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Straits Times
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Artist Boo Sze Yang at 60: ‘I don't regret not having children'
Artist Boo Sze Yang hopes to use his work to offer something honest and meaningful related to the place he calls home. SINGAPORE – A certain desolation is sometimes associated with semi-abstract painter Boo Sze Yang's oeuvre. His most recognisable works are usually in greyscale, both segmented and melting. Of these, his derelict interiors of empty cathedrals and shopping centres , as well as car and motorcycle crash wreckages, have been said to be indicative of a morbid impulse, with which the artist goes in search of a darker beauty. A graduate of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) in 1991, Boo has taught at Nafa, National Institute of Education and School of the Arts. His works are in collections including at National Gallery Singapore, the Istana and UOB Singapore , and he has held more than 18 solo exhibitions, in Singapore, Taiwan, Australia and the United States. Boo, who turns 60 on Oct 2, continues innovating. One of his latest series, Romance On Hobby Horses, is based on repeating figures in synchronised dance movements. These more neon paintings reimagine popular images of protest and societal unrest. Can you share more about your childhood photo? This was taken in my grandparent's house, now Greenwood Avenue in Bukit Timah, where I was born. I may be about a year old. No idea who took it, though. Boo Sze Yang in 1966. PHOTO: COURTESY OF BOO SZE YANG What is your core memory of Singapore? I spent my first six years in a kampung in Bukit Timah, near Watten Estate. In 1972, when I started primary school, my family moved to a rented one-room flat on the 10th floor of a block in Toa Payoh Lorong 1. It was a bit scary to look down from that height, but every evening at around 7pm, my brother and I would stand on a stool at the kitchen window to see if our father was coming home from work. Our father worked as a welder in his uncle's factory. He drove a pickup with a uniquely designed stainless-steel roof that he installed himself, and you could spot it from a distance. I remember the long corridors on each floor, where we used to play football with our neighbours' children. On some days, you could hear the karung guni uncle shouting in Hokkien, 'Got old things to sell?', as he made his rounds collecting unwanted items. We would also wait with excitement for the Malay auntie carrying a basket of fried bananas and sweet potatoes, going floor by floor selling her treats. That was, in a way, the beginning of my experience of modern Singapore. What do you consider your biggest contribution to Singapore? It's not something I think about when I decide to do something. Like many others, I try to educate myself, stay healthy, do the right thing and live an honest life. That, to me, is how every citizen contributes to his country. When I entered art school, my intention was to study design and work in advertising to become a creative art director. But somehow, I ended up studying fine art and became an artist. Art helped me find meaning in life. Over time, I came to see art as a mirror, a way of reflecting the world we live in. Through my work, I hope to offer something honest and meaningful related to the place I call home. What do you love and hate about the country? We have one of the best healthcare systems, world-class universities, an efficient transport system, clean streets and a high level of safety. Everything is incredibly convenient. We are a small country governed like a large corporation, and if you do your part and do it well, you'll be rewarded. We're highly efficient and well organised, but that also makes life very predictable. We're known as a shopper's paradise, yet our malls often feature the same types of tenants, selling the same products. I suppose everyone wants the same things, and that desire for sameness is not just reflected in our urban landscape, but it's also a mindset. It creates comfort and familiarity, but can dull our sense of curiosity, individuality and the courage to be different. What I find lacking is space – not just physical space, but emotional and creative space. Space for people to slow down, to reflect, to express themselves freely and, most importantly, to dare to be different. What is one thing you miss about the Singapore of your childhood? Catching spiders, shooting lizards with paper bullets using a rubber band and playing football in the void decks. It was a time of imagination, risk and freedom. We had long corridors to run through and shared spaces where neighbours and children mixed freely. Today, our public housing is designed to prioritise privacy. There are no more open corridors, and the ground floors feel like a maze. In some of the older estates that still have void decks, you'll even see 'No Football' signs. That says a lot about how things have changed. What is the best and worst thing about being 60? When my wife and I got married, we decided not to have children, and now that I've reached 60, I don't regret that choice. I often tell her that the best part of not having kids, apart from the freedom, is that we never really grow old in the same way others do. We stay psychologically suspended as husband and wife, as someone's son or daughter. Without children, there's no yearly reminder of ageing through the different stages of your growing children. I have given up the choice to be a father or grandfather. One thing that constantly reminds me I'm getting older is my thinning, greying hair. SG60's theme is Building Our Singapore Together. What would you like the Singapore of the future to look like? A more mature, considerate society, one that values its people not just for their productivity, but also for who they truly are. And what does your next era look like? The life of an artist is unpredictable and insecure, unlike a typical job in a corporation, where you're rewarded for your effort and there are clear paths for advancement. Being an artist means building your own path, often with limited financial reward and the possibility that your efforts may go unrecognised. I have learnt to manage my expectations and accept that public appreciation may not always reflect the effort put into the work. Like the process of making a painting, I try to keep an open mind, let the work evolve naturally and, hopefully, the outcome will surprise me.
