STEPHEN BLACK Producer Educator Speaker

Artist Writer Photographer Videomaker twitter: mrblacksteps OR

sb@blacksteps.tv www.blacksteps.tv bookmerah OR chiakiwilliams facebook: stephen black/blacksteps AND Book Merah

About Stephen Black: An American who graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology (NY), Stephen Black is a multidisciplinarian who has lived in Asia for most of his life. Currently based in Singapore, he has also lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Manhattan and Paris. Besides numerous private collections, his work is in the collections of: Columbia University,The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography and the A.R.T Collection(Tokyo/ J. Walker). His writings have appeared in numerous Japanese and English-language art, travel and design magazines, including Singapore Architect, for which he is a frequent contributor. He co-wrote the fictitious biographical text for Michael Lees Office Orchitect installation at the 2011 Singapore Biennale. In 2008 Black established Book Merah as an incubator/test project for ebooks and other works. Book Merah has published work by award-winning poet Cyril Wong as well as Samuel Chia, a promising young photographer. Book Merah continues to evolve into a platform for the development of printed books, ebooks, portfolios, monographs and exhibitions.S tephen Blacks titles include: Obama Search Words, Contact With Shadow, Furikake,On Seng Poh Road, Tiong Bahru Blue, Bus Stopping and Tiong Bahru. ... a spontaneous, studied and ever eloquent eye." Xu Xi, 2007 Man Asian Literary Prize nominee, commenting upon the hardcover version of Bus Stopping, a book of photographs It's a double pleasure to read this... First, there's the joy of gleaning nuggets of knowledge about Singapore and the printed word hitherto unknown; and second, there's the childlike wonder of never knowing what Stephen Black has in store for us on the next page." Ng Yi-Sheng, Playwright, writer and winner of the Singapore Literature Prize in 2008 Black also has an extensive and international involvement with music, from being in a band in New York in the 80s to being the visual component of Sadato, an IranianJapanese jazz rock band to writing lyrics for S-Kens acid jazz hit, Enemy Headlights. Other projects include video and photographic documentation of the classical pianist Chieko Honzawa as well as many musicians and bands on the Epic-Sony label. In Singapore, with 3how, he performed a rock opera, Big Homer, which was performed at the Lit Up and Singapore Night Festivals, both in 2011. The core of 3how is Amith Narayan,from the critically acclaimed and genre-defying Unseen Guest band. Another frequent 3how performer is Bani Haykel who,like Amith, has toured internationally and is a respected member of the Singaporean music scene. Black has also worked in various capacities for media companies such as CNN, MTV, Fuji TV, France 2, Fox and Cartoon Network. His photographs have appeared in Time, People, Esquire, Playboy, Kurashi no Techo and Hanatsubaki. He worked with Japanese legendary actress Kumiko Akiyoshi on Kiss, a ground-breaking web movie and was also the director of photography for Bubu Again, her feature film directorial debut.He has also worked with theatre and butoh practitioners, most notably Kazuo Ono. Having worked for several years as artistic director for WalkerAsia/Compudia, Black is experienced with 3D gamemaking production and theory. He has taught 3D

gamemaking classes throughout Singapore, including the Singapore Science Center, primary and secondary schools and at a number of Peoples Association centers. 2013 Joe and the Music of the Eagles, a book, work in progress Flame Magnet, collection of short stories, work in progress Big Homer, performed as a musical, now being rewritten in book form Voice of Pieces, an ongoing conceptual work; 6000+ unique pieces in 60+editions, VOP started in 1995. Raw Eggs: Ten years of looking at art in Singapore (expected to be epublished in December) 2012 Obama Search Words and the Unglueing process. To understand this please see SBs book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Obama-Search-Wordsebook/dp/B001U8981S And then visit http://gluejar.com/ The process is expected to happen in April. Tiong Bahru, publication of hardcover book, May. Realized with the support of: www.camerarental.biz Depth, multimedia exhibition, Domain Art, MICA Building, Singapore, March Im a Kway, Youre a Kway, collaboration with traditional foodmakers; part of the Occupy Tiong Bahru art event, February (Review: http://jusdeananas.wordpress.com/ Mentions, Time Out and Business Times) The Monsoon Drain and the Blue Orchid, chapbook published by Math Paper Press, April Obama Search Words, ebook on Kindle, January www.amazon.com/Obama-Search-Wordsebook/dp/B001U8981S 333066.html

