"Raised:" - A Mini Art Carnival at Little India
As a part of the Singapore Art Show 2007 and currating lab, sculpture square created amini carnivl at an open field, right opposite of Mustafa centre with artists like Cheo Chai-Hiang, Amanda Heng, Shenu Hamidun, Siti Saliha bte Mohd Omar, Srividya Nair, Nurul Huda Farid and Vertical Submarine ( Justin Loke and Joshua Yang ). The carnival is open every Sunday til 26September from 4pm to 7pm.
The issue being brought up by the various artwork is that regarding the migrant workers. We accuse them for almost all the crime happened for example rape, robbery, littering and even of homosexuality ( just because they hold hands when they are crossing the road ). However we must also remember that they are the one who make our dream happen. The dream of SIngapore were "a mere idea " but these people, through their simple labour works like sweeping the roads, cleaning the sewers, doing construction works and even washing our plates, have turned it into " a concrete reality". Imagine how Orchard Road will be without these people around. Dry leaves scatter everywhere, litters ( the fact that WE also litter ), etc etc. Our genius which results in the overflowing of foreigners spending their wealth at Takashimaya ( which we are really proud of ) wil not have occured if Orchard Road is the complete opposite of what we are witnessing now. And without these workers, te "concrete reality" can shrink back to "a mere idea" or worst, an unreachable dream.
In the art work by Siti Salilah and Vertical Submerine, they similarize the migrant workers with Sir Stamford Raffles. Why? They believe that these workers deserve the acknowledgment as well as a simple gesture to thank them which they are lacking off today. Being Raffles, the founder of Singapore, gives them a certain recognition and also a certain degree of status upgradation. The founder too refers back to the overall idea, on how they contribute to Singapore's growth. So why discrminate them? Why accuse them while they also have the samerights as us. Why look at them in disgust ?
Other artworks are as interesting as the two statues of migrant worker, which is one placed at the carnival area, while the other is near Raffles statue at Singapore River and the blocks painted with the history and story of these workers. Nurul Huda gave the opportunity for these people and also other viewers to remember about their hometown through the simple traditional food which she prepares. Nair and Hamidun created a platform of freedom of expression for these people to write teir experiences and stories which include the barriers which they have to break through to work in Singapore, by writing a journal and preparing canvases for them to express themselves. Heng too participated by cretaing face masks as a representation of their survival in this country.
The carnival though also consists of 4 small tents with painted blocks around the open fields are as much interesting as the grande Art Museum. These art works are not merely visual but also participation of viewers are expected. It makes the art work complete thus the message can be distributed clearly. This is one ofthe most unforgetable art works that I have seen as we, as much as I believe that this does not only occur to me, are being reminded of an issue which we may not even remember. The issue of discrimination of migrant workers and how we, always bombard them with our unappropriate thoughts and actions while they are just like us, humans.
Migrant workers consist not only the construction workers but also maids. How relevant is the message be to our lives ? For me, it is very.
this post is for : maids, consturction workers, gardeners and laundry washers in suikoden ^^
kelvin used his rune at // 10:19 AM
