Lala Bohang

Name, what do you do?
Halo! My name is Lala Bohang, I’m a writer and visual artist.

Describe your style in three words?
Casual, easy, functional.

What does the Fred Perry Shirt mean to you?
The in-between vibe is nice and genuine. It’s casual but neat. It’s sporty but chill. It’s not really easy to exist and be in between.

When did you first dabble in the Visual Art field?
I had my first exhibition in 2009, a self-made exhibition with fellow friends that love to draw without any arts background. It is simply a love letter and celebration of the act of drawing. The social media landscape was still in development back then and functions as a personal and intimate communication platform with the real-life circle of like-minded people online. Not yet as a career development platform, which the current function is great! We were really curious about how to join an art exhibition in an art gallery, so we thought why don’t make it by ourselves! Oh, the easiness and lightness of being young.

What inspires your work?
All kinds of mundane things, the complexion of human relationships, the awkwardness of interaction, the internal landscape and turmoil of being, the paradox of thoughts, the tale of actions and consequences. Everything that intrigued me, unfortunate causal also makes me laugh when I’m alone, I often laugh at things that shouldn’t be laughing about. That’s bad and inappropriate.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
Internet subcultures, I guess? It’s more like participation. I got my starting point and platform to share my work from the internet. The internet is connected and intriguing at the same time. I consider myself as a part of the “bridge generation”. We experience the transition from analogue to digital culture with some contradictory values. It’s like we have to move forward to the future but some values tie us from the past. I think it’s a much-needed consciousness because we can only learn from the past.

Best song to end an all-nighter?
The last time I did an all-nighter was in my architectural days and one Halloween costume party a hundred years ago. I’m really fond of sleeping now, so… Lately, I’m into this 1 hour 8 min singing bowl track before sleep. Since the pandemic, my sound sensory become thinner than ever, intense and chaotic sound makes me feel uneasy.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Laksamana Malahayati.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Fiona Apple.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Anything from Blackpink.