The Star
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Beauty in the eye of former farmer
Hon (centre) receiving a token of appreciation from SGM general director Koh Sia Feai while SGM president (left) Ng Teck Sim looks on. ONE story Perak-born artist Hon Peow, 86, is fond of telling is how he was flattered by a visitor during an exhibition in China. It had to do with a 2017 piece called 'Serene Old Tree' from his 'Rain Trees from Taiping' series, a set of four ink paintings depicting an old rain tree with flowing branches and epiphytes growing in between. So impressed was the visitor with the way Hon had captured its weather-hardened resilience that it was suggested the piece be renamed 'The God of Trees'. A visitor taking a selfie at an interactive section depicting the life of rubber tappers. But rain trees are not the only strength of the graduate of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore. In his current solo exhibition of 60 Chinese ink paintings at Wisma Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM), landscape and fields, flowing streams and bridges, flowers and birds, misty lakes, rubber plantations, swaying coconut trees and banana groves have all become subjects for Hon's brush. Named 'Depicting the Beauty of Nature', the exhibition is divided into several sections. On the ground floor is his 'Rubber Tree' series depicting the Hevea brasiliensis, either singly or in groves, with milky white latex flowing into cups. An art lover admiring Hon's collection from his 'Rubber Tree' series at the exhibition titled 'Depicting the Beauty of Nature' at Wisma Sokka Gakai. — Photos: KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star The beauty in these pieces lie in their tree trunks bearing the scars of V-shaped grooves like beautiful tattoos. The mezzanine hosts 'Rain Trees from Taiping' inspired by Perak's Taiping Lake Gardens where Hon loves to take morning walks. On how he manages to capture fissures in tree barks so well in his paintings, Hon said he would stop to touch the trunks of trees to get a real feel for their depth and texture. On the first floor is his nature showcase. Of note is a piece called 'The Musang King', with squirrels raiding a durian tree. The exhibition at Wisma Kebudayaan SGM in Kuala Lumpur features 60 of Hon's paintings based on his lived experience as a farmer in Taiping. Although Hon was trained in Western oil painting, he did not pursue a career as an artist until he was in his 40s. He first chose to make a living as a farmer on his 4ha estate in Taiping, where he tapped rubber, reared grass carp and removed old trees for replanting. The estate has now been replanted with palm trees and managed by his eldest son Keng Chong, 55. Hon no longer works at his farm, but conducts Chinese ink painting classes in Perak, Kedah and Penang. 'Those years as a farmer helped me find my topics and discover my inner self,' he said. 'Depicting the Beauty of Nature' is on until Aug 10 at Wisma Kebudayaan SGM in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Opening hours: 11am to 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Admission is free.
