Terence Koh

 — artist and poet
"Ideas are important, especially dangerous ideas." Terence Koh

StyleLikeU is an exploration into the minds and imaginations of visual thinkers, using style as the door through which we discover the roots of their creativity. Approaching Terence Koh’s door for our interview was a monumental turning point for me since launching SLU a year and half ago. He is notorious for his highly expressive and individual sense of dressing and is world-renowned for his out-of-the-box thinking and his challenging of cultural norms in his art. However, for Terence, art IS life. I was blown away earlier this year at MOMA where I saw his brilliant, daring and highly conceptual commentary on the power of ideas as told through his unique perspective on art history. He did this in the form of a lecture delivered completely in gibberish. As I was leaving to meet Terence, I anticipated that being in the presence of someone who I respect as deeply as him would render me speechless. However, when I arrived, it was he who was not talking. Terence had decided to stop speaking a few days before our shoot. While on the set of a shoot for Vogue, he noticed the power of communicating through a gesture and a smile. The challenge of doing a video interview on the stories behind Terence’s wardrobe without him speaking was initially extremely daunting. In the end, however, I realized that I could receive everything he had to offer in his silence. Terence, using the old-fashioned virtue of pencil and paper, validated all of my assumptions regarding the creative connection made between people when their hearts are open and their egos are left at the door. He saw my love of people and I felt in him the precision of mind that he had found in the quiet and his decision to wear only white for the rest of his life.

  • http://www.facebook.com/mullettajones Rachel Esterline

    This is art! Elisa at her finest!

  • http://www.facebook.com/malcolm.harris Malcolm Harris

    There are no words to describe the beautify of this SLU post… I too am now speechless…

  • http://www.facebook.com/rebecca.vandersteen Rebecca Vandersteen

    Swept into the mind of purity.terrence could be a genius.well i think he is because i read into his handwriting .i loved that he wrote instead of spoke.it was refreshing here on SLU…Style and art& poetry speaks for itself.no need to explain yourself if you are truelly connected to a higher spirit.sometimes people have to tell stories to create themselves.he doesn’t. he just is.he reminds me of a buddha and a light bulb embraced for some reason.sublime light.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=47402418 Moissanite Matt

    ” “

  • http://www.facebook.com/mofafafa Fariha Róisín

    Terrence is still one of my favourites. This is why StyleLikeU is brilliant, we are able to see such incredibly talented individuals shine on a platform they deserve. Terence you are spectacular!

  • divinus

    saw this link somewhere. the person behind the camera RUINS the video. I’ve met Terence a couple of times and this video really makes his work seem childish. This is why a lot of people don’t like him or his work. Once again another video of Terence making him seem pretentious with a “fangirl” too in love with the image of him, instead of making a great, insightful video – a video of “Oh, WOW!”.
    Where are the clothes? All i see is a pad of paper with scribble. Word of advice. Lose the voiceovers – AWFUL.
    I leave the site upon my first and last visit wondering what this site is trying to be. i don’t care.

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