The Independent

Mr. AlanOei, artistic director of the highly regarded arts venue The Substation, is hoping for the day when his role as keeper of the flame for those on the fringe becomes irrelevant

- Li Lili

It’s public knowledge that Mr. Alan Oei, artistic director at The Substation, went through some rough times as he assumed office in 2015. When he first shared his vision for the arts venue in a newspaper article, it was greeted with a strong and very vocal reaction. “I never expected it to be anything but rough transition if changes were to be made,” he tells Portfolio, adding that he doesn’t think about it anymore. “Those days are long gone; I’m much more interested in our future.”

But Mr. Oei, a noted artist-curator, isn’t simply being philosophical about the way he chooses to remember those times. In fact, by the way he sounds, he is being truthful and pragmatic: “In a way, you appreciate the anger and controversy generated because it tells you that The Substation is a special place. In Singapore, where people tend to be apolitical and apathetic, this tells you how much The Substation isn’t just an institution, but a community.”

Mr. Oei wasn’t seeking a position when he agreed to meet Mr. Chew Kheng Chuan, chairman of The Substation, for lunch, although he was aware of an ongoing head-hunt for an artistic director. After the meeting, he kept his promise to send Mr. Chew his thoughts on what should be done to run the arts venue. Those thoughts made up his plan of action for effecting changes in The Substation when he eventually agreed to become its new artistic director. “After about six months, most of the public rumblings disappeared, although I’m sure privately people continued to be unhappy,” the Columbia University (BA Art History) alum surmises. “The unfortunate thing for me is that after complaining so much, people just went away. I almost wish they stayed to complain because that would mean they continue to engage with us, to want us to get better.”