Straits Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Arts Picks: Tan Choh Tee, Bhumi dance, Maaya Wakasugi
The Language Of The Wind Nearly 30 still-life and landscape paintings by Cultural Medallion recipient Tan Choh Tee are coming back to Singapore after three decades. Belonging to a seasoned collector in Canada, the paintings of Singapore's old streets, such as Amoy Street and Ann Siang Road, are being shown at Hai Hui Art Gallery at The Adelphi. The small solo of the second-generation artist is titled The Language Of The Wind. Tan created these works between 1985 and 2022, and mostly painted the m with his favoured implement – the palette knife. Viewers can venture up close to admire how his abstract blocks of ochre come together to form legible images, o r how his vital strokes bring erstwhile street scenes to shimmering life. Tan, who studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts under pioneer artists like Liu Kang and Georgette Chen, is also known for his interest in still-life scenes. Hai Hui Art Gallery manager Zi Juan says his subjects are clearly rooted in the region. 'The tropical fruits he depicts are also cultural symbols. The garlic that he paints is taken right from the mundane local market. They are a projection of Tan's emotions and a microcosm of the collision of Singapore's diverse cultures.' Tan Choh Tee paints street scenes like that at the Singapore River with his palette knife. PHOTO: HAI HUI ART GALLERY Where: Hai Hui Art Gallery, 04-46 The Adelphi, 1 Coleman Stree t MRT: City Hall When: June 13 to 23, noon to 6.30pm daily Admission: Free Info: Bhumi Bhumi is a fusion of traditional Asian dance forms and contemporary movement. PHOTO: MAYA DANCE THEATRE Meaning 'Earth' in Sanskrit, Bhumi is an international dance collaboration spearheaded by Singapore company Maya Dance Theatre. It will premiere at the Drama Centre Black Box at the National Library Building before travelling to Jakarta, Indonesia. Through a fusion of traditional Asian dance forms and contemporary movement, the show questions what it means to belong to a world that often excludes. It also draws on man's connection with nature to imagine a way of existence that is more compassionate. Maya Dance Theatre is working with dancers with disabilities from Indonesia's Gigi Art of Dance and Australia's The Stellar Dance Company . Singapore dance company Under The Bridge is also part of the project, along with independent artist Verena Tay and composer Kailin Yong. Rehearsals took place over Zoom. Director Kavitha Krishnan said: 'This presented real challenges – different time zones, languages, and access needs – but that's the beauty of inclusive practice: it adapts, it experiments, it empowers.' Where: Drama Centre Black Box, National Library Building, 100 Victoria Street MRT: Bugis When: June 13, 8pm; June 14, 3 and 8pm Admission: From $25 Info: Stars In The Night Sky Stars In The Night Sky at I.F. Gallery. PHOTO: I.F. GALLERY What if the moon and stars on Singapore's national flag were subjected to the unpredictability of ink, and reinterpreted by a foreigner with a penchant for performance? I.F. Gallery in Tras Street is staging a solo exhibition by contemporary Japanese calligrapher-artist Maaya Wakasugi, who has drawn inspiration from the Singapore flag for his expressive kanji symbols, titled Stars In The Night Sky. It joins several other activations the artist has in the Republic in June, as part of a collaboration with Japanese retailer Lumine. In addition to creating brand symbol 'I Am Who I Am', he has also designed Uchiwa fans for Lumine customers marked with the kanji character for light – Hikari. Those who want to see more of his work can visit the Japan Creative Centre in Nassim Road before June 13. He has written words like moon in seven calligraphy styles , as well as in his own invented one, also applying the quintessentially Asian medium to English phrases. Where: I.F. Gallery, 45A Tras Street MRT: Tanjong Pagar When: Till Aug 1, 11.30am to 8pm daily Admission: Free Info: Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Will sparks fly? 40 S'poreans going on 'Single's Inferno' trips to Japan to find love
Those going on the trip will be staying at a villa in Ugata, Japan. Will sparks fly? 40 S'poreans going on 'Single's Inferno' trips to Japan to find love Shermaine Ang The Straits Times June 8, 2025 In a few weeks' time, five women and five men will be flying to a villa in Japan on a trip inspired by South Korean reality television series Single's Inferno. The participants will not have met before going on the four-day, three-night trip, and will share a room with those of the same gender, as in the show. They are paying $1,111 each for a yacht trip, an Osaka day trip and an activity of their choice such as Universal Studios Japan and tea ceremony in Nara, among other things. Around 40 Singaporeans have signed up for three such trips, planned by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts design practice student Leo Ching Ling, 24, and business owner Ric Ang, 50. The pair, who met while Ms Leo was interning at a company Mr Ang was working in, have held around 10 social mixers around the numerology theme since August 2024 under their events brand Until 1111. Their parties offer compatibility readings, tarot card readings and purpose-infused crystal-making. Numerology is a practice that assigns a number to individuals based on their birthdate and name. The belief is that these numbers hold insights into personality, life path and potential. The