Visual research

FYP Visual Framework

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Feedback for Parthiban’s video from Angeline’s class:

  1. Re-adjust the punctuation of Parthiban’s speech as it feels as if he is reading a script. Allow some pause moments for the viewer to think about it.
  2. Remove the background music to make the Parthiban’s voice as the star of the video.

Existing solution: HOME, AND A HOME, 2016

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HOME, AND A HOME, 2016

Welded mild steel bars with rust-preventive transparent coating, cast concrete and weathered steel
Dimensions variable
Collection of the Artist
Singapore Biennale 2016 commission

Barman investigates ‘home’ and ‘landscape’ as an idea, not just in the physicality of its presence, but the space that it occupies in the minds and memories of displaced Bangladeshi migrants. This work grew out of the time Barman spent in Singapore chronicling the conversations and poetry of Bangladeshi migrant labourers. Juxtaposing the large, minimal sculptures of shop-houses (heritage buildings which are sometimes used as dormitories for hundreds of workers today) alongside rust-transferred drawings and cement sculptures, Barman explores the parallel realities of the migrants’ experience – the house they live in in Singapore and the ‘home’ they dream of in Bangladesh. In the artist’s words, “transferring rust impressions onto paper, casting abandoned domestic objects in concrete … realising skeletal definitions of homes – is more like sculpting from memory – reconstructions rusted in time”. The sound piece of the workers’ poems in Bangla reflects the untranslatable journey of the displaced people.

I am excited to see the performance tonight! It is heartwarming to know that migrant workers’ talent are recognized here, in Singapore Biennale.

These are some photos that I took during my visit to poetry recital by migrant workers on 29 October 2016, 5PM.

Takeaways for FYP: 

I  think that it is good to have the migrant workers present at the exhibition as it would allow interactions between the performers and visitors.

The Best of You Exhibition

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The Best of You

The Best of You movement is about finding quiet moments in our busy lives to take stock of our accomplishments and appreciate our lives. In asking this question, we want to inspire you to celebrate the accomplishments, life experiences and the people that have brought out the best in you.

Started in 2014, this movement is powered by these tributes to one’s life accomplishments and experiences. Coming from all walks of life, these are tributes that speak of courage, regret, community, love, encouragement, redemption and, most of all, empowerment.

I came across this Exhibition on 7th October at Buona Vista. I participated in the initiative by writing my story on a postcard and having it illustrated by Sharlene Leong.

Existing Visual Solution: Invisible Voices

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Invisible Voices on DR-NTU by Liu Longhao

This project is to bring audiences on a journey to know about the lives of migrant construction workers in Singapore. There are a total of 322,700 of them here and the number is counting on. We see them around us and acknowledge their existence but how much do we know about them? Many try and draw sympathy to this group of minority beings but few take the effort to truly empathize them. Thus, my team and I made this documentary, which shows the lives and voices of these people who walk among us but are generally treated as unseen. We do not aim to educate audiences on the right and wrong, but we hope they can bear a more open mind when they see or hear about migrant workers after watching this documentary.

 

https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/31556828108751.5636fc173143f.jpg

https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/31556828108751.5636fc173143f.jpg

Thoughts for FYP

In his FYP report, this statement struck me the most:

I had a long conversation with the founder of Healthserve, Doctor Goh Wei Leong on the migrant workers’ community. When I told him that I wanted to do a documentary about the migrant workers and Healthserve, he told not to do one which emphasized only the sadness of workers as it would not bring out a good message, that I inevitably agreed on. I believe what is crucial is to bring out inspiration despite the inevitable negative stories of this group of people.

My project should be a platform where it is inspirational for people who sees it. My goal is to be a channel of migrant workers to have a stage to be inspirational for others..

Existing solution: MWAW Lunch Tag and ICOON

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• MWAW 2016 • Lunch Tag #1 & #2

Have you ever wondered how a genuine conversation with people who helped built the infrastructure of your home will go? Do you want a chance to meet people you would otherwise pass by, and actually interact with them?

The two Lunch Tags allow two people who would have never otherwise met to sit down and connect over a simple lunch. RSVP here: http://tinyurl.com/rsvpmwaw !

Lunch Tag #1
31st Jan, 9am – 1pm, at Yale-NUS College Elm Dining Hall
This will kick-start with a friendly lohei decoration competition involving both participants and migrant workers. After which, everyone will be paired up to have lunch together at the Yale-NUS College Elm Dining Hall.

Lunch Tag #2
3rd Feb, 11.30am – 3pm, at Botanic Gardens
In the style of a picnic, this Lunch Tag will take place out in the nature at Botanic Gardens. There will also be games where participants will interact with foreign domestic workers from the HOME Shelter in a different setting than what we usually do.

https://scontent-sin6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/12622326_1110041615702747_8802435550716071044_o.jpg

https://scontent-sin6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/12622326_1110041615702747_8802435550716071044_o.jpg

Through a meal, people could have a more personal conversation to know each other. How would my FYP be different from this existing event is that:

  • It would not be a big event. For a meet up, there will only be 3 locals and 3 migrant workers.
  • I will document each session in the form of either photography, audio, or video, to be later be compiled for my installation.
  • I will design a set of conversation starters, accompanied by English and Tamil or Bengali translation. If needed, I will also design pictograms to help the conversation flow seamlessly.
http://www.icoon.eu/images/frontimages/editions_communicator/icoon-bildwoerterbuch-communicator.png

http://www.icoon.eu/images/frontimages/editions_communicator/icoon-bildwoerterbuch-communicator.png

Look refugees in the eye: Powerful video experiment breaks down barriers

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https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/05/look-refugees-in-the-eye/

The film shows natural, spontaneous reactions between people meeting for the first time in a warehouse near Berlin’s old Cold War-era crossing, Checkpoint Charlie. The refugees came from Syria and Somalia and had lived in Europe for less than a year.

