Karaoke Court (How To Do Things With Rules)
PUBLISHED August 18th, 2015 08:42 am | UPDATED May 9th, 2018 03:13 am
This September, Singaporeans will be invited to settle their disputes through a favourite local pastime – by facing off in a karaoke contest.
Karaoke Court, by London-based Singaporean artist Jack Tan, will take place at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) Singapore, LASALLE College of the Arts. It is part of his first major solo exhibition, titled How To Do Things With Rules – an immersive multimedia, performative and participatory experience that challenges our understanding of rules and their construction, socially, emotionally and legally.
Inspired by the Arctic Eskimo and Inuit tradition of Song Duels, where litigants presented grievances to the entire community for judgment in the form of humorous and satirical song, participants in Karaoke Court resolve their cases by singing karaoke in front of an audience who will decide who wins. The processes and decision of the Karaoke Court are made legally binding via the participants’ signing of an arbitration contract.
In the lead-up to Karaoke Court, the Earl Lu Gallery at ICA Singapore will be transformed into a Clerk’s office, where litigants may file their cases, complete with a resource area containing books and information about singing and law. Singing lessons will be provided to participants in advance, and they will be decked out in costumes and accessories produced specially for Karaoke Court by LASALLE Level 2 BA(Hons) Fashion Design & Textiles students.
Karaoke Court was first produced at The Gowlett Pub in Peckham, South London, in March 2014, and will make its Singapore debut at the ICA Singapore on 5 September. Litigants include a pair of best friends who disagree on each other’s taste in jazz and hip-hop music, and a music teacher and her student in dispute on how often she needs to practice.
‘We usually perceive litigation as a negative experience – one which corrodes relationships and goodwill, one which divides rather than unites. Karaoke Court turns that on its head. It is constructive, not destructive; through humour and performance, it encourages cohesion,’ said Tan, who will play the role of the Clerk. ‘The work is embedded within community practices and spaces, and does not simply attempt to make new art but rather, to create new social norms. I’m excited to be back here presenting Karaoke Court to a home crowd.’
This event takes place at Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, LASALLE, on 5 Sept 2015 from 6.30pm. Admission is free. If you would like to participate in Karaoke Court, and have a dispute that you would like to resolve, contact the Clerk of Karaoke Court at [email protected] or +65 94736638. For more information, visit the ICA page [here](http://www.lasalle.edu.sg/events/karaoke-court-a-performance-by-jack-tan/).
