The Works：Illustrator Li Pak-huen, Frank Walter@David Zwirner & in the studio: A local oratorio prod

Taking its name from the words “magazine” and “fanzine”, the “zine” owes its origins to the fanzines put together in the 1930s by lovers of science fiction. The self-publishing nature of zine-making ,where one person or a small group of people produce a small magazine cheaply, means that it can offer endless possibilities for imagination.

Antiguan artist and writer Frank Walter was a quiet person, said to have “an intense need for privacy”. In fact, he became a recluse in later life. His natural environment and surroundings provided sanctuary and inspiration for his works, which deal with the land, race, colonialism and the struggle for identity. Walter died in 2009, leaving an oeuvre that includes 5,000 paintings, 1,000 drawings, 600 sculptures, 2,000 photographs, 468 hours of recordings and a 50,000-page archive. “Pastorale”, on show at the David Zwirner gallery, is the first exhibition of his works in Asia.

Felix Mendelssohn’s oratorio “Elijah” tells the story of the Prophet Elijah from the Bible’s Old Testament. Inspired by the oratorios of Bach and Handel, the work is in two parts and is composed for eight vocal soloists and a full symphony orchestra. On the 10th November, the Bel Canto Singers are staging a local production of the piece. The director and some members of the cast are with us now.