4D | “磨刀师” Installation

“磨刀师” 

Mdm Lee is one of the last knife sharpeners that’s left in Singapore. The purpose of this installation is to introduce one of the least known traditional manual labour profession that will soon be rendered obsolete in the face of modernity. When will we ever stop destroying what is ours? 

“The Knife Lady” film will be played on loop – https://vimeo.com/209626431
Video is available at the end of the post!

Re-creating Mdm Li’s workspace by showing a “moment” of how it looks like when she works. 

 


This was the film that I’ve done in Project 2 and was projected in loop during the installation.

That’s all folks! See you Foundation 4D and Robert 😉

3D | An Alternative

Hello! As shown in the previous lessons, we were trying out a holographic party streamers – courtesy of Anna. The main idea that we were going for was the flowy look that flutters organically and moves according to the wind direction. We felt that the way it flows resembles the movement of the ribbon eel, and if you were to stand below the streamers, the ends lightly touches and brushes you and it kind of feels as though the shrimp is “cleaning” you.

So, Anna and I finally went for material shopping! We went to Sim Lim Tower to get our lights, and managed to attach a motion sensor onto it which was really cool 😉 We also had a mini break time and we went to take a look at the nearby thieves market. If you’re nearby Sim Lim, go take a look at Thieves Market as it sells anything and everything!! I mean like EVERYTHING. From random boots, old guitars, random cassette tapes and lots of talisman. I didn’t take any photos because the people there are kinda rowdy and scary so we kept our belongings really close to ourselves lol. 

Our main goal for our material field trip was to get our holographic streamers which Anna got it from Spotlight. But guess what… they don’t sell it anymore!! We went to Art Friend, Daiso and even random shops hoping that they sell any holographic paper T__T But noooooooo. 

Time check: 9.10pm @ Spotlight. We had no choice but to change our direction and find a colour-changing fabric instead. After much digging through rolls and rolls of fabric, we decided to get this white sparkly cloth that slightly shimmers under the light, but we weren’t really convinced with it 🙁 And it was super expensive! 1 metre was $14.99 and we needed 5 metres AT LEAST. So we both thought it was impossible as it was waaaaay out of our budget. In the end, we decided to just buy a metre of it and see how it goes. 


Our Back-Up Plan

That week was crazy as we had multiple submissions. I only had one free day and rushed down to Chinatown to take a look at their fabrics which is much cheaper than Spotlight, hoping that I’ll be able to find something similar to the holographic effect.The criteria was really simple – as long as it changes colours & shimmers in the light but it was so tough! Here are some of the fabrics I found that I felt could make the cut. 

None of them made the cut, and while communicating with my dear partner through whatsapp, we were kinda going towards the first pink fabric, it’s similar to the holographic effect because it  changes colour! But the thing is… it was PINK. I started hovering around that particular shop and the owner actually mentioned she has more in the warehouse.

& she brought me there…. Well honestly I was low-key freaking out because what if she’s those kidnapper and or sorts LOL. Cos People’s Park Complex is quite a secluded area, and we had to walk quite a distance to her warehouse, which was located in another building beside the Complex. But luckilyyyy nothing happen hahaha.

I was looking through piles & piles of fabric, it was INSANE. I guess lady luck was at my side as while I was simply zoning out, I spot this fabric…. which is the EXACT same colour of the ribbon eel (blue/yellow) Best part is, IT CHANGES COLOUR!!!! OH MY GOD

I was super excited and I can’t believe I managed to find a fabric that looks exactly like the ribbon eel. This is insane. I’ve never been so excited about fabrics before hahaha, so it was a new experience. 

The auntie was really nice too as she sold the fabric to me at a discounted price – $5 for 1m, originally for $5.50 la hahaha. But better than nothing right.

Sigh what a waste, we should have came to Chinatown in the first place! Because I saw the exact same fabric that we got from spotlight that sells for only $6 per metre, godddddd.

As you can see from the picture below, she’s cutting our beautiful fabric as it shimmers so nicely in the light T_T

 

2D | How to Kampong

How to Kampong

A step-by-step guide to become a kampong kid in the modern world. Kampongs that were once in Jalan Kayu are now obsolete due to the ever-changing world. This zine hopes to bring back the kampong spirit & to sustain it for the future.



Reflection Time

In the beginning of the project, I thought that 8pp was too little! And I was seriously stressing on how and what I can put in those 8pp that will be “enough”. Little did I know… I was grateful that it was only 8pp hahaha. But anyhow!! I really enjoyed this project because even though I’ve been studying VC for the last 3 years, I didn’t have a chance to do a zine for myself, so this is quite new and exciting for me!!

I’ve NEVER tried going all red or oriental for any of my works before and I had fun doing this. But honestly, I tried to venture out the minimal and clean look that I’m used to doing, however, after viewing my final, it seems that… it’s still as clean -_- But! That is not point, the point is, I learnt a new style which is the oriental style wooo! And I love it. Funny how the oriental style is normally jam packed with motifs and yet the simple me love it. I guess I unknowingly “minimalize” the oriental look in some way? But it still holds some essence right… 

The challenges I faced was of course going “oriental” and having to vector the stuff abit more chinese looking than what I usually do which is the modern way. As you can see… there’s still a little hints of “modernity” in the work. And I can’t really develop a new style overnight right… 🙁 But, I’m honestly quite happy with the result!! Because I guess it’s a style that I don’t usually go for? You could say this zine is a mixture of modernity + traditional oriental, and I hope it works hahaha. 

Ok a fun fact time, (source from my Dad), basically only the rich could afford a tv in the kampong days. So somehow the entire kampong KNOWS when someone got a tv and the rich household will open it’s doors to EVERYONE. So everyone will be watching together in the hallway for free while the kids roam freely in the backyard. How cool is that!? I mean honestly imagine random people just walking into your house and watches tv with you now… how weird. 

I hope that from this zine, for all you young peeps out there, you’ll be able to take a peek on how our older generation live back then, starting from their random nicknames, singlets and blue rubber shoes, to pet roosters and white mice (my mom keeps them wtf), and last but not least, having to share one television among the WHOLE kampong  – that is insane.