Contact With Shadow, ebook on xinxii, January www.xinxii.com/en/contact-with-shadow-pBuildings on Walls, essay in booklet for Michael Lees Revision #002 work at Art Stage Singapore, January Poetry Performance, teaching/course development with Word Forward Pte. Ltd, 2010-ongoing 2011 Future of Imagination International performance art festival, official videographer (2004 also) November I Can Explain, artists talk Studio Bibliothque, October 5th Abject Systems: Artists Who Love The Unlovable, group show, Studio Bibliothque, Singapore, September Singapore Architect,essays and photographs: One House, Many Windows (the Singapore Biennale), I See (Video Art from the Pompidou Center Exhibition) Office Orchitect (On collaborating with Michael Lee) Watching Machine, mixed media works, OKOKOK Gallery (Tiong Bahru), with screening of Zombie Dogs The Singapore Skyline (For its Other,) essay commissioned by the British Council Singapore for the website supporting the Future Memory Pavilion at the National Museum of Singapore, October 2011 The Font Detective, photo essay/ebook about a young female detective in search of the perfect font. July On Seng Poh Road ebook about a street in Tiong Bahru http://books.shoreless.org/books/seng-poh-road So, what do you think of Singapore? 45 minute videowork for the Home Away From Home exhibition at the Singapore Discovery Centre. SB directed, shot and

recorded sound. Clips also used in an interactive part of the exhibition. Editing by David East (Avid specialist, including work for BBC and Peter Jackson) Contributor to Indie3D website. Article on widescreen & their work for Tsui Hark/Jet Li/ Flying Swords May Short stories appeared regularly on Littlerature website as well as Writing Raw website and the TroyLambertWrites website. Stories :A Knife, an Orchid and a Boat, Coasting and Building, A Star is Born, The Music of All Time, and Christmas, Kites and the Sound of Surprise. The Last Golden Afternoon in Fukushima, photographic print in the Unshakable Art Auction for Japan. April 2010 Researcher, associate producer for Studio Bibliotheque/ Singapore National Columbarium Contact With Shadow completed Turner Fast Forward Conference, Art Direction and Stage Design for a regional conference of Turner companies such as CNN, Cartoon Network, Mondo 21,Q TV ,imagine TV and other Asian properties; produced by Yaw Production, Venue: Esplanade, Singapore. Created 3D animation of proposed set and worked with construction crew as well as venue personnel Furikake, a collection of short stories published on Kindle and Scribd 2009 CoCo: 100 up and coming chefs published by Phaidon. The best-selling book included photographic work created for Ryan Clift and Mathew Bax of the Tippling Club. Contact With Shadow research and writing started Obama Search Words completed and released on Kindle Fires, a book of poetry by Cyril Wong and produced by Book Merah released on Kindle 2008 Book Merah established. Besides works by Stephen Black, Book Merah produced the first Kindle ebook by a Singaporean writer: Fires by award-winning poet Cyril Wong. For full details visit www.blacksteps.tv or the BOOK MERAH FACEBOOK PAGE.Also, there are a number of experimental and conventional projects at http://www.scribd.com/document_collections/2346687 This site averages about 50 visitors a day and has been seen by nearly 50,000 people. 3how, a music/performance project started with Amith Narayan. First performance took place in an abandoned office with Wilson Goh and the Banyari band. Moving on from abandoned and/or unusual spaces, 3how soon began performing at venues such as LaSalle-SIAs Black Cube (for the Lit Up Festival), Goodman Art Center and the Substation. Other members of 3how have included Bani Haykal, Mel Araneta and John Banta. 3how is on Facebook 2007 Music Alive I and II (Music textbooks)Project manager, writer and photographer.Produced by Nature Media and written by Larry Francis Hilarian, Caroline Anne Francis and Chee Hoo Lum Photographic work for Alleno 101 (ditions Glnat), by Kazuko Masui and Yannick Alleno.released in 2009, Documented the 3 star chef: at the Michelin Awards cermeony in Tokyo, while cooking at the Empire Hotel in Brunei , working with Thomas Keller at Per Se in Manhattan as well as researching the food of Sevilla Spain and the El Bulli Hotel Hacienda 2006

