Kontinentalist
LightNews LightNews
banner
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Kontinentalist
@kontinentalist.bsky.social
69 followers 25 following 130 posts
Kontinentalist is a studio that advocates for a more equitable world that fosters connections between Asia’s sources of knowledge. We nurture community around data and human experiences 🌟
https://kontinentalist.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Did you know about how the Visayans in the Philippines tell time?
A trivia titled "Reading embodied data: How Visayans tell time. Here we see a simple, flat coloured illustration indicating 2 of the ways Visayans tell time: Sun's position in the sky and time for climbing. The trivia goes as follows. Many cultures traditionally follow nature’s cues to tell time. For the Visayans in the Phillipines, they divide daylight hours into various time periods according to the position of the sun. Nasirakna, meaning “shining”, is a time assigned between dawn and noon. Nabahadna means a time for climbing, followed by Iguritlogna, which is when hens lay eggs. If you raise an arm to the sun during Makalulululu, your bracelet slides down, while Natupongna sa lubi describes the sun’s descent to the height of palm trees, seen against the horizon. The day ends with Igsirinto, when it is too dark to recognise other people.
November 28, 2025 at 9:47 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Hyper-personalised tech appears to have gotten us covered. But despite the sense of intimacy, machines cannot yet replace what makes us human. Can we design with this in mind? Asks our Design Lead, Joceline.
An excerpt of Joceline's editor note. It says, It feels like algorithms get me better than I get myself sometimes. TikTok’s For You Page boosts my endorphins on a bad day, Fitbit nudges me when my body’s asking for rest, and Spotify’s Daylist matches my mood any time of day. Of course, none of it is magic. We have been ushered into an era of hyper-personalisation by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics, where technology anticipates or responds instantly to our needs. Meanwhile, AI models are becoming increasingly advanced in retrieving information and identifying patterns. They can effortlessly remember, predict, and adapt to the complexity of every individual and respond in real-time with solutions that feel tailor-made. At least, that’s the story sold to us. Beyond the appeal of convenience, hyper-personalisation works because it taps into something deeply human. We want to be “seen”, to matter as individuals, and to be recognised as complex beings with shifting needs and nuance. The rise of AI griefbots shows that personalisation designed for reciprocal connection—not just as tools for efficiency—can land deeply. But for that, we don’t always need AI or the latest technology. A coffee machine that remembers my perfect cup isn’t the same as a kopi auntie who remembers my regular order. What if we designed tech products with that in mind? Note excerpt ends here.
November 28, 2025 at 9:47 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
How do we stay human in the age of AI? In this issue of notes from the equator, we reflect on the effect of technology on our lives. 🌌

Check it out 💌: kawan.kontinentalist.com/design-beyon...
Cover illustration for notes from the equator, issue 69, titled "Rethinking design beyond the algorithm". The illustration depicts a few screens floating in space. On the bottom centre, a women kneels on a flat screen, her hand submerged in the screen like a water body. She's looking up at the other screens floating above her, which have hands reaching out to her in different actions such as pointing and offering something. A representation of a virtual community.
November 28, 2025 at 9:47 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
📊 In a project we did with AEON Collective for COP26, we visualised complex climate data in the GCC through data art: aeon.kontinentalist.studio/en

(6/7)
November 10, 2025 at 8:37 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
🌡️ Why does it often feel hotter than what the temperature says? We explain it here:

www.instagram.com/p/CgTisMRlvdZ/

(4/7)
A cover illustration for an Instagram-based story titled "No, you're not imagining things. It is getting hotter." It's written by Loh Pei Ying and created as a collaboration between Kontinentalist and The Weird and Wild, the brand name of Qi Yun, a Singaporean climate educator and artist. The simple, flat-coloured and colourful illustration depicts Qi Yun's character, a cute green blob with wide eyes, looking anxiously at the sun and sweltering heat. The backdrop is a sunny day in Singapore with apartment blocks. Everything is drawn as if it's woozy and melting.
November 10, 2025 at 8:37 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
🥵 Nights are getting hotter, not just days. We unpack why: www.instagram.com/p/DLBx7ITSXFz/

