‘The Protocol Wars of Laundry and Coexistence’

January 20, 2020

On 20th January 1996, the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) officially opened its doors to the public, standing proudly as one of the first art museums during its time to be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities such as 24-hour climate control. It was dedicated to housing a growing collection of international contemporary art, with a focus on Singapore and Southeast Asian works specifically.

Today, the structural integrity of SAM is more than just a physical building; in the fast-paced, rapidly turning cogs of our Singaporean society driven by profit margins, SAM represents the ever-increasing need to preserve and promote the arts and cultural scene in Singapore. In particular, the cultural heritage of our uniquely Singaporean way of life is one that is often overlooked and overshadowed by our well-known emphasis on material success.

In her short story ‘The Protocol Wars of Laundry and Coexistence’ (2013), NUS Philosophy alumna Koh Choon Hwee narrates a conflict between three sisters who share a communal living space. In the story, one sister attempts to draft a ‘laundry’ protocol and through it, infuriates one of her siblings. In retaliation, the other sibling initiates a ‘painting’ protocol, and begins to draw scenic paintings upon the walls of her house. Basing this story upon her real family life, Koh portrays both the typical lifestyle and demographics of a Singaporean family while presenting the challenges of living in Singapore in a way that perhaps only Singaporeans can relate to. Literary works such as these, which incorporate notions of how art can seep into even our family experience, are an example of contemporary cultural heritage that SAM aims to house and to preserve.

The Protocol Wars of Laundry and Coexistence is part of a larger collection of short stories from local authors from the book Best New Singaporean Short Stories Volume One (2013, Epigram Books), edited by Jason Erik Lundberg.

Find out more about the book here.