NOR’S NUSANTARA

About NOR’S NUSANTARA

NOR’S NUSANTARA explores the essence of the Nusantara through the language of art by highlighting influential voices, thinkers and creators in the sphere of culture from Singapore and beyond. It is part of a ongoing research to explore how the language of art can contribute to new knowledge.

Publisher

Nor Wang

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Apr 2025

Latest episode

11 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   11 Jul 2026

   New Discoveries from the Malay Peninsula’s Earliest Landscape with Nor Wang & Nasha Khaw

   Dr. Nasha Khaw joins Nor’s Nusantara a podcast to discuss his work at Bukit Choras and across the wider Bujang Valley is especially resonant within this exploration. Since 2016, Dr. Khaw has led excavations at Bukit Choras, a limestone outcrop along Kedah’s ancient riverine corridor. In 2024, his team uncovered a remarkable discovery: a 1,000-year-old, life-size stucco image of a meditating Buddha. This extraordinary find reframes the historical and geopolitical understanding of the region, positioning it as a critical gateway for early trade and commerce in the Nusantara.In this episode, the conversation turns to how some of the region’s earliest Hindu–Buddhist landscapes—enshrined in art and material culture—open up a new topography for understanding trade, connectivity, and early forms of globalisation.

2. 

   19 Apr 2026

   Historiographical Aesthetics in Contemporary Singapore and Malaysia With Nor Wang & June Yap

   How does art challenge preconceived ideas about fixed identities and place? In this episode, Dr. June Yap unravels her pioneering work with the Guggenheim UBS Global Art Initiative for South and Southeast Asia, a project that not only maps contemporary artistic activity in South Asia and Southeast Asia but also questions our notions of nations and boundaries. We also investigate her insightful book “Retrospective: A Historiographical Aesthetic in Contemporary Singapore and Malaysia” that unveils the intricate connections between two neighbouring nations through the lens of art and aesthetics that reconsider both our historical narratives and identities.

3. 

   19 Mar 2026

   Exploring Nusantara Treasures with T.K. Sabapathy and Dr. Imran bin Tajudeen

   Join us for an intimate walkthrough of cherished Nusantara objects, exploring the rich craftsmanship, symbolic layers, and cultural interconnections across maritime Southeast Asia. These profound yet everyday artifacts celebrate Malay-world ingenuity, entrepreneurship, and exchanges, challenging colonial stereotypes through hands-on appreciation of traditions from Java, Minangkabau, Banjarmasin, Terengganu, Kelantan, and more.

4. 

   16 Feb 2026

   Nanyang Art and Artists in the Nusantara With Nor Wang & Low Sze Wee

   In this episode, we sit down with Low Sze Wee, a leading figure in Singapore’s art scene to explore the profound significance of Nanyang art in picturing a modern understanding of the Nusantara. As a key modern art movement that emerged in pre-war Singapore, Nanyang art reflects the region’s dynamic blend of cultures and histories. Through the cosmopolitan experiences of its artists, the movement captured the spirit of the Nusantara—its landscapes, people, and evolving identity. Sze Wee, known for his expertise in ink art and curating the works of prominent regional artists, sheds light on how Nanyang art bridged the poetic, political, and personal, offering a unique lens on the region’s journey through modernity. Discover the lasting impact of Nanyang art and its role in picturing the rich tapestry of maritime Southeast Asia.

5. 

   25 Jan 2026

   Contemporary Art of War Featuring Ai Weiwei's Law of the Journey

   Set against Ai Wei Wei's monumental Law of the Journey staged by The Ryan Foundation at Capella Singapore, this panel hosted by Nor’s Nusantara, a platform dedicated to visual cultures of maritime Southeast Asia, will navigate the powerful themes of the artwork through a maritime lens, connecting the treacherous sea journeys of refugees to the currents of migration and belonging. The conversation explores the deliberate tension of presenting this “guerrilla exhibition” within Capella’s ballroom setting, a space overlooking the South China Sea and St. John's Island, Singapore’s former migrant quarantine centre.Bringing together leaders in diplomacy, curation, and art patronage, the panel will explore the role of art in social consciousness around displacement, belonging, and memory. Through the staging of Ai Wei Wei’s Law of the Journey for Singapore Art Week 2026, this special talk contemplates how the seas have served as both conduits of hope and witnesses to crisis. Dr Ryan Su: Founder of The Ryan Foundation, a private non-profit arts organisation dedicated to promoting arts awareness in Singapore and internationally. A lawyer, art collector, and recipient of Singapore's Patron of the Arts and Heritage Awards, Dr Su has organised significant exhibitions featuring international artists like Andy Warhol and Lucy Liu, fostering cultural exchange. • H.E. Kateryna Zelenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to Singapore: (Note: According to MFA’s website) Her Excellency Ambassador Kateryna Zelenko is a career diplomat. Prior to her accreditation to Singapore, she served as the Spokesperson of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and Deputy Director of the Communications and Public Diplomacy Department. Ambassador Zelenko joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in 2002. Her postings abroad include Ukrainian Embassy in the Republic of Austria and Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the International Organisations in Vienna, later, from 2007 to 2011 and from 2014 to 2018 – Embassy of Ukraine in the Federal Republic of Germany, where she was covering culture, press and public diplomacy issues. In 2018 she returned to Kyiv to work in the Political Department of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. Her appointment as Ukraine’s MFA Chief Spokesperson followed shortly thereafter. Kateryna Zelenko obtained her Master in International Relations and Foreign Policy at the Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv(Ukraine). • Prof Ute Meta Bauer: Founding Director of the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore, a former Dean of the School of Fine Art at the Royal College of Art, and a renowned curator. Prof. Bauer has extensive experience in biennales and exhibitions dealing with transdisciplinary and socio-political themes, making her a leading voice on art's engagement with global issues. • Nor Wang (Moderator): Founder of Nor's Nusantara, a platform dedicated to Southeast Asian art and culture. As a moderator, Nor brings deep regional insight and can bridge the discussion between the artwork's global themes and its specific resonance within the Singaporean and Southeast Asian context.

