Up-Front with Front and Off-Centre

Front and Off-Centre
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Up-Front is a podcast where we speak with guests about their creative practices. In the first season, we talk to entrepreneurs in Singapore and learn how they get things done. The podcast is brought to you by Front & Off-Centre, a cultural agency offering communications, curatorial and programming services. It is co-hosted by Director Nadya Wang and Curatorial Lead Ian Tee.

  1. Justin Zhuang, In Plain Words| S3E5

    Jun 1

    Justin Zhuang, In Plain Words| S3E5

    Today’s guest is Justin Zhuang. He is a writer and researcher, and co-founder of Singapore-based writing studio In Plain Words. In 2013, Justin was awarded the DesignSingapore Scholarship to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Design Criticism at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Since returning home, Justin has continued researching local design through his writings, teaching work, and the Singapore Graphic Archives, a digital repository he started. Important titles he has worked on include: Everyday Modernism: Architecture and Society in Singapore; Mok Wei Wei: Works by W Architects; and Fifty Years of Singapore Design, among others. In this episode, hosted by Ian Tee, Justin talks about his background in journalism, what criticism means to him, as well as In Plain Words’ latest book titled Critical of/for What? Notes on Criticality in Singapore Design Education and Practice (2026). Up-Front is brought to you by Front & Off-Centre, a cultural agency offering communications, curatorial and programming services. It is co-hosted by Director Nadya Wang and Curatorial Lead Ian Tee, with production by Isaiah Cheng and visual design by Sharrona Valezka. To learn more about us, follow us on Instagram ⁠@frontandoffcentre⁠ and visit ⁠frontandoffcentre.com⁠

    41 min
  2. Aqilah Zailan, Studio Gypsied | S3E4

    May 25

    Aqilah Zailan, Studio Gypsied | S3E4

    Today’s guest is Aqilah Zailan. As a Malay Singaporean of Javanese descent, She unpacks identity and memory through batik, a cloth synonymous with the peoples and cultures of the Malay Archipelago (Nusantara). With a focus on Javanese batik, Studio Gypsied designs womenswear that intuitively connects the wearer to an identity—an act of coming home. In this episode, hosted by Nadya Wang, Aqilah talks about when she first discovered her love–and knack–for retail, engaging with customers for more than a decade, and honouring her roots and she continues to innovate. Up-Front is brought to you by Front & Off-Centre, a cultural agency offering communications, curatorial and programming services. It is co-hosted by Director Nadya Wang and Curatorial Lead Ian Tee, with production by Isaiah Cheng and visual design by Sharrona Valezka. To learn more about us, follow us on Instagram ⁠@frontandoffcentre⁠ and visit ⁠frontandoffcentre.com⁠

    45 min
  3. Bea Camacho | S3E3

    May 18

    Bea Camacho | S3E3

    Today’s guest is Bea Camacho. She is a visual artist and Regional Director for Southeast Asia at IDEO. Her artistic practice spans performance, installation, and video, exploring memory, the body, and material gestures. Alongside her art practice, she works at IDEO as a design consultant applying human-centered design to help organizations develop new products, services and user experiences. In this episode, hosted by Nadya Wang, Bea talks about the foundations of her practice, working between art and design, and what creativity means to her. Up-Front is brought to you by Front & Off-Centre, a cultural agency offering communications, curatorial and programming services. It is co-hosted by Director Nadya Wang and Curatorial Lead Ian Tee, with production by Isaiah Cheng and visual design by Sharrona Valezka. To learn more about us, follow us on Instagram ⁠@frontandoffcentre⁠ and visit ⁠frontandoffcentre.com⁠

    39 min
  4. Berny Tan, Artist and Curator | S3E2

    May 11

    Berny Tan, Artist and Curator | S3E2

    Today’s guest is Berny Tan, who is a Singapore-based artist and curator. Her curatorial projects reflect an interest in illuminating the processes and materialities of art-making, and how artists' sensibilities transcend the mediums they work. Berny holds a Masters in Contemporary Art Theory from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual & Critical Studies from the School of Visual Arts. Between 2021 and 2024, she organised 8 curatorial projects in Singapore, while continuing to present her artwork in solo and group exhibitions. Most recently, Berny joined the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) as Curator of the Design Collection initiative, which explores expanded creative practices at the intersection of design and contemporary art. In this episode, hosted by Ian Tee, Berny talks about the tensions explored in her artworks, research directions taken by SAM’s Design Collection initiative, and what it means to be an artist-curator. Up-Front is brought to you by Front & Off-Centre, a cultural agency offering communications, curatorial and programming services. It is co-hosted by Director Nadya Wang and Curatorial Lead Ian Tee, with production by Isaiah Cheng and visual design by Sharrona Valezka. To learn more about us, follow us on Instagram ⁠@frontandoffcentre⁠ and visit ⁠frontandoffcentre.com⁠