(3/7)
A cover illustration for an Instagram-based story titled "EVERY NIGHT A WARM NIGHT", written by Pei Ying Loh and designed by Michael Ambion. It depicts a man struggling with the heat, sweating and holding a fan. It's night, but the sky's colour scheme is red and purple.
November 10, 2025 at 8:37 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Did you know about the intricate patterns of Kolam and the meanings they hold? (4/5)
A trivia: The intricacies of Kolam. A photo of Kolam is displayed here. Kolam is a religious and ornamental design crafted on the floor of residences and entrances to public spaces during traditional Indian festivities. Continuation of the trivia. Traditionally, the motifs were drawn with edible grains, coloured with dyes made from vegetable colouring, an act of charity encouraged in Hindu scriptures as the grains can then be eaten by insects. Aside from beautifying one’s home, the kolam’s main purpose is to drive away bad spirits and bring prosperity.
November 2, 2025 at 3:10 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
In her editor’s note, our co-founder Peiying ( @hellopeiying.bsky.social ) reflects on what authenticity means in a world increasingly shaped by AI and how we continue to find meaning and memory in what we make. (2/5)
Excerpt of Peiying's editor's note, part 1 out of 4. There’s this specific fried rice made by my Aunty that has stayed with me, even though I was 7 years old the last time I had it. The mixture of luncheon meat, egg, and fluffy rice conjures up carefree and happy memories–akin to Anton Ego’s life-changing moment in Ratatouille. I’ve tried recreating this dish at least a hundred times since, but I have not succeeded. Its taste lives only in memory and nostalgia. Excerpt of Peiying's editor's note, part 2 out of 4. Embodied experiences are key to authenticity. We can tell what is authentic through sight, taste, smell, or sound on recall. Many of us will be able to tell our grandmother’s food apart from a restaurant’s, because of the familiarity that comes with her cooking [...] Through years of experience, we gain the ability to discern authenticity. Excerpt of Peiying's editor's note, part 3 out of 4. Does the accumulation of knowledge and experience make something authentic? If so, why do so many rebuke Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) for being “fake”? The underlying assumption is that AI cheapens the end result, through shortcuts, replicability, and plagiarism, or worse, hallucination. Excerpt of Peiying's editor's note, part 4 out of 4. I think it is in the act of remembrance—the human ability to not only recall information, but along with it, to think through our senses and emotions to bring up an always imperfect copy, but one that is ours. Perhaps one day Gen AI might give me a recipe that recreates my Aunty’s fried rice, or so I hope. But what it will never take from me is the memory of coming home to that dish, the feeling of love, warmth and safety that is deeply etched in me.
November 2, 2025 at 3:05 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
What does authenticity look like in the age of algorithms?

Check out our newsletter's latest issue 💌 kawan.kontinentalist.com/what-creates...
A cover illustration for notes from the equator issue #68. The title is "What createa authenticity?". The illustration depicts a child with a happy, content expression about to eat a spoonful of fried rice. It's done only in lineart with soft swishy brushes, a mix of greys and warm reds. A soft, low-opacity yellow circle is placed on the nose and mouth, subtly emphasising the act of eating and smelling.
November 2, 2025 at 2:47 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Kpop artists frequently release albums that come with randomised merchandise.

However, this means that fans often buy several of the same albums just to collect all the merchandise.

Unwanted albums are then thrown out, resulting in literal piles of waste on the streets.
An image of a fictional chat interaction between two Kpop fandom friends. It reads: user xolovestars: OMG, did you see? Astronyx are having a comeback in November! user astronaut_nyx: OMG, where did you see that? 🤩 xolovestars: On their Instagram page! A screenshot of a fictional Instagram promo is attached. It says, "Stars Aligned out 08.11.2025." astronaut_nyx: Ahh! I'm so excited! I wonder what the concept of this album will be this time!! I can't wait to see Harin's new look omg 💖 xolovestars: It seems like there are two versions... Dreams and Paradise. A promotional image for Stars Aligned album is attached here, featuring CD covers, posters, photo cards, ornaments, and photo books in two versions. astronaut_nyx: Oh boy... If I want to collect only Harin's photo cards, how many albums do I have to buy?! xolovestars: It'll be tough 🥺 Every time we buy an album, we don't know which photo cards are in it... astronaut_nyx: And there are also so many variations of photo cards in this album! One for each member and each member has a Dreams and Paradise themed version... Is there another way I can buy Harin's photo cards without having to buy the actual album? 😦 xolovestars: There's the secondhand market, you can wait for resellerd to buy in bulk and resell the photo cards. But Harin's pretty popular, right? The more popular the member is, the more expensive the cards will be 💀💀💀 astronaut_nyx: Yeah, I heard my classmate said she got Red Velvet Irene's photo card for 500 bucks 💸 during their last comeback! Oh man 😧 I feel so bad every time I buy so many albums though. Really feels like a waste xolovestars: I know... Did you see? There were albums thrown out on the streets. Fans buy the albums in bulk for the merchandise inside and then throw away the packaging and CDs. A screenshot of a tweet is attached here. The user, which is anonymised, is a responding to a photo of a cardboard box full of CDs on the street. The tweet says, "What is anyone supposed to do if you leave your trash here like this?"
October 21, 2025 at 10:22 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Patchar Duangklad is a Visual and Data Journalist who’s the co-founder and business developer at Punch Up, a Bangkok-based data storytelling studio, and WeVis, their civic technology arm.