6. 

   17 Jan 2026

   Art Collecting and Legal Expertise with Nor Wang & Ryan Su

   Art collector and legal expert Ryan Su discusses the intersection of art acquisition and legal frameworks in the Nusantara region, emphasizing the importance of preserving cultural heritage in an interview with Nor Wang.

7. 

   10 Jan 2026

   Lumbung & Foreigners Everywhere. Picturing the Global South with Nor Wang & Seng Yu Jin

   Dr. Seng Yu Jin analyzes ruangrupa's lumbung concept at Documenta 15 and Adriano Pedrosa's "Foreigners Everywhere" theme at the Venice Biennale, revealing how curatorial choices shape our understanding of the world through art in this interview.

8. 

   10 Dec 2025

   The Power Of The Written Word In Manuscripts And Seals Of The Nusantara With Nor Wang & Dr Annabel Teh Gallop

   Dr. Annabel Teh Gallop examines the authority of manuscripts and seals in Nusantara, revealing how written words legitimized rulers and influenced regional identity in this interview with Nor Wang.

9. 

   22 Nov 2025

   Nusantara Port Cities With Nor Wang & Kennie Ting

   Kennie Ting discusses his book exploring the historical evolution of key Nusantara port cities like Kedah, Palembang, and Melaka, revealing their impact on the region's cultural heritage in this interview with Nor Wang.

10. 

    20 Sept 2025

    Tastemakers & Tastemaking In The Nusantara With Nor Wang And Khir Johari

    Khir Johari shares his memories and insights into the culture and traditions of the Nusantara, offering listeners an enriching exploration of this inspiring world in an interview with Nor Wang.

11. 

    3 Sept 2025

    Shipwrecks, Treasures & Buddhas. Ancient Nusantara Trade With Nor Wang & Stephen Murphy

    Nor Wang interviews Dr. Stephen Murphy about ancient Nusantara trade, exploring a 9th-century shipwreck and Buddhist influences in Southeast Asia.

12. 

    21 Jun 2025

    Exploring Pre-Modern Art In The Nusantara With Nor Wang & T.K. Sabapathy

    Art historian T.K. Sabapathy discusses pre-modern art in the Nusantara region with Nor Wang, revealing the Hindu-Buddhist cosmologies and historical significance embedded within ancient art forms in this interview.

13. 

    18 Jun 2025

    Nor’s Nusantara X Money FM98.3 feat. Richard Hassell

    Richard Hassell discusses Singapore's role in the interconnected Nusantara region with Glenn van Zutphen and Neil Humphreys in this interview episode.

14. 

    1 Jun 2025

    PARADISE LOST: CLIMATE CRISIS & CULTURAL LOSS IN THE NUSANTARA WITH NOR WANG & UTE META BAUER

    Professor Ute Meta Bauer discusses the entwined loss of biodiversity and cultural heritage in the Nusantara region due to climate change, highlighting art's role in documenting and transforming fragile environments in this interview with Nor Wang.

15. 

    21 Apr 2025

    TRAILER FOR NOR'S NUSANTARA

    Exciting podcast coming soon! NOR’S NUSANTARA is a podcast series that explores the essence of the Nusantara through the language of art by highlighting influential voices, thinkers and creators in the sphere of culture from Singapore and beyond. Directed and produced by Nor, it is part of her ongoing research to explore how the language of art can contribute new knowledge towards understanding the contexts we are in.

Who has been a guest on NOR’S NUSANTARA

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Ryan Su
• Seng Yu Jin
• Dr Annabel Teh Gallop
• Kennie Ting
• Khir Johari

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

8,826

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

18 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 35 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

20

Social presence

0

YouTube

74

Engagement

51

Contact NOR’S NUSANTARA

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.