parties are some of the latest initiatives to help sparks fly among singles, offering an alternative to dating apps. Others include singles pitch nights and dating mixers bringing games seen on platforms like YouTube and TikTok to the public. These events tend to be small-scale, with guests vetted for a more intimate setting. The idea for the trip came when Mr Ang's friend, who owns a villa in Japan, reached out to him to collaborate. Ms Leo said that they shared the idea on TikTok, and many expressed interest. "A trip together would be a good chance to create a core memory with each other, as well as a potentially long-lasting relationship." Participants asked to see photos of one another before the trip, but Ms Leo refused, wanting to keep the "surprise element" and not have them judge one another based on physical looks before meeting. Held every month, their mixers are attended by 20 to more than 40 guests bonding over speed dating, tarot readings and other activities. For some singles, signing up for such mixers is a way to expand their social circle and boost their odds of finding a partner after leaving school. Ms Lim Yun Qian and Ms Lynette Kee started a series of Plus One dating mixers in February as an answer to dating app fatigue, under their Footnotes initiative, which offers hosted experiences. Nearly 1,000 signed up for the three Plus One dating mixers held since February. PHOTO: FOOTNOTES SG "I think the idea of a 'meet cute' or meeting in a real life situation is something that everyone wants," said Ms Lim. "We want to make people comfortable," she added, likening their role to hosting a house party. Nearly 1,000 signed up for the three mixers, but each session was capped at 48 participants. Participants were chosen based on a form outlining their goals for the event, with online profiles reviewed to curate a more compatible group, said Ms Kee. Participants, who were aged 24 to 35, came with a friend as their "plus one" to put them at ease. Ms Lim and Ms Kee, who are both 29, tapped their expertise as full-time creative producers to create experiences usually seen on dating shows on TV and YouTube. The mixers' activities included doing a pitch for the single friend, helping to pass on messages to someone their friend was eyeing, or going around doing challenges on a Bingo card. The prize for the winning pitch was a 10-minute speed date with someone of the winner's choice, set up by the organisers. The meticulous curation of guests paid off for one attendee, who said: "The selection of people was quite well put together. Everyone was friendly and willing to meet people. The activities made things a little less awkward." Added the 30-year-old content strategist, who declined to be named: "App interactions are fleeting, so an in-person event feels like you get to know people a bit more before you cast judgment." Although he is not dating anyone from the two Plus One mixers he attended, he has made friends who he has gone bouldering with. Ms Joell Tee, who founded Dinner with Strangers in 2022, started co-hosting singles pitch nights called Fishbowl, inspired by American reality TV show Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs make business pitches to investors. "The premise feels quite low stakes, friendly and safe. Signing up with your friends kind of takes the edge off a dating event, because even if nothing comes out of it, it's still something that you were able to do with your friends, and it's still fun," said the 28-year-old, who works as a project manager in a bank. Attendees at Fishbowl, where people pitch their single friends to other singles. PHOTO: TIPSY FLAMINGO Around 160 people in their early 20s to late 30s have attended the three pitch nights held since August 2024. Attendee Denise Ong, 27, said going through the motions on dating apps has turned into "a numbers game where everyone starts to treat each other as disposable". "While the main objective (of going to Fishbowl) is to find a partner, I think it was nice to be reminded of everyone's humanity and individuality," said the marketing executive. It was her first time being pitched to a crowd. "I was a bit nervous, naturally. But I saw the deck beforehand, plus she's my best friend and knows me inside out, so overall I was enjoying it, even though I was a little 'paiseh'." Still, some singles have reservations about attending newfangled dating events, which may not meet expectations. Ms Ong went for a social mixer by Never Strangers, run by entertainment company Unfiltered, where she was drawn to a participant but later found out that he was not looking to date. She added: "There were even people who signed up together, and just didn't talk to anyone the entire night." "I think the more 'mass' these events are, the more superficial and unlikely it is to have good conversations, and I really do feel like that's what it's all about." Another participant Khor Kai Xiang, 29, who went for the same event, said he was matched with a man due to male participants outnumbering females. One Fishbowl participant, 29-year-old Nick, said he and his friend put together more "haphazard" presentations than the other participants who took the pitch more seriously. Nick, who works in finance and declined to give his full name, said: "We were slightly taken aback that some participants went straight to listing their expectations or requirements. The subjects ranged from marriage, number of children, to the infamous BTO (Build-To-Order flats)." Less crowd, more chemistry Meanwhile, Mr Lim, a 26-year-old