Arthur Yap
Encyclopedia
Arthur Yap was a Singaporean poet
and a painter.
in England
. At Leeds Arthur earned a Master's degree in Linguistics and English Language Teaching, later obtaining his PhD
from the National University of Singapore
in the years after he returned from Leeds. He stayed on in the University's Department of English Language and Literature as a lecturer between the years 1979 and 1998. Between 1992 and 1996, Yap served as a mentor with the Creative Arts Programme run by the Ministry of Education
to help inspire students and nurture young writers at local secondary schools and junior colleges. Yap was then diagnosed with lung cancer, and received radiotherapy treatment.
with the precision of acrolectic English. Unsurprisingly, the craft of Yap’s voice has the admiration of other writers. Anthony Burgess
has written that he encountered Down the Line "with elation and occasional awe", while D. J. Enright
has praised Yap’s "sophisticated cosmopolitan intelligence". The Oxford Companion to 20th-Century Poetry describes Yap’s poems as "original, but... demanding: elliptical, dense, dry, sometimes droll. At their best, they shuttle between playfulness and sobriety and are alert to the rhythms and contours of the natural and the peopled landscape, seasoning insight with compassion."
His first collection of poems Only Lines was published in 1971, when he was 28. Its whimsical, wordplay-based humour captured the hearts of poetry lovers, and it won the first poetry award from the National Book Development Council of Singapore in 1976. An analysis of the poems from Only Lines finds moments of both celebration and apology for the power of the written word. At times he begins his verses as if in mid-conversation with the reader:
The pun on the word 'plot' in this passage, denoting both a storyline and a piece of land, suggests a dimensionality in the language that belies the dismissive adjective 'only'.
Other signature features of Yap's poems include his choice of simple words, and the use of all-lowercase style favoured by American poet E. E. Cummings
.
Yap's second collection Commonplace was published in 1972. The third collection, Down The Line(1980) was acclaimed and won Yap his second Book Council Award. In 1983 Yap was honored with the Cultural Medallion
for Literature, and the South-East Asian Write Award
in Bangkok. Translations of his books were published in many Asian countries, mainly in the Japanese, Mandarin and Malay languages.
A selection from each of Yap's previous books was compiled in The Space of City Trees: Selected Poems published in 2000. Extracts from The Space of City Trees were subsequently published in The Straits Times' Life! Books section.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and a painter.
Biography
Arthur Yap was born in Singapore, the sixth child of a carpenter and a housewife. Yap attended St Andrew's School and the University of Singapore, after which he won a British Council scholarship to study at the University of LeedsUniversity of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. At Leeds Arthur earned a Master's degree in Linguistics and English Language Teaching, later obtaining his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
in the years after he returned from Leeds. He stayed on in the University's Department of English Language and Literature as a lecturer between the years 1979 and 1998. Between 1992 and 1996, Yap served as a mentor with the Creative Arts Programme run by the Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
to help inspire students and nurture young writers at local secondary schools and junior colleges. Yap was then diagnosed with lung cancer, and received radiotherapy treatment.
Poetry
Yap’s poetry is distinctive for an unusual linguistic playfulness and subtlety that is able to bridge the rhythms of SinglishSinglish
Colloquial Singaporean English, also known as Singlish, is an English-based creole language spoken in Singapore.Singlish is commonly regarded with low prestige in Singapore. The Singaporean government and many Singaporeans alike heavily discourage the use of Singlish in favour of Standard English...
with the precision of acrolectic English. Unsurprisingly, the craft of Yap’s voice has the admiration of other writers. Anthony Burgess
Anthony Burgess
John Burgess Wilson – who published under the pen name Anthony Burgess – was an English author, poet, playwright, composer, linguist, translator and critic. The dystopian satire A Clockwork Orange is Burgess's most famous novel, though he dismissed it as one of his lesser works...
has written that he encountered Down the Line "with elation and occasional awe", while D. J. Enright
D. J. Enright
Dennis Joseph Enright was a British academic, poet, novelist and critic, and general man of letters.-Life:He was born in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and educated at Leamington College and Downing College, Cambridge...
has praised Yap’s "sophisticated cosmopolitan intelligence". The Oxford Companion to 20th-Century Poetry describes Yap’s poems as "original, but... demanding: elliptical, dense, dry, sometimes droll. At their best, they shuttle between playfulness and sobriety and are alert to the rhythms and contours of the natural and the peopled landscape, seasoning insight with compassion."
His first collection of poems Only Lines was published in 1971, when he was 28. Its whimsical, wordplay-based humour captured the hearts of poetry lovers, and it won the first poetry award from the National Book Development Council of Singapore in 1976. An analysis of the poems from Only Lines finds moments of both celebration and apology for the power of the written word. At times he begins his verses as if in mid-conversation with the reader:
The pun on the word 'plot' in this passage, denoting both a storyline and a piece of land, suggests a dimensionality in the language that belies the dismissive adjective 'only'.
Other signature features of Yap's poems include his choice of simple words, and the use of all-lowercase style favoured by American poet E. E. Cummings
E. E. Cummings
Edward Estlin Cummings , popularly known as E. E. Cummings, with the abbreviated form of his name often written by others in lowercase letters as e.e. cummings , was an American poet, painter, essayist, author, and playwright...
.
Yap's second collection Commonplace was published in 1972. The third collection, Down The Line(1980) was acclaimed and won Yap his second Book Council Award. In 1983 Yap was honored with the Cultural Medallion
Cultural Medallion
The Cultural Medallion is a Singapore cultural award conferred to those who have achieved artistic excellence in dance, theatre, literature, music, photography, art and film....
for Literature, and the South-East Asian Write Award
S.E.A. Write Award
The S.E.A. Write Award, or Southeast Asian Writers Award, is an award that has been presented annually since 1979 to poets and writers in Southeast Asia....
in Bangkok. Translations of his books were published in many Asian countries, mainly in the Japanese, Mandarin and Malay languages.
A selection from each of Yap's previous books was compiled in The Space of City Trees: Selected Poems published in 2000. Extracts from The Space of City Trees were subsequently published in The Straits Times' Life! Books section.
Yap, the painter
Yap inspired not only through his writing, but also in his accomplishment as a painter. His passion for painting began in 1967 when he was working as a Pre-University English Literature teacher at the Serangoon Gardens English School. During the weekends he would pick up the brush, expressing himself through his abstract works of art. On 13 April 1969 Arthur held his first solo art exhibition featuring 44 square abstract paintings at the National Library in Stamford Road. Yap went on to have a total of seven solo exhibitions in Singapore, as well as participating in group exhibitions in Malaysia, Thailand and Australia. Yap's paintings were also chosen to represent Singapore at the Adelaide Festival of Arts in 1972.Death
Unfortunately his cancer, which had been in remission, recurred in 2004. Yap underwent major surgery to remove his voice box. On the night of 19 June 2006, he died in his sleep at home after a two-and-half year battle with throat cancer. He was 63.External links
- 3 poems at thedrunkenboat.com
- Arthur Yap: Uniquely Singaporean at Quarterly Literary Review Singapore
- Arthur Yap overview
- SEA Write Awards
- Yawning Bread's article on Arthur Yap: http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2006/yax-618.htm