D(RAFT): Navigating between Passion and Practicality is a final year project that seeks to understand the mindsets of individuals who pursue a career in the fields of Graphic Design, Animation, Illustration, Film and other artistic fields (hereafter defined as ‘creatives’ for the purposes of this project). More specifically, the study aims to examine how creatives in Singapore, negotiate between passion and practicality as reasons to stay in an unpredictable but artistically fulfilling role or leave their current fields for other types of work that might provide better stability. This creative publication is presented in the form of a collection of interviews — with creatives currently working in the creative industry and those that have left to explore other industries — as well as a short story about my own personal journey with balancing my creative passions and being practical in my career choices.
A Guide for Green Little Beings: How to See Plants embarks on an exploration of the Singaporean relationship with nature through the perspective of a fictional space programme, SPARC. As SPARC documents its discoveries of alien exploration on Earth, it uncovers intriguing insights by the aliens into the various aspects of humanity’s eroding relationship and behaviours towards terrestrial nature.
Through the narrative of SPARC’s discoveries, it offers a commentary on the urgent need to reconstruct our bond with nature, urging for a redefinition, relearning, and appreciation of our natural world.
Stereotypes and biases often take a nuanced way of showing themselves in our modern community. I think we all remember that age-old joke about men being the more emotional gender, right? Often, these casual remarks and jokes are gleaned over by society, with justifications by the naysayer that they have been factually supported and proven for years. The recent spotlight on policies, such as the White Paper has ignited growing conversations on gender bias in our Singaporean society, particularly on women, the workplace, and how they navigate the double bind bias. However, it is important to recognise that bias can occur in workspaces of any kind, and that bias can come from anyone regardless of gender identity.
Sorry To Burst Your Bubble is a campaign that aims to raise awareness on the ignorantly sexist yet comically funny sentences that get said to women. It will specifically focus on the gender bias experienced by women taking up university student leadership roles. It will explore the various forms of double bind bias that women face, such as the pressure to conform to traditional gender roles while also displaying leadership qualities. The campaign will utilise satire and illustration to visualise the pervasive bias that often goes overlooked and dismissed.
Overall, the project seeks to challenge the societal norms that perpetuate gender bias and empower women to confront these issues. By highlighting these issues, the project aims to spark meaningful conversations about gender bias and inspire action toward creating a more equitable and inclusive society.
Hair texture inclusivity is a growing concern in Singapore, where diverse hair types are often overlooked in mainstream beauty and fashion industries. Textures of Being is a project that aims to promote greater understanding and acceptance of natural hair in Singapore, and to challenge prevailing beauty standards that prioritise Eurocentric beauty ideals. This project encourages more ‘hair inclusive’ conversations and hopes to educate the general masses about the beauty of textured hair. It is also an opportunity to showcase the stories and experiences of people living in a straight hair world like Singapore; and most importantly, to create a sense of appreciation for the textured hair community.
