LIVE ON FESTIVAL AWARDS 2021

Ms Sally Kong (Deputy Director, National Organ Transplant Unit)

LOF – Design & Essay Competition Judging Panel

“For the design competition, the quality of the entries have truly been outstanding. It was really quite a challenge tasked to judge the works. There were numerous excellent pieces with much time, thoughts and research invested to ensure the delivery of sentiments are portrayed effectively in the finished works.

It was refreshing to see how the various themes had been interpreted. The exquisite finishes using the various mediums and the array of emotions experienced through the pieces – despair, anxiety, fear, hope and joy through a single act of donation.

In creating these works – what organ donation is all about is appreciated – the deep psychological and intense emotional impact.

In this inaugural Live On Festival - Essay Competition, the number of entries received are beyond expectations. Our young people clearly displayed great concern and compassion for issues once they are made aware of the gravity of patients suffering from end stage organ failure and what organ donation means to the ailing patients and donor families.

The outstanding letters are those who are able to empathise and truly understand the difficulties the recipients of the letters are going through without providing the sense of false assurance and hope. The main subject matter is important but becomes ineffective if the emotional connection is missing. The expository essays are well organised, researched and convincingly argued taking into considerations the plethora of factors.

As young Singaporeans are exposed to the unfamiliar reality of organ failure and organ donation, they will need to be equipped not only with clinical, medical information but also grapple issues of the psychosocial and ethical dilemmas. It was a joy that through the Live On Festival, it had provided the valuable opportunity to touch on this briefly. To incite young inquiring minds further requires an established platform where open debates and discussions covering the full spectrum of the subject matter can be embarked enriching their education journey.”

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Ms Sabrina Long (Dean, School of Art & Design, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts)

LOF – Design Competition Judging Panel

“This year, I have the opportunity to witness some great ideas and interpretation of the theme in both the student and open categories. It is heart-warming to know that the quality of submissions has improved and that there is evidence that a variety of skills, use of mediums and concepts has been employed as the themes were challenging! However, I would like to encourage entries to continuously explore and push the boundaries to execute and communicate your ideas. Think creatively, be innovate and execute boldly in your execution visually.”

Mr Tan Jiahui (Creative Director, Fable)

LOF – Design Competition Judging Panel

“I am heartened by the beautiful works that took a lot of heart, effort, and time to be created. Personally, I assessed them based on how unique the execution was, the intention of delivery, and of course technique. As we live in an age where the possibilities of creation are endless, what sets the great apart from the good can be a tiny difference. Most of the time, it is the feeling of "I wish I could have thought of that" – that makes me take a second (or third) look – ranging from composition, proportion, contrast, and perhaps the dramatisation of forms. Congratulations to all the winners and participants. Keep the fire burning on!”

Mr Yan Da (Creative Director, Do Not Design)

LOF – Design Competition Judging Panel

“Art can be very powerful tool. Personally, I always feel it’s even more efficient than advertising or design — as a form of messaging and as a symbol for healing, expressionism and freedom. To some, they can see it as a new beginning and hope; some, they see a new life.

It’s always been very encouraging to see submissions knowing that these young talents have spent time pondering, thinking and doing. (Than just procrastinating being on Netflix or Tiktok like the many or the older in us)

It takes a lot of hands to make good things great — the submitters, the outstanding ones, the organisers to the receivers and viewers and we need to be more appreciative of every one’s effort, and even our love ones. Health is wealth, indeed.”

Dr Alvin Pang (Editor-In-Chief, ETHOS & Adjunct Editor - Centre for Liveable Cities)

LOF – Essay Competition Judging Panel

“Judging from the writings submitted to this inaugural Live On Essay Competition, our young people have been well schooled in the many of the facts, figures and fine details to do with the organ donation landscape in Singapore: I learnt a fair bit from reading them!

I was also encouraged to see in many of the entries a sense of compassion for those in need, along with an expressed desire to take personal action to help now that they have a better understanding of the concerns and challenges involved. The best entries were those who showed an understanding that the key issues in organ donation are just clinical but also social, economic, political and deeply personal.

The most well-argued essays were able to put forward a firm, clear stand based on supporting evidence as well as informed conviction. The most compelling letters were able to make a difficult and unsettling subject more readily understood, while getting the key facts right and without losing a sense of empathy.

As young Singaporeans continue to learn about, discuss and decide on the pressing issue of organ donation, they may need further guidance on the ethical, philosophical and other considerations that come into play. Our young people need to learn how best to approach such concerns in a more nuanced way, beyond the cursory observation that different communities may differ in views. A stronger foundation in ethical/bioethical thinking would enrich their positions on organ donation and other important issues that they will face in future.”

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Ms May Tan (Director of Education & Development, National Arts Council)

LOF – Essay Competition Judging Panel

“The quality of essays submitted for the Competition was incredibly impressive. I admire the thoughtfulness and respect displayed by the young writers in approaching the various delicate and emotive topics on organ donation and transplantation, demonstrating sensitivity to personal, social and religious considerations.

I would like to commend the winning expository essays on their sophisticated insights that prompted me to consider the topics more deeply when reading them. I was also heartened by the winning situational essays as they invite the reader to extend compassion.

All the young writers deserve to be acknowledged and encouraged. Please keep writing!”

A/Prof Graham John Matthews (Head of English, School of Humanities and Coordinator, Medical Humanities Research Cluster, Nanyang Technological University)

LOF – Essay Competition Judging Panel

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to read these essays and found them all to be thoughtful and highly engaged. I was particularly impressed by the range and diversity of responses and the overall standard was very high.

While most of the essays were able to reproduce facts with accuracy, the best essays were able to convey empathy and awareness of their audience. It is really important that writers are able to argue or persuade their reader and to display mindfulness and compassion towards the patients, medical practitioners, family members, and caregivers that we are writing about.

It was also good to see essays that were attentive to the local context and explored some of the key issues in relation to the specific needs and expectations of Singaporeans. The best essays were mindful of multiple perspectives and acknowledged that people with different age, gender, ethnicity, and class will view the same issue in different ways.

The strongest essays were very well researched and went beyond delivery of basic information to present truly fresh and insightful views on the subject matter. Please remember to check the legitimacy of your sources and make sure that they are rooted in scientific fact. I also appreciated the willingness of writers to take intellectual risks and engage in difficult subject that does not have an easy answer but requires attentiveness to degrees of ambiguity and uncertainty.

Overall, the standard of the entries was very high and this level of engagement is very promising for the future of creative and critical thinking in Singapore.”

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