10 Japanese haiga to celebrate Asean's 50th

Singapore

HAIKUhaiga haikuTo celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), writer and brand consultant Koh Buck Song has created 10 haigas for an exhibition at the SEAMEO (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization) Regional Language Centre (RELC). It was opened on Friday by Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh.

Each haiga is dedicated to each of the 10 member states of Asean. Its image and accompanying haiku attempt to capture an essence of the country and its people.

The Singapore haiga, for instance, features the Marina Bay district with the Merlion and the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay. Titled Marina Bay ho seh, the haiku reads:

"reservoir so whole only art's imagined strife carves ripples, stirs soul"

Mr Koh says: "I wanted to comment on the general state of Singapore where everything is perceived to be calm and in order ('reservoir so whole'). Here the arts is 'imagined' to be a source of 'strife (that) carves ripples' on the calm waters, when the arts does much to 'stir souls' and make us think."

The haiga dedicated to Indonesia is titled Surabaya dawn. Featuring a man on a horse peering at the mountains of Surabaya, the haiku reads:

"commerce, culture run their course, meld, like fertile mounts for new pahlawan"

The haiga reflects on Indonesia's historical battle for independence, with the word pahlawan meaning "hero" in Bahasa. Mr Koh says he tries to incorporate a word from each of the member state's language into the corresponding haiku.

Mr Koh developed his passion for haiga during his travels in Japan two years ago. His haiga works have been shown at two previous events.

Mr Koh was once a journalist with The Straits Times, before becoming a branding consultant who specialises in advising organisations and governments on how to brand themselves and their countries respectively.

He has written and edited numerous books, with his latest titled Brand Singapore: Nation Branding After Lee Kuan Yew, In A Divisive World.

The exhibition is now on at the SEAMEO RELC Library at 30 Orange Grove Road. Admission is free