Publication of Bus Stopping, a photographic book about Singapore and exhibition at the Arts House Singapore Commissioned by Singapore Science Center to make a 3D underwater game Presentation at the International Society of Electronic Artists, Singapore Development of 3D gamemaking teaching books and activities (www.mgkeducation.multiply.com) Began research on Obama Jalan Jalan, which evolved into Obama Search Words Produced a presentation by Stelarc, cyber artist. Singapore Science Center Development of a CDK-based Trial Project for Canberra Primary School and the Ministry of Education Development of a CDK-based Game/Animation Course for Bartley Secondary school Lead Actor in Boo Jun Feng's short film, The Changi Murals. Film selected for Singapore Film Festival Art Director/Photographer for Checkpoint, the 2nd album by the Unseen Guest (Tuition records, Germany). One Hundred Thousand Words, A presentation of visual collaborations with poets Including Cyril Wong, Koh Tsin Yen, Arleen Schloss, Kumiko Akiyoshi, Barae and a sample of a video based on Carl Sandberg's Chicago Poem Painting with a Camera, Series of photographic Workshops at Instinc gallery on Photography and Art Continued work on various projects including Voice of Pieces as well as a feature length script being co-written with Philip Morgan 2005 Presentation at the Rojak event night, organized by Farm at LaSalle College of the Arts. Game Development classes taught at e2max game center, Singapore Science Center, SMRT and the Association of Muslim Professionals Photojournalist for Snaptrap and Reading Plus, magazines for secondary and primary school students. Collaborations with Yeo Shi Yun on a booklet of her work as well as a Moleskine exhibition at Page One Art director for the cover of Checkpoint, the second album by the Unseen Guest www.unseenguest.com Short story on James Brown posted on www.popwars.com Featured photographer in Cube magazine Photographic and video work with local performers, writers and artists at Substation, Esplanade and on location. Commercial photography and video work for ffurious design, Singapore Technologies and individuals Photos appeared in The Birdman (the works of Hans Langner, conceptual/visual artist whose work is based on birds) Prestel Press 2005 www.hanslangner.com December Experimental collage/photography project at www.flickr.com/voice_of_pieces.com For Arleen Schloss, a word collage, featured on www.softblow.com (March) Cover art/featured interview, Ish magazine(Published in Singapore, distributed throughout Asia) Eight page interview and review of Huge Perpetual World Photographic Exhibition, February 2004 Huge Perpetual World Video and Photographic Exhibition at The Photographers Gallery, Singapore Creative Director for Walker Asia/Compudia A joint venture between Compudia, Kadokawa, Dentsu, Sumitomo and the IDA created a Youtube-like platform at least two years before Youtube. Concurrently, a 3D educational gamemaking software was created. The premier of the software occurred at the Singapore Science Center, as part of the Planet Games exhibition in 2004, Tragically, that morning,the guiding force and CEO ofthe two companies passed away. His death created complications regarding the IP, complications which ultimately led to the projects disintegration.

Robert McKee's Story seminar (both public and invitation-only private seminar) Publications of article/interview in d+a magazine (Singapore) Videographer of Future of Imagination Performance Art Festival Photography/ art direction for cover/booklet of Out There, by the Unseen Guest (Schott/Tuition records) Huge Perpetual World m Photography and Video Exhibition,The Photographers' Gallery (Interview in Streats Daily Newspaper, Singapore) Publication of Sushi Secrets by Kazuko and Chihiro Masui .Featured Photographer, along with Richard Haughton nearly 60,000copies sold since October 2004 What is Lomo?, Group show of photographs taken with Lomo cameras, Objectifs (Singapore) October Audio, experimental short film featuring Cyril Wong Voice of Pieces, Edition #25, produced in Guangzhou, August Chicago video excerpt on the 47th issue of the 2nd rule, Singaporean on-line poetry and art journal.July Continued production and postproduction on Orchid People a documentary on Singaporeans who are involved with orchids 7 Polaroids, photographic collaboration with Cyril Wong , June and featured at Changi Village audio programs about Singapore, with Ferreo, music by Kaye. November 2003 August 2004 Invited reader at subtext, monthly gathering of poets and writers, April Venus W, Online premier of video short on the 2nd rule issue 47, March Voice of Pieces #24, avatars and orchid version (edition of 50) March Trophy Bowler Video piece for Pete LaBonne (Earring Records) www.therefrigerator.net 2003 Director of Photography(movie) for BuBu Again, directorial debut by Akiyoshi Kumiko,Okinawa, 2003 3 a.m. video, with Rizal for Living Digitally Arts Festival. Screened online and the Esplanade Arts Center, Manifest Arts Festival, Nishinomya Japan Participating artist, October Assembly Line music video for Margaret Explosion(earring records) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWHwGdoQcFU www.therefrigerator.net August Voice of Pieces edition #23 Emerald Mansion: a cat needs a home, edition of 100 Bug Jar Music Video, Live video shot in Rochester New York, the Color Blind James Tribute featuring King Rat and Nod, Sonic Youth label recording artists August Around, script written duringTheatreworks 24 hour scriptwriting competition, June Box Show at Plastique Kinetic Worms gallery (Singapore), presented Voice of Pieces #22:Ivan Ho version, edition of 3, April The Agaricus Blazei Murrill Notebook The first English book/ebook devote to ABM, a gourmet and medicinal mushroom,March Video documentation with Zai Kuning at Coyote Ugly as well as Substation performance with Jason Lim Participant in invitation-only Robert McKee screenwriting seminar. Also attended public seminars, January 2002 Big Tortoise Poster, Article for Vehicle, a Singaporean art magazine, October Contributing Artist,Found magazine(U.S.A.) www.foundmagazine.com Come, Performance/installation, Mitre Hotel, Singapore, October 26 Creative Director/Producer for WalkerAsia/Compudia, moved to Singapore Voice of Pieces online presentation at www.popwars.com, www.popwars.com/black/black41.html Secrets,exhibition of drawings, galerie omote sando, Tokyo June17-29