Today, we’re looking back at our interview with Patchar in 2023:
kawan.kontinentalist.com/meet-the-com...
A quote excerpt from our Meet the Community interview with Patchar Duangklad. It says, “[I want to tell my audience,] “Don't be afraid of data”. One day, I want to make [data storytelling] easier for people and make it more relevant to them. And when we reach that [vision], I think it's gonna be a lot of fun.” There's a photo of Patchar. She's a Thai woman with shoulder-length hair, smiling at the camera. She's wearing a black shirt and jacket. The shirt says "Punch Up and WeVis".
October 16, 2025 at 4:18 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Aghnia Adzkia is a Visual and Data Journalist who’s passionate about making data journalism accessible for the general public.

Get to know her experience as the founder of Journocoders Indonesia, a community of data enthusiasts based in Jakarta! 👩‍💻
kawan.kontinentalist.com/meet-the-com...
A quote from our Meet the Community interview with Aghnia Adzkia. It says, “It’ll be great if one person learns something new and shares it with other people, and someone else does the same. Instead of one person learning everything without sharing with or consulting others, which will drain them of time and resources, we should overcome challenges as a community.” There's a photo of Aghnia herself, an Indonesian woman with an open smile. She is wearing a cream-coloured hijab, white shirt, and red fabric necklace with flowery batik pattern.
October 3, 2025 at 7:28 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
The answer is… C!

Current demand for transition minerals will likely increase by four times in the next two decades if we strive to keep global warming below 2oC (which, by the way, is the least ambitious scenario under the Paris Agreement!)
An illustrated bar graph visualisation providing additional context to the answer, titled "The world will demand much more transition minerals by 2040, especially if we want to reach key goals set by the United Nations". The bar graph encodes the amount of demand for transition minerals and how it changes from 2020 to 2030 and 2040. In 2020, 7 million metric tons of minerals was required for the policy landscape at the time. In 2030, the amount of minerals required is projected to grow to 19.1 million metric tons to reach key energy-related UN goals, and in 2040, it's projected to grow to a whopping 27.5 million metric tons. The information is sourced from a 2021 report titled "Mineral Requirements for Clean Energy Transitions" by International Energy Agency.
September 22, 2025 at 8:55 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
The answer is… B!

The countries of the European Union have been shifting rapidly towards renewable energy in the past two decades. But this shift uses minerals mined from resource-rich countries in Asia and Africa, which have not been enjoying the benefits of renewables to the same extent.
A heat map data visualisation providing additional context to the answer, titled "While many countries have shifted towards renewable energy sources, resource-rich Asian countries have not seen the same rate of growth." The data visualisation is based on dataset on Percentage of primary energy consumption that was derived from renewables in 2024. While Iceland has the highest percentage in the world at 80.5%, European Union countries notably have high percentages on average. Norway has the highest percentage in the region at 71.81%, followed by Sweden at 51.32% and Austria at 43.35%. The information is sourced from an article on Foreign Policy in Focus titled "Beware Europe's New Green Colonialism", an article by Europe Environment Agency titled "Is Europe Reducing Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions?" , and dataset on Our World in Data titled "Share of Primary Energy Consumption That Comes from Renewables".
September 22, 2025 at 8:55 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
The answer is…B!

There’s a huge amount of nickel in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia and the Philippines.

