Yale-NUS celebrates its legacy of visual arts and creative writing
Students, alumni, and faculty showcase their creative talents through two anthologies and an art exhibition
As Yale-NUS College enters its final semester, the arts and humanities community embarked on three projects to commemorate its artistic legacy: an arts and humanities anthology named Magic: Art Practices at Yale-NUS College, an arts exhibition called Magic Hour, and a creative writing anthology titled Unfold. These endeavours aim to celebrate the creative spirit that has defined the institution for many years. Through their work, contributors and curators aspire to create a living archive of arts practices at Yale-NUS.
Former Yale-NUS Lecturer of Arts & Humanities (Arts Practices) Dr Yanyun Chen, editor of Magic: Art Practices at Yale-NUS College, describes the project as a tapestry woven from personal anecdotes and institutional milestones. “It is the people – students, faculty, alumni, and staff – who make an institution,” she notes in her editor’s statement. This sentiment is echoed by the anthology’s format, which comprises a timeline of Arts & Humanities projects and courses at Yale-NUS College, interspersed with personal anecdotes shared by everyone who has been touched by their time at the College.
The exhibition Magic Hour, happening from 18 – 26 January, is an opportunity for artists connected to the College, including alumni, students, as well as present and former faculty, to communally and publicly exhibit their creative practice.
For curators like Tay Ying (Class of 2025), the exhibition is a bittersweet reflection of the Yale-NUS legacy. She shares, “The curators focused a lot on creating a lasting canon for art practice at Yale-NUS, something like a consolidation that is bound together by this contemplative, warm gentle hue as the sun sets on campus. I think this image of the sunset is an apt metaphor for the College’s legacy: you’re enchanted by its beauty whilst being starkly aware that the moment will soon disappear. Nevertheless, there is magic to be found in its transience!”
Meanwhile, Unfold, a creative writing anthology spearheaded by Senior Lecturer of Humanities (Creative Writing) Lawrence Lacambra Ypil and his editorial team, showcases the depth and breadth of writing that has been produced by the College. The anthology features poems, stories, and creative nonfiction pieces written by Yale-NUS students and alumni, including excerpts from published books and final projects for writing classes and modules from the Common Curriculum. Lishani Ramanayake (Class of 2018), a member of the editorial team, considers the editing process a “genuine delight”. “There were so many pieces in the anthology that surprised me with their sly playfulness and humour,” she shares. “Reading them felt like a glimmering reminder of the best parts of Yale-NUS: bold, and wayward, and blazingly honest.”
Lishani also contributed her own creative nonfiction piece to the anthology. “The essay I submitted has a very special place in my heart. I wrote it for the very first creative writing class I took at Yale-NUS, with my instructor, Laurel Fantauzzo. This essay is a reminder that as much as writing feels like a lonely task, a finished piece of work — a manuscript, an essay, a script — is always the product of being in community with others. I’m so grateful for Laurel’s guidance in that class, and indeed her friendship and mentorship in all the years after.”
Indeed, across all three projects, contributors, editors, and curators alike emphasise the enduring impact of the arts and humanities at Yale-NUS College. Whether through a striking painting or a heartfelt poem, the anthologies and exhibition encapsulate the College’s dedication to fostering critical thought, community, and creativity.
As Dr Chen aptly reflects, “I think such a commemorative project represents Yale-NUS in all its dimensions: the sentimentality, the aspirations, the ambitions, the challenges, the bureaucracy, the agendas, the stories, and all the people who have in some way shape or form given themselves towards a beautiful vision as best as they could. I hope this experience triggers a memory of their time at College for our readers and visitors, and keeps it glowing in their minds for years to come!”
