born with an innate sense of curiosity. I am not sure how one can stay curious, but I think it helps to always be conscious of the larger world in which one exists.
What's coming up next in your professional practice/research?
I’m working on a project to build a regional network of researcher-practitioners in community-engaged arts. You can find out more about it through the research and network site, Community Engaged Arts Asia.
Read more about Sunitha here.
