Out of the many artworks we saw during our visit to the open house exhibition and esplanade, the to that fascinated me the most and got me thinking were “My account of being nowhere” and “Transit”
My Account of being nowhere
Artist: Tan Lao Yi
Medium used: Fishing nets, White glue, Found materials.
Preliminary read: The artwork caught my attention just like the fish and I was completely in awe, for I was looking at a fishing net up close for the first time honestly. I felt that the net, along with the glue made a wonderful piece of art, and aesthetically, it looked very calm soothing. The net was supported by wooden sticks and it was hung from the ceiling, forming a pattern similar to that of a wave. It is based on the idea of things that hold and bind together, and symbolizes the concept of home and/or confinement.
Secondary read: This installation got me thinking about the concept of home, and how it is perceived by different people differently. It stimulates conflicting emotions, because of people’s different experiences. For me, this artwork symbolizes home in the sense of strength, stability and support, both physically and mentally. The mesh, that