    47 min
  5. Larry Peh, &Larry | S3E1

    May 4

    Larry Peh, &Larry | S3E1

    Today’s guest is Larry Peh, the founder and Creative Director of &Larry, an independent branding studio in Singapore. A two-time President’s Design Award recipient, he champions soul-driven design, focusing on the essence that powers purpose to create meaningful brand experiences rooted in clarity, authenticity, and lasting impact.  In this episode, hosted by Nadya Wang, Larry talks about the twists and turns of his practice, his recent exhibition XX&L: 20 Years of Tom, Dick &Larry and Normat, his newest venture making sake. Up-Front is brought to you by Front & Off-Centre, a cultural agency offering communications, curatorial and programming services. It is co-hosted by Director Nadya Wang and Curatorial Lead Ian Tee, with production by Isaiah Cheng and visual design by Sharrona Valezka. To learn more about us, follow us on Instagram ⁠@frontandoffcentre⁠ and visit ⁠frontandoffcentre.com⁠

    54 min
  6. Kapilan Naidu, Media Artist and Creative Technologist | S2E5

    Mar 23

    Kapilan Naidu, Media Artist and Creative Technologist | S2E5

    Today’s guest is Kapilan Naidu, who is a media artist, designer and creative technologist. He uses interactive elements and real-time data to create works that span across mixed-reality experiences, screen-based installations and computer programmes. Kapi has exhibited at venues such as National Gallery Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, and ArtScience Museum, among others. He also frequently collaborates with Singapore-based artist Jo Ho as part of the collective jo+kapi.  In this episode, hosted by Ian Tee, Kapi talks about the influence of game design in his practice, the common misconceptions about working with large language models, and what it means to create artworks that are “machine readable and human compatible”.  Up-Front is brought to you by Front & Off-Centre, a cultural agency offering communications, curatorial and programming services. It is co-hosted by Director Nadya Wang and Curatorial Lead Ian Tee, with production by Isaiah Cheng and visual design by Sharrona Valezka. To learn more about us, follow us on Instagram ⁠@frontandoffcentre⁠ and visit ⁠frontandoffcentre.com⁠

    47 min
  7. Wang Zineng, Art Agenda | S2E4

    Mar 5

    Wang Zineng, Art Agenda | S2E4

    Today’s guest is Wang Zineng, Founder and Director of Art Agenda, a gallery and advisory that specialises in Asian modern and post-war art. He has nearly two decades of experience in Southeast Asian art sales and curation. In 2025, Zineng established ANNEXE, an auction platform that aims to run innovative online sales.  In this episode, hosted by Ian Tee, Zineng talks about his early interest in Southeast Asian studies, the work behind preparing an auction sale, and what it means to define one’s own definition of success.  Up-Front is brought to you by Front & Off-Centre, a cultural agency offering communications, curatorial and programming services. It is co-hosted by Director Nadya Wang and Curatorial Lead Ian Tee, with production by Isaiah Cheng and visual design by Sharrona Valezka. To learn more about us, follow us on Instagram ⁠@frontandoffcentre⁠ and visit ⁠frontandoffcentre.com⁠

    52 min
  8. Diana Tay, BARC Labs | S2E3

    Feb 26

    Diana Tay, BARC Labs | S2E3

    Today’s guest is Dr Diana Tay, Principal Conservator and Founder of BARC Labs, a fine art conservation studio based in Singapore. She has over 15 years of experience in museums and collections around the world, and leads a team dedicated to redefining how art is cared for, understood, and sustained. Through BARC Labs, she continues to build a growing ecosystem that bridges research, education, and conservation. In this episode, hosted by Nadya Wang, we learn about Diana’s journey from civil service to entrepreneurship, how she is in the business of trust, and her plans to make conservation more accessible. Up-Front is brought to you by Front & Off-Centre, a cultural agency offering communications, curatorial and programming services. It is co-hosted by Director Nadya Wang and Curatorial Lead Ian Tee, with production by Isaiah Cheng and visual design by Sharrona Valezka. To learn more about us, follow us on Instagram ⁠@frontandoffcentre⁠ and visit ⁠frontandoffcentre.com⁠

    42 min
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About

Up-Front is a podcast where we speak with guests about their creative practices. In the first season, we talk to entrepreneurs in Singapore and learn how they get things done. The podcast is brought to you by Front & Off-Centre, a cultural agency offering communications, curatorial and programming services. It is co-hosted by Director Nadya Wang and Curatorial Lead Ian Tee.

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