Nickel is necessary for lithium-ion batteries required by renewable energy infrastructures. Both countries are therefore crucial in the global transition towards renewable energy sources.
A data visualisation providing additional context to the answer, titled "Renewable energy infrastructures are reliant on many transition minerals." The visualisation features two lists: One list is different types of transition minerals such as nickel, steel, copper, and lithium. The other list is different types of renewable energy infrastructure. Each mineral is connected to the infrastructures that rely on it. Nickel is of high importance to Geothermal power and Electric Vehicles, and it's of medium importance to Nuclear power, Wind power, and Solar photovoltaics infrastructure. The information is sourced from an article on McKinsey and Company titled "The raw-materials challenge: How the metals and mining sector will be at the core of enabling the energy transition", as well as U.S Geological Survey's data on Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024.
September 22, 2025 at 8:55 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
This Aishah did a 2-minute brainstorming activity that she learnt at a UX Design course with Singapore Polytechnic to show that anyone can ideate.

Here's what we came up with!
This features 2 drawings from the team. We note interesting features such as round doodles of animals - hedgehog, pufferfish, cats. Another team member also combined circles to make the head and body of a snowman, cat, rabbit and chicken! This features 2 drawings from the team. We note interesting features such as a top view of a steaming mug of coffee and a spiky doodle that resembled a durian or the Esplanade building in Singapore. Another team member anecdotally shared that her favourite doodle is the dopey expression, and the cross section of a tree stump. This features 2 drawings from the team. Some interesting doodles that were featured are a door and knob with a keyhole and a hog’s snout. Another team member relates that the doodling process evolved from Emoji keyboard faces to elaborate landscape views.
September 15, 2025 at 8:58 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Last month, during an internal Learning Day, Aishah asked the team, “Who here thinks of themselves as creative? The kind of person who can come up with ideas easily?”

Out of 13 people, only Munirah identified as ✨creative✨.
The rules of the ideation process: Grab an A4 paper and draw 20 circles in a 5x4 grid. Let’s fill the circles with drawings in 2 minutes. Additional points to note: come up with as many ideas as possible, and don’t just limit yourself to the “right” ideas. I first learnt the Double Diamond framework in a UX course. Double diamond is a design thinking framework which begins with discovering and defining the problem, to ideating and testing solutions. As someone who had trouble ideating, I loved learning that the ideation stage is divergent and a judgement-free space! This means that anyone can be creative! Let’s see how the team did?
September 15, 2025 at 8:58 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Our approach was informed by Indigenous and decolonial perspectives to research, and we supplemented our data collection and mapping with our own embodied experiences and speculations.

Look out for the work outside SAM’s Level 1 galleries at Tanjong Pagar Distripark 💫
Another photo of A line of our own drawing, from a different angle from the one on this thread's first post. Here you can get a clearer sense of the size of it, about 12 metre in length and 5 metre in height.
August 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
We conducted fieldwork in 4 distinct locations in Singapore to see what desire paths may say about the expression of our autonomy, dreams, and aspirations.
A section from the artwork featuring a cropped map of the Jurong Industrial area, along Jalan Terusan and Jalan Papan. The section is titled "Finding a space in the margins", and the desire paths reflect how migrant workers find spaces of leisure and respite in this area. We also saw paths with no sign of human life. The map features red lines marking the desire path locations, as well as four annotations with observations from the researchers, two of which are flipboards visitors can interact with. A photo of Nabilah and Griselda, two Kontinentalist members and part of the project team, flipping one of the flipboards. It reveals a satellite image of a small section of the map with red lines marking the desire paths, as well as a selection of photos showing what the desire paths look like in real life. Nabilah and Griselda seem to be in the middle of a discussion.
August 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
What are desire paths? You’ve probably encountered one before: newly formed shortcuts in the grass, or a wellworn dirt path cutting across a field, existing as alternatives to paved routes.
Singapore is considered a land of efficiency and order, but might desire paths offer an alternative reading?
A close-up of the stylised photo collage of desire paths on the top half of the wall, featuring some annotations of the researchers' musings or themes related to these paths, such as "Untouched yet well-trodden". The photos have been edited with two-tone bright colour schemes, with a lot of purples, oranges, greens, and yelloes. A closeup of a different section of the collage from the previous image. It shows two annotations: "Straying from the path" and "against the grain". There are some photos of figures exploring these paths as well.
August 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
We’ve just unveiled 𝑨 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈, a new 6x12m artwork and data storytelling project at the Singapore Art Museum! The work explores how, why, and where we walk, through an exploration of desire paths in Singapore.
A photo of A line of our own drawing. The wall mural is divided into 3 main sections: An 8-metre wide wall with four maps of different locations in Singapore and colourful stylised collage of desire paths in Singapore, a 1-metre wide pillar with a legend outlining different types of desire paths according to our speculations, and a 2-metre wide wall featuring the title and introduction to the artwork.
August 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Lim Chee Aun, a Singapore-based engineer and data viz builder, turns a simple curiosity into applications that solve people’s problems in their daily lives.

