- Could you tell us more about what goes on during your time in ADM? Do you have any specialisation?
After my first year of foundation practice in ADM, I took on ‘Digital Imaging and Photography’ as my major for the next three years. I spend most of my time in the ADM building, which has become my second home. The first year as a Photog Major has been mostly fulfilling and fun, sometimes exhausting and tedious. From spending time in the darkroom developing film rolls and printing images with chemicals to setting up lights and props for studio shoots, the nature of the work requires a lot of hands-on time beyond the curriculum hours.
There are some rooms that are specifically catered for Photography students and we are lucky to gain access to them 24/7. These spaces become our work areas, playgrounds and sleeping dens. Most of us are ‘trained’ to be able to sleep on a row of 2 – 3 chairs. We even have a mattress in the studio for a more comfortable alternative! But of course not all the time is spent within the school compound. A good amount of time is spent outside of school, seeking inspiration and bringing our cameras out for long walks.
Putting works up for end of semester critique session.
Training our abilities to sleep on chairs.
- Why did you choose to pursue studies in the arts?
It may sound cliche but I feel like I didn’t choose the Art life, the Art life chose me. I can’t see myself being in any other industry except for the creative and arts one. In a way, I feel lucky that I have a rough idea of what I want and don’t want to do at a pretty young age. I am aware that some peers in university may still be trying to find that something that they can throw their entire being into while I have already found mine.
Growing up, I have always been inclined towards humanities subjects and thoroughly enjoy the process of creating and expressing in different ways. Along the way, I have been exposed to a diverse range of arts and appreciate the many overlaps across the various disciplines, as well as their differences. I guess that’s why it seems almost natural and organic that I continue to pursue the arts path and am eager to experience the various forms of arts.
Furthermore, I have supportive family members and friends who encourage me in the things I do, even though it might be an unconventional and unpredictable path. For that, I am very thankful. To be able to pursue something you love full-time with full support from people you love is a true blessing. The field of the arts is a never-ending road of learning, not just about yourself but also about the people and the world around you. In that sense, this pursuit seems very much in line with living and being alive. The distinction between the pursuit of an academic subject and life itself sometimes become ambiguous – this is something I love about my ‘studies’.
My mum and friends supporting me at an exhibition.
- What kind of career will you be pursuing in the future? Is there any specific passion you wish to pursue?
I don’t have a specific career in mind. I secretly would like to be a full-time artist and indulge in getting my hands dirty and creating works in a studio, but that is unlikely to be sustainable. I am open to working with galleries, museums, arts organisations and advertising companies… or, anyone who offers a working environment that encourages and supports creativity and expression. At some point in the later part of my life, I do want to be in a position to teach and share my experiences with the younger generation. I have learnt a lot from teachers and mentors thus far and believe strongly in education. Because of that, I feel that it is important to be able to pass it on at a later stage when I have more stories and lessons to share.
- Tell us about a previous piece of artwork / an art project that you completed.
One of the works which has fortunately been receiving a lot of support is a photographic series titled ‘Ways To Tie Trees‘. The body of work began from a core module in ADM where we were learning black and white film photography and darkroom developing and printing. The idea of the work came about when I was observing how trees are planted in our country. While we are known to be a green garden city, it is obvious that our nature isn’t exactly natural. Majority of the trees are uprooted and then re-planted in curated manners, mostly in linear forms along roads and around buildings. In our attempt to beautify and control our environment, we have manipulated nature and implemented tree-staking to ensure that the trees are secure and upright. Man-made materials are used to tie and prop the trees up to prevent them from falling and obstructing the public. ‘Ways To Tie Trees’ has grown into a typology of how human beings intervene nature, specifically in the field of tree-staking.
The process involves me going around Singapore with a film camera loaded with black & white film and taking ‘portraits’ of trees being tied in all sorts of different ways with different materials. Each image is accompanied by the ‘address’ of the tree in an attempt to give that tree an identity. This is still a work-in-progress as I continue to expand the series and look forward to having it published as a photobook.
Prints on wall during end of semester critique session.
‘Ways To Tie Trees’ in the form of a photobook.
- Last year you were working on a project on sharing stories about Singaporean Daughters. Could you tell us more about this project?
I worked on “Every Singaporean Daughter” with a team of interesting people from various backgrounds. The idea came about when my primary school friend returned from Boston on a break and shared her experience of performing a monologue that she wrote from her own experiences. That was made possible by a student initiative from Tufts University inspired by a play called ‘The Vagina Monologues’ by Eve Ensler. And we thought, why don’t we bring it to Singapore and explore what it means to grow up as a girl in this modern city? While gender issues do not seem to be prominent in our country, there are a lot of untold everyday stories and truths that are not revealed and explored to generate conversations and provoke thoughts about the topic. We also felt that the journey of a Singaporean daughter has yet to be discussed and given much thought about.
The two of us then went on to pitch the idea to friends and friends of friends and we were lucky to have a few people who believed in our idea. A small team was formed and it has been about a year since we mooted the idea, which evolved into an original play inspired by crowdsourced stories of real Singaporean women. We were very blessed to be sponsored a venue for the play by Singapore Repertory Theatre, too. This is a non-profit initiative and we have also tied up with Babes, which is a pro-choice organisation committed to helping pregnant teens through difficult times. A portion of the play’s proceeds will go into supporting Babes with their operations.
In the larger scheme of things, the initial idea of a play has also evolved into a non-profit arts collective called UNSAID. Our hope is to marry young creative minds with social issues and encourage these creative individuals to use their talent and craft to look to the society as their inspiration. We seek to adopt a different theme each year to streamline all efforts in hopes of making some kind of tangible impact in an area we are concerned about. This year, the main theme is ‘Women’s Issues’. ‘Every Singaporean Daughter’, the theatrical play, was the main project that we were working towards. It was heartening to see how a little idea had blossomed into the actualisation of a play and how the team has grown so far.
Behind-the-scenes during rehearsal.
Poster of Every Singaporean Daughter, the play.
6. Do you have anything to say to people looking to pursue arts as a career?
Be bold and if you have a deep love for the arts, do not let the uncertainty of your future right now stop you from pursuing it. Singapore is not the easiest place to be pursuing the arts but that’s one of the reasons to trudge on and make it a more viable career for future generations. The country’s arts scene is definitely growing and more support is now given to artistic endeavours. There are also many more opportunities to showcase and experience the arts on our little sunny island.
Sometimes I do feel that the pursuit of arts can get a little too self-indulgent and I do question the purpose of creating things that does not seem to have immediate value-add to anything at all. But at some points along the way, some works do speak to some people and spark off some thoughts, ideas, emotions and exchanges. That’s when the work carries a bit more weight and starts to create more meaning on its own. That’s when the purpose of creating seems a little clearer and encourages the next creation. So keep working on it, keep sharing, keep learning and keep honing your practice regardless of what form your craft might take. It is a very exciting journey because you’ll never know where it takes you and the audience to.
