Let's Talk: Visithra Manikam | Beyond Tokenism

Time and a certain disposition of mind allows for self-reflection that is productive not just for the individual but for others as well. Sharaad Kuttan speaks to Kua Kia Soong, academic, activist and author of almost 40 books on his latest work, “The Malaysian Dilemma: My Memoir and Manifesto”.

We are what we eat said a German philosopher. Nothing could be more true. Sharaad Kuttan speaks to Chef Yin about her journey to a raw vegan diet.

Has our addiction to images and representations of food come through popular culture come at the cost of understanding our true relationship to food, food producers and our histories? Sharaad Kuttan speak to University of Brasilia professor in tourism, Taina Zaneti, and about her book “From Our Grandmother’s Pans to Haute Cuisine” and her critique of representations of food and structural problems in our food production systems.

Images and text can be a potent mix in story-telling. Sharaad Kuttan speaks to writer Lim Soon Heng & illustrator Tang Yeok Khang about their illustrated book, “A Hen-Made Tale” ostensibly for children, perhaps for the child in all of us.

Sharaad Kuttan speaks to ecologists Benjamin Ong, Applied Imagination Fellow, Center for Science & The Imagination and fellow member of Urban Biodiversity Initiative (UBI) together with UBI’s Creative Director Siti Syuhada Sapno about their month-long programme ImagiNasi, created to help us rediscover Nature through Food.

Non-Fungible Token (NFT) art stole headlines for record breaking sales in crypto currencies. But are we applauding the money or the artistry? Sharaad Kuttan speaks to visual artist Visithra Manikam, whose sale of her work to musician Snoop Dogg, brought her to national prominence.

Can we redesign formerly exploitative relationships with the land and communities whose lives are intimately tied to it into relationships of respect and cooperation? Sharaad Kuttan speaks to Daniel Teoh, Founder of Native Discovery, a social enterprise seeking to create what it describes as “impactful business opportunities with Orang Asli communities”.

Every year during the Ramadhan month, just like clockwork, the media raises the issue of food waste. But this is neither a problem unique to the fasting month nor to the Muslim community. Malaysia has a serious, year long problem with wasted food. Sharaad Kuttan speaks to Syazwan Mokhtar, General Manager, The Lost Food Project.

Excavations of the past both personal and political are invaluable to developing a sense of what Malaysia is as a nation. Sharaad Kuttan speaks to Peggy Loh, author of two volumes of “My Johor Stories”.

He describes himself as an introvert for whom the pandemic was an opportunity to express his inner emotions in images. Sharaad Kuttan speaks to Yoss Yoseff, Johor-based visual artist who will be participating in CULT Gallery’s “6 Ways Of Seeing Show”.