Voice of pieces ,Exhibition, Vanryuji studio,Tokyo, February Open Studio Nakano, Tokyo 2001 Collaborations with Kumiko Akiyoshi, award-winning Japanese actress, including Kiss, a six minute music/poem video with music by Rei Shimizu. During the premier of the online screening, a commissioned screensaver was also available. Over 50,000 were downloaded. Vocal coach for Speed Racer Theme Song cover by Pez jazz/funk musicians Vocal coach for Smile Kick cover of the Velvet Underground's The Black Angel's Death Song for World Apart Records, Tokyo An American in Tokyo, Writer, feature-length movie script Asagaya music CD by Sadato, producer Sunset at the Water Building,music video for Invisible Idiot. Producer, director. Rochester New York Collaborations with the musician Christophe Charles(France, Japan), including audio, text, art and assistance with his permanent sound installation at Narita airport. Began research on the agaricus blazei murill mushroom and spoke about it at the New York New Life Expo in October. Contributed articles to magazines. Attended the Bioneer conference in San Rafael California, attending lectures by (among others) Dr. Andrew Weil and Paul Stamets. Dr. Weil is a respected author and internationally recognized expert on medicinal plants. Paul Stamets is a pioneer in the area of "fungal bioremediation" as well as a scholar and conservationist. Street Market Mural, Commissioned by a Tokyo restaurant for its interior and exterior The Future is in Your Hand, a chapbook by New York poet Lee Williams. Photographer/art director Producer/director/cameraman for Foreign Communicators Club documentary on Advertising Gran Prix Competition Cameraman for France 2 documentary on Tokyo nightlife Cameraman for MuchMusic(Canada) interview with DJ Honda Cameraman/director for Japanese Department of Education video on European lifestyles Paris, Tokyo Director/cameraman for "The Scot Smith Show", a pilot for an outdoors program. Documentation of a Sailfish Fishing Tournament off the coast of North Carolina. Producer/director/camerman for a project involving the citizens of Chicago reading sections of the Carl Sandberg poem of the same name. Photographer for the nonstock photo agency (NYC)

1999-2000 Promo Department Manager for News Broadcast Japan. Responssible for a total of 6 channels, including Channel V, Star Movies, Fox News and Fox. Hired staff, sourced equipment, responded to the promotional needs of other departments 1995 1997 Promo Producer Cartoon Network/Turner Classic Movies After graduating in the 80s, Stephen Black was involved in a wide variety of experiences in Manhattan, Paris and Tokyo, including work with Kazuo Ono, Stelarc, Annie Liebovitz, Barae, Min Tanaka, Kenzo, David Sylvian, Epic Sony, Sadato,Ayuo Takahashi, Arleen Schloss , Kazuto Shimizu and Christophe Charles. From 1992-1993, he ran and curated the SPP Art Space with Barae. Documentation on his earlywork and exhibition is forthcoming. It should be noted that from 1983 1984,

he lived, worked and exhibited in Manhattans Lower East Side, where he was employed by Young Filmakers/Video Arts. He won first prize in the Tokyo Image Forum Experimental Video Festival in 1988.