Learn more about his creative process behind apps like BusRouterSG through this interview! 👇
kawan.kontinentalist.com/meet-the-com...
A quote excerpt from our Meet the Community interview with Lim Chee Aun. It says, "For me, ideas come from being aware of things around you. For example, when I walk along the street, or when I look at a website, I'd wonder, "Why is it a red colour?" Then I'd dive deep into the thing anf try to figure out why." There's a photo of Chee Aun himself, a developer from Malaysia. He has short hair and an open, curious expression.
August 15, 2025 at 5:52 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Did you know about Paj Ntaub, the Hmong flower cloth?

Source: hmongmuseummn.org/collection/h...
Cover photo for this issue's trivia, Language of threads: Hmong flower cloth. There's an accompanying photo of a colourful Hmong cloth sourced from Wikimedia Commons. It's an embroidered cloth, called Paj Ntaub or "flower cloth" in Hmong language. The designs are crafted by cutting and layering fabrics that are sewn in reverse applique techniques. Hmong ancestors called it "flower cloth" because the embroidery patterns mirror how petals radiate from the centre of a flower. An explanation on the cloth. For the Hmong indigenous group rooted in parts of East and Southeast Asia, language was not alphabetised until the 1950s. However, one might find their history documented in other ways, such as in their traditional Paj Ntaub textile. Meaning “flower clothes” in the Hmong language, the embroidered cloth encodes geometric designs that contain stories for children, helping to preserve Hmong culture in times of violent persecution and oppression. Composed of threads, colours, and texture, Paj Ntaub is just one form of communication for those outside of dominant language systems, like the significance of braids used to express social conditions in various African cultures or how status is reflected in the way one wears their sarong in traditional Nusantara communities.
August 6, 2025 at 3:25 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Griselda Gabriele shares the beginnings of her journey in accessibility, learning sign, and the gift of experiencing different ways of living.
An excerpt from Griselda's editor note, 1 out of 4. It says, I first took interest in sign language as a middle schooler. My friends and I, all hearing, learned some signs from the internet—most likely American Sign Language (ASL), as resources on it were more readily available than local sign languages—and used them to communicate with one another during classes or group discussions, like a fun secret code. An excerpt from Griselda's editor note, 2 out of 4. It says, In 2021, I started taking classes on Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) and the Jakarta variant of Indonesian Sign Language (BISINDO). The process taught me not just vocabulary and grammar, but also various aspects of Deaf culture. My interest in accessibility may have come from a place of ignorance, but I was right about one thing: It is fun. Something as simple as writing an alt text for your work can bring up points of interest you hadn’t noticed. An excerpt from Griselda's editor's note, 3 out of 4. It says, Sometimes we fall into the trap of seeing it as a list of gaps to fill, or even a limit to innovation. But when we ignore people from different abilities and backgrounds, we're limiting ourselves from a whole spectrum of human experience. In fact, many inventions we enjoy today, such as lifts and captions, come from disability movements. An excerpt from Griselda's editor's note, part 4 out of 4. It says, Accessibility is a constant work-in-progress, and that’s certainly true for Kontinentalist. In aiming to make data storytelling accessible, we’re reviewing our visualisation designs and captions, exploring different mediums, connecting with fellow data practitioners, and highlighting diverse voices in the region. There’s a lot we can do better. And we want to do it not only with respect, but also excitement. The world is so big, with many different ways of living. Isn't that a gift?
August 6, 2025 at 3:25 AM
kontinentalist.bsky.social
Our latest issue of our monthly newsletter opens us up to the diversity of human experience, and imagines a world where accessibility is a norm.

Check it out 💌
kawan.kontinentalist.com/spectrum-of-...
Cover illustration of Kontinentalist's newsletter, notes from the equator, issue #65. Five hands, fingerspelling "Hello" in Singapore sign language, form a circle with colourful strings connecting them together. The title says "spectrum of accessibility".
August 6, 2025 at 3:13 AM