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Who We Are

Plural

[ploo r-uh l]
adjective
1. consisting of, containing, or pertaining to more than one.
2. pertaining to or involving a plurality of persons or things.
3. being one of such a plurality.

We’re an art magazine with a difference.

You won’t find jargon here, or incomprehensible ideas. We have a Southeast Asian focus because we’re proud of our home region, and think it has so much to offer in terms of modern and contemporary art. We’re not here to sell you anything that we wouldn’t ourselves buy or consume. Most importantly, we believe that – in the words of the great Entang Wiharso (see above) – art is fun, it’s a part of our lives and it’s for everyone.

Plural started out as a student blog founded by Pauline Gan, Luke Chua and Usha Chandradas, three friends who met in art school while pursuing Master’s degrees in Asian Art Histories in Singapore.

United by nothing more than a deep love of the arts, a wicked sense of humour and a burning desire to simplify the language of art academia, we started blogging as a way to reach out to folks like us – people who want a deeper understanding of Southeast Asian art, but don’t care to be mired in technical gobbledygook. With Luke returning to his day job, the ladies took hold of the reins and Plural Art Mag was born.

The art historians reading this might recognise “plurality” as a term that’s bandied around liberally in essays (note: it’s just a fancy way of saying “difference”). It’s our name as it encapsulates our founding members’ initials (PLUral, see?) and our outlook on art writing – we embrace difference and individuality, and the term reminds us to never use 10 words where just 1 will do!

(Image from facade of OHD Museum, Magelang. Artist : Entang Wiharso)

Usha

Usha

U is for Usha. Usha spent 12 years at the coalface of tax law in Singapore, before she returned to her first love, the arts. These days, you're likely to find her at museums and art events, camera in one hand and (as far as possible), wine glass in the other. Outside of covering events for Plural, her favourite pastimes include harassing her two cats and husband, and lounging about with trashy novels and salty chips.

Pauline

Pauline

P is for Pauline. When her nose is not buried in a book, she can be found perpetually in beginner yoga class, taking long walks in nature or, more recently, trying to grow her own herbs and veggies. Having discovered her love for art relatively late in life (there being no art museums in the small town where she grew up), P is keen to share that love with the world! She's recently retired from her work at Plural Art Mag but remains an art lover and avid supporter of the arts community.