As it has done in past years, SWF 2022 will dedicate a showcase to Singapore’s literary pioneers.
This year’s exhibition will highlight the works of pioneering Malay women writers Raja Aisyah Sulaiman, Adibah Amin, Dr Hadijah Rahmat, Dr Sa’eda Buang and Rasiah Halil, as well as the collective Kumpulan Bebas Melata, made up of Khaziah Yem, Rohani Din, Kamariah Buang and Faridah Taib. A microsite detailing the exhibition as well as fringe events will go live on Nov 4.
A number of conversations happening at this year’s festival centre on the theme of womanhood.
At the Chamber of The Arts House, authors Balli Kaur Jaswal, Sandra Chua and Sheba Karim will come together to ponder the question: So what if I’m becoming my mother?
The panel will see the writers discussing the “myriad realities of womanhood, the travails of being a mother figure to other men, women and children in their lives, and the value of fiction in creating spaces to explore what a mother is and who else she can be”, according to festival notes.
In a series of mini talks titled Woman Matters, Majlis Bahasa’s Rakan Sastera will discuss the life and works of Malay female writers such as Malaysian author Adibah Amin, Malaysian journalist Anis Sabirin and Sumatra-born political activist Khatijah Sidek.
Finally, a conversation themed “Otherworldly Femininities” sees authors Christina Sng, Grace Chia and Shivanee Ramlochan probing and dissecting the idea of femininity in relation to works of horror.
“These authors dissect the use of horror, mythology and the grotesque in writing about the female body, which, when faced with violence, can become a dangerous and powerful thing,” said SWF organisers.
Other popular names appearing in the programme include The New Yorker’s Jia Tolentino, veteran thespian and contributor to the Malay arts Asnida Daud and TikTok celebrity Atiqa Dar.
A regular festival pass, priced at S$30, will allow you access to all events. However, some events require you to register in advance and some require you to buy an additional ticket for entry.
For a full list of programmes and other ticketing info, visit the Singapore Writers Festival website.