Thought

In this experiment, it is clearly shown that by having a communication, the barrier between people of different culture will melt down.

Existing platform: i am a migrant

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about

i am a migrant is a campaign and platform. We create a place for the personal stories of migrants. We want to challenge the anti migrant stereotypes and hate speech in politics and society.

i am a migrant lets migrants tell their own stories – on this website, in social media and many other places worldwide. Together we want to show: Migration has a human face. Migration is diverse.

This is why we are interested in the stories of all migrants, regardless of whether they have been away from their home country for 40 years or 40 days.

Your support is needed! Become part of our campaign and help us share the personal stories of migrants.

This is how it works:

You want to tell your own migration story?

  1. Write down your story and upload it together with your picture on iamamigrant.org
  2. Create your personal i am a migrant poster to put on your wall, to send to your family and friends and to make your social media profile

You know somebody with a compelling story, who you want to write about?

  1. Ask migrants about their personal story
    1.  Record the interview with a smartphone or recording device
    2.  Write it down
    3.  Take a good quality picture
  2. Upload directly to iamamigrant.org
  3. Tell your friends and share the i am migrant profiles

i am migrant is a global campaign supported by a broad alliance of partners, including International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI).

Thoughts

I think that this website is very beautifully done. It has the ability to share migrants’ stories from all over the world, that might help the visitors to know more about them. The page also has an interactive a map showing global migration flows! Unfortunately, they do not feature Singapore inside.

Solution from a Visual Designer

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What I potentially make for my FYP is an installation featuring:

  1. A video or photo of a migrant workers telling their storiesInspiration: Singapore Dream by Sean Cham
    Bashar came to Singapore in 2008, and has worked in many different companies, but mostly as an electrician and engineer. He was born in Bangladesh, and left for Singapore after a few months of studying in Medical School at a young age of 20. Bashar has four other siblings, one of whom is his twin brother. They have grown up together since young, doing everything together. When Bashar left for Singapore to work, his twin brother felt lonely and joined him in Singapore a year later. He left Medical School to support his family, as they were facing financial difficulties and his father was ill. His father passed away two years after he left for Singapore, due to blood cancer. He was given a choice to go back to Bangladesh to visit his father, but he chose not to. He had to work hard to pay hospital bills, amounting to S$10,000, and worked even on weekends to earn money for the family. When he isn't working, he will spend his Sundays at East Coast Park or Kallang River with his twin brother, enjoying a quiet and peaceful stroll. His dream now is for his younger brother, age 19, to complete his degree in Medical School and be a doctor. Bashar, together with his twin, works to pay for his younger brother's education, in the hope that he fulfills the dream he never had the chance to complete. Source: http://www.nvpc.org.sg/newsletters/-/asset_publisher/qxyfn1XUjh5T/content/singapore-dream-a-photography-series?inheritRedirect=false

    Bashar came to Singapore in 2008, and has worked in many different companies, but mostly as an electrician and engineer. He was born in Bangladesh, and left for Singapore after a few months of studying in Medical School at a young age of 20. Bashar has four other siblings, one of whom is his twin brother. They have grown up together since young, doing everything together. When Bashar left for Singapore to work, his twin brother felt lonely and joined him in Singapore a year later. He left Medical School to support his family, as they were facing financial difficulties and his father was ill. His father passed away two years after he left for Singapore, due to blood cancer. He was given a choice to go back to Bangladesh to visit his father, but he chose not to. He had to work hard to pay hospital bills, amounting to S$10,000, and worked even on weekends to earn money for the family. When he isn’t working, he will spend his Sundays at East Coast Park or Kallang River with his twin brother, enjoying a quiet and peaceful stroll. His dream now is for his younger brother, age 19, to complete his degree in Medical School and be a doctor. Bashar, together with his twin, works to pay for his younger brother’s education, in the hope that he fulfills the dream he never had the chance to complete. Source: http://www.nvpc.org.sg/newsletters/-/asset_publisher/qxyfn1XUjh5T/content/singapore-dream-a-photography-series?inheritRedirect=false

    2. A pair of migrant worker’s shoes for the visitors to walk in.

    Inspiration:
    In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus explains to Scout that “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (36).

    3. A booth for people to write their heartfelt gratitude towards migrant workers.

    Inspiration:

    #migrantmail was a collaboration between Geylang Adventures and Waiting for Lorry. They went around collecting handwritten letters and taking polaroids of migrant workers with the objective of curing homesickness by sponsoring the letter back to their hometown.

    #migrantmail was a collaboration between Geylang Adventures and Waiting for Lorry. They went around collecting handwritten letters and taking polaroids of migrant workers with the objective of curbing homesickness by sponsoring the letter back to their hometown.

    The collected letters might be collated in a book or uploaded to a website. It should be translated to Bengali, Tamil, Mandarin, etc. so the migrant workers can read them as well 🙂file_000-4 Published by The Young Entrepreneur Mastery, 2004
    It contains heartfelt letters from youth.

    5. Make a visual journey of my finding processes. It would feature the photos that I take.. The email excerpts..

    6. Visualizing the population of migrant workers in Singapore. The map can contain: places of work, residence, entertainment to show how close are they to us in daily life. I hope to encourage people to be more friendly to the migrant workers, everywhere they are.

    Inspiration:

    World Processor 1988 2014 Igo Günther © Knechtel Photography.

    World Processor 1988 2014 Igo Günther © Knechtel Photography.