“how important it is to share these sorts of experiences, to talk about dying death and bereavement, and that this talk can be done in a variety of ways”
When is a right time for us to think about our preferences for end of life care and talk about our wishes?How important is it for us to relay this information to others, especially those who are closest to us? And how much do we know about their preferences and wishes? Dying Matter is a developing a participatory performance on the complexities of our reluctance to talk about death. The project is a collaboration with the Department of Acting and Performance at Sheffield Hallam University. Keep a look out for us or get in touch to find out more!
Picture of the initial team after premiering in-person performance at Lab4Living, 29 Nov 2022. Image: Michael Tan
A scene from Online version premiere at Dying Dialogue symposium, 27 Jan 2023. Image: Michael Tan
Michael Tan’s research lies at the intersection of Art, Health and Wellbeing. As a leading advocate for arts and health development in Singapore, he has been active in promoting awareness for arts and health among stakeholders in the fields of arts, health and social care. He has developed and conducted art–health programs in various care settings in Singapore, such as the Singapore General Hospital, The National University Hospital and the Singapore Parkinson’s society. In recent years, Michael has broadened the scope of his practice to examine the role and benefit of art engagement in eldercare.
In 2012, Michael partnered with the Agency for Integrated Care to investigate the benefits of art engagement for residents in a local nursing home. He was recently engaged by the Alzheimer’s Disease Associate of Singapore to develop an integrated art making and museum visit program for its members. He also serves as a member of the art advisory committee in the new Ng Teng Fong Hospital.
Michael holds a PhD in Arts and Health from Durham University, a Masters in Photography & Urban Cultures from Goldsmith College, University of London, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is also the recipient of the Singapore National Arts Council Post Graduate Scholarship (2012) and was awarded the Nanyang Award for Excellence in Teaching by NTU in 2011.
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Michael Tan Koon Boon 