financial adviser who did not give his full name, said his friends questioned why he was going to an Until 1111 mixer, pointing to a stigma attached to dating events. Little did he know he would meet a girl at the party's speed dating segment - though their brief conversation went "terribly". She was not interested in him at first, as he was a year younger than her and shared the same name as her former boyfriend. But he slipped her a note to say he enjoyed talking to her and hoped to keep in touch. They went out with a group of friends from the event a few weeks later, and he succeeded in asking her out after. "I was really lucky. These things are really hit or miss," said Mr Lim, adding that both his girlfriend and himself are introverts. "She's funny in her own way. She's a bit weird, but I'm also weird, and I just feel like she just complements me, and I can talk to her about anything. She's sort of like my safe place." Yet others have found love in interest group communities. Mr Luqman Rahamat, 33, met his girlfriend Elise Tan, 28, at non-fiction book club, The Saturday Book Club. Mr Luqman Rahamat met his girlfriend Elise Tan at non-fiction book club The Saturday Book Club. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LUQMAN RAHAMAT Mr Luqman, a maths tutor, and Ms Tan, a pre-school teacher, first chatted about decluttering, and Ms Tan lent him a book on minimalism called Love People, Use Things. They then went to check out the social enterprise bookshop Books Beyond Borders. She was intrigued by his blog posts detailing his travels and analysing dating apps and other topics using mathematical concepts. The couple made it official over a year ago. "It feels like the universe planned it for me. I was in a phase of self-improvement and didn't have any expectations on finding a long-term partner," said Mr Luqman. "She made me feel like I am enough and also taught me how to love myself more and accept my flaws." To romantic hopefuls, he has this advice: "If dating apps don't work, move to communities where you can meet people, be yourself and find someone who can appreciate and accept you for who you are." Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
AsiaOne
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
40 S'poreans going on 'Single's Inferno' trips to Japan to find love, minus the cameras, Singapore News
SINGAPORE - In a few weeks' time, five women and five men will be flying to a villa in Japan on a trip inspired by South Korean reality television series Single's Inferno. The participants will not have met before going on the four-day, three-night trip, and will share a room with those of the same gender, as in the show. They are paying $1,111 each for a yacht trip, an Osaka day trip and an activity of their choice such as Universal Studios Japan and tea ceremony in Nara, among other things. Around 40 Singaporeans have signed up for three such trips, planned by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts design practice student Leo Ching Ling, 24, and business owner Ric Ang, 50. The pair, who met while Ms Leo was interning at a company Mr Ang was working in, have held around 10 social mixers around the numerology theme since August 2024 under their events brand Until 1111. Their parties offer compatibility readings, tarot card readings and purpose-infused crystal-making. Numerology is a practice that assigns a number to individuals based on their birthdate and name. The belief is that these numbers hold insights into personality, life path and potential. The parties are some of the latest initiatives to help sparks fly among singles, offering an alternative to dating apps. Others include singles pitch nights and dating mixers bringing games seen on platforms like YouTube and TikTok to the public. These events tend to be small-scale, with guests vetted for a more intimate setting. The idea for the trip came when Mr Ang's friend, who owns a villa in Japan, reached out to him to collaborate. Ms Leo said that they shared the idea on TikTok, and many expressed interest. "A trip together would be a good chance to create a core memory with each other, as well as a potentially long-lasting relationship." Participants asked to see photos of one another before the trip, but Ms Leo refused, wanting to keep the "surprise element" and not have them judge one another based on physical looks before meeting. Held every month, their mixers are attended by 20 to more than 40 guests bonding over speed dating, tarot readings and other activities. For some singles, signing up for such mixers is a way to expand their social circle and boost their odds of finding a partner after leaving school. Ms Lim Yun Qian and Ms Lynette Kee started a series of Plus One dating mixers in February as an answer to dating app fatigue, under their Footnotes initiative, which offers hosted experiences. "I think the idea of a 'meet cute' or meeting in a real life situation is something that everyone wants," said Ms Lim. "We want to make people comfortable," she added, likening their role to hosting a house party. Nearly 1,000 signed up for the three mixers, but each session was capped at 48 participants. Participants were chosen based on a form outlining their goals for the event, with online profiles reviewed to curate a more compatible group, said Ms Kee. Participants, who were aged 24 to 35, came with a friend as their "plus one" to put them at ease. Ms Lim and Ms Kee, who are both 29, tapped their expertise as full-time creative producers to create experiences usually seen on dating shows on TV and YouTube. The mixers' activities included doing a pitch for the single friend, helping to pass on messages to someone their friend was eyeing, or going around doing challenges on a Bingo card. The prize for the winning pitch was a 10-minute speed date with someone of the winner's choice, set up by the organisers. Proving that Singaporeans are not boring: Meet the people making dating fun again Falling out of love with dating apps? Young singles switch to events, other algorithms, old tricks The meticulous curation of guests paid off for one attendee, who said: "The selection of people was quite well put together. Everyone was friendly and willing to meet people. The activities made things a little less awkward." Added the 30-year-old content strategist, who declined to be named: "App interactions are fleeting, so an in-person event feels like you get to know people a bit more before you cast judgment." Although he is not dating anyone from the two Plus One mixers he attended, he has made friends who he has gone bouldering with. Ms Joell Tee, who founded Dinner with Strangers in 2022, started co-hosting singles pitch nights called Fishbowl, inspired by American reality TV show Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs make business pitches to investors. "The premise feels quite low stakes, friendly and safe. Signing up with your friends kind of takes the edge off a dating event, because even if nothing comes out of it, it's still something that you were able to do with your friends, and it's still fun," said the 28-year-old, who works as a project manager in a bank. Around 160 people in their early 20s to late 30s have attended the three pitch nights held since August 2024. Attendee Denise Ong, 27, said going through the motions on dating apps has turned into "a numbers game where everyone starts to treat each other as disposable". "While the main objective (of going to Fishbowl) is to find a partner, I think it was nice to be reminded of everyone's humanity and individuality," said the marketing executive. It was her first time being pitched to a crowd. "I was a bit nervous, naturally. But I saw the deck beforehand, plus she's my best friend and knows me inside out, so overall I was enjoying it, even though I was a little 'paiseh'." Still, some singles have reservations about attending newfangled dating events, which may not meet expectations. Ms Ong went for a social mixer by Never Strangers, run by entertainment company Unfiltered, where she was drawn to a participant but later found out that he was not looking to date. She added: "There were even people who signed up together, and just didn't talk to anyone the entire night." "I think the more 'mass' these events are, the more superficial and unlikely it is to have good conversations, and I really do feel like that's what it's all about." Another participant Khor Kai Xiang, 29, who went for the same event, said he was matched with a man due to male participants outnumbering females. One Fishbowl participant, 29-year-old Nick, said he and his friend put together more "haphazard" presentations than the other participants who took the pitch more seriously. Nick, who works in finance and declined to give his full name, said: "We were slightly taken aback that some participants went straight to listing their expectations or requirements. The subjects ranged from marriage, number of children, to the infamous BTO (Build-To-Order flats)." Less crowd, more chemistry Meanwhile, Mr Lim, a 26-year-old financial adviser who did not give his full name, said his friends questioned why he was going to an Until 1111 mixer, pointing to a stigma attached to dating events. Little did he know he would meet a girl at the party's speed dating segment - though their brief conversation went "terribly". She was not interested in him at first, as he was a year younger than her and shared the same name as her former boyfriend. But he slipped her a note to say he enjoyed talking to her and hoped to keep in touch. They went out with a group of friends from the event a few weeks later, and he succeeded in asking her out after. "I was really lucky. These things are really hit or miss," said Mr Lim, adding that both his girlfriend and himself are introverts. "She's funny in her own way. She's a bit weird, but I'm also weird, and I just feel like she just complements me, and I can talk to her about anything. She's sort of like my safe place." Yet others have found love in interest group communities. Mr Luqman Rahamat, 33, met his girlfriend Elise Tan, 28, at non-fiction book club, The Saturday Book Club. Mr Luqman, a maths tutor, and Ms Tan, a pre-school teacher, first chatted about decluttering, and Ms Tan lent him a book on minimalism called Love People, Use Things. They then went to check out the social enterprise bookshop Books Beyond Borders. She was intrigued by his blog posts detailing his travels and analysing dating apps and other topics using mathematical concepts. The couple made it official over a year ago. "It feels like the universe planned it for me. I was in a phase of self-improvement and didn't have any expectations on finding a long-term partner," said Mr Luqman. "She made me feel like I am enough and also taught me how to love myself more and accept my flaws." To romantic hopefuls, he has this advice: "If dating apps don't work, move to communities where you can meet people, be yourself and find someone who can appreciate and accept you for who you are." This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
