Hello! My name is Syirene, (pronounced as ‘Shireen’) and I was born and raised in sunny Singapore. Growing up, I’ve always imagined what it would be like to time travel and get a glimpse of how people lived in the past. I soon found myself more interested in learning about the different ways that culture is reflected and remembered in art. So I decided to move to Norwich in the UK to study anthropology, archaeology and art history. I have graduated and am now back in Singapore to gain more experience in the industry before pursuing a masters degree.
My dream job would be to work in a museum or heritage institution. I hope to be a part of projects that involve working towards finding more sustainable solutions for the community to engage with art and history.
I enjoy staying indoors as much as going outdoors. I love photography, learning new languages, making things, baking and hiking. One of my favourite things in the world is having lunch on top of a mountain after a good hike because everything tastes so good up there! Other times, I can be found volunteering at my local cat shelter or struggling to keep my houseplants alive.
The most memorable museum I’ve been to so far has to be the Horniman Museum & Gardens. I think it such a cool concept, having an animal walk and aquarium in addition to their anthropological collection. And who doesn’t love alpacas? There is something for everyone at the museum.
One of the main issues facing girls I know now is the unhealthy call-out culture that pits girls against each other. With social media, it is easy to discredit and attack people whose views and beliefs differ. In my opinion, such aggressive ‘politically-correct’ behaviour isn’t the right way to solve our problems. It can be destructive and will only hold us back. We should always remember that people can grow and change, and be there when they do.
-Syirene Mahdhar
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.