WRITERS
Ryan Mario Singapore
Educator | Managing Editor
Ryan Mario is an educator and art journalist by profession and passion. As a Singaporean writer of contemporary arts, Mario has developed a keen conceptual sense towards the analysis of artworks artistic paradigms in the market. Mario’s primary research trajectory is on the economic and cultural balance in the art business and his works mostly delve into the social and cultural impacts in local contexts. He has aided both emerging artists and industry heavyweights with the documentations of their works and written several published articles for major art events and fairs. Through his writings and art education initiatives, Mario aims to fortify Singapore’s creative diplomacy with other countries within the art sector. He is the writer and co-editor for the art books of the Art Connects Women Exhibitions 2019 and 2020 in Dubai.
Hafizan Asri Singapore
Writer
Hafizan's entrance into the arts was during his early school days through his participations in co-curricular activities, such as dikir barat, arts club, choir, and drama club. His childhood dream of becoming an architect saw him pursuing a diploma in said field during his stint in polytechnic, where his interest in light manipulation as a medium to invoke the senses was developed. With his current career outside of the creative sector, Hafizan writes for Art Herald as an outlet to channel and cultivate his passion in the arts.
(In memory of) Lananh Lê Vietnam
Artist | Writer
Lananh Lê is a Vietnamese artist and writer based in Ho Chi Minh City. After graduating from Stanford University with a BA in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity in 2015, she has been working on the intersection between arts and activism with Jeff Chang, Roberta Uno, and other artists from ArtChangeUS and Ford Foundation's Future Aesthetics. Currently, Lananh is working on multiple projects in writing, visual arts, and film which revolves around the themes of Viêtnamese (femme)ininity, oral history, intergenerational trauma, and survival tools in modernity. For Lananh, artmaking is a psychological healing tool and her own meditative process, highly linked to ancestral worship and the search for spiritual order in a world full of chaos.
Michael Singapore
Journalist | Writer
Michael was a student of Visual Art, English Literature, and History. They are currently pursuing a major in the arts and humanities at the National University of Singapore. Between their time spent in co-curricular activities, such as literary and editorial clubs, and choir, Michael has also leisurely dabbled in various art forms – from the piano to creative writing and the dramatic arts.
Teresa Chia Singapore
Journalist | Educator | Writer
Initially a student from the School of the Arts (SOTA) and later Holy Innocents High School arts programme, Teresa has undergone her education in visual arts for 7 years. With her vast knowledge in the various mediums and art forms, she enjoys dabbling in painting, sculpting, film, and digital photography. As a Mass Communication student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Teresa teaches journalism and media writing to lower-secondary students. Due to the nature of her job, Teresa has developed an inclination towards interacting and socialising with people.
Teesha Kooraram Mauritius
Artist | Educator | Writer
Teesha is an artist and educator based in Mauritius. Having recently graduated from the University of Mauritius with a BSc in Sociology with Gender Studies specialisation in 2017, she has now dedicated herself to her passion for the Arts by pursuing her second degree in Fine Arts at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute since 2018. She is currently working on several projects on art writing and Fine Arts. For Teesha, Art is not just a field of study but a powerful healing tool intertwined with a way of living.
Waleed Thug Mauritius
Accountant | Writer
An accountant by profession with a strong passion for arts, Waleed’s fervour for writing emerged when he was in High School where he was the editor-in-chief for the school magazine. In 2013, he completed his course in Leadership at the Whitefield Business School, following which he started his career at the Human Resource Development Council of Mauritius. Waleed has completed a course for Human Rights Advocacy later in 2018 and is currently waiting to start a BSc in Environmental Science. He is self-taught in several disciplines including music, photography, and programming — knowledge in which he continues to expand.
Jaycene-Fay Ravenscroft South Africa
Art Marketer | Poet | Writer
Jaycene-Fay Ravenscroft works as an art gallery assistant and marketer, and is a writer, poet and art history enthusiast in her spare time. Currently completing her BA degree in Art History and Ancient History, she is inspired by symbology and the connections between everything in this world. Trained to analyse and ‘critique’ art, she is passionate about exploring the meaning behind each artwork she encounters and understanding its connection to the artist’s cultural, historical and social background. Writing is Jaycene-Fay’s way of having a finger in every pie: to research, share knowledge and to express herself creatively.
Marwa Atif United Arab Emirates
PR Personnel | Journalist | Writer
Marwa is a content creator and public relations personnel by profession and an enthusiastic supporter of the arts. Marwa amassed a wealth of experience through her work as a Public Relations Executive/Reporter at one of UAE's leading publishing houses – Dar al Khaleej, where she drafted and edited news articles on culture, business, art, and global affairs. Prior to that, she spent an internship with leading satellite channel – Al Arabiya TV, where she produced and filmed a documentary titled “The Art of News Making” as part of her graduation thesis. Marwa is fluent in both Arabic and English and graduated summa cum laude in her Bachelor of Arts degree in Media and Mass Communication – Radio and TV from The American University of the Emirates.
Xenia Bapasola India
Artist | Educator | Writer
Xenia Bapasola is an art educator and artist from Mumbai, India. Having moved to Singapore to pursue her BA in Fine Arts at Lasalle College of the Arts, she found her passion in teaching and connecting with others through art. Xenia employs art as a medium to unite individuals with their internal world, thus allowing them to better understand themselves and those around them. She believes that art should not be a privilege, but instead, should be an imperative as it is vital to both intrapersonal and socio-cultural development. Xenia strives to further the accessibility of art for every child and adult.
Jasmine Pegg Singapore
Journalist | Writer
Jasmine Pegg is a British-Singaporean writer and artist pursuing her Diploma in Fine Arts at Lasalle College of the Arts. After moving from Singapore to England, she focused extensively on creative writing projects. Through her education, she has developed skills in analysing art visually as well as contextually, which has made her more aware of how she portrays her own works. Jasmine’s experience in traveling and moving across the world twice has changed her practice vastly, from experimenting with stop-motion to painting, though she prefers to stick with illustration as her primary medium.
Mel Peh Singapore
Performer | Writer
Mel is a performer and writer who enjoys movement, collaboration, and laughing at her own jokes. She has worked with various directors including Edith Podesta, Sean Tobin, and Chong Tze Chien in theatrical productions; Shook (2021), Anything Can Happen/Something Must Happen (2019), and The Golden Record 2.0 (2018). Her latest work in Forum Theatre and film concerns women, healing, and the aftermath. Mel graduated BA(Hons) in English Literature with a minor in Art History from the National University of Singapore. She gravitates toward Affect Theory, French Theory, Postcolonial Theory, Hip Hop Subcultures and Literary Worlding.
Larissa Romerskirchen Singapore
Graphic Designer | Journalist | Writer
Larissa developed a keen interest in various art mediums at an early age. Through her later education in Filmmaking, she developed analytical skills that honed an appreciation of how things are displayed to convey emotions and tell stories. In her studies, she observed how art forms are deeply interconnected and how they reflect our history and heritage. For her, art goes beyond simply acknowledging how it appears aesthetically, but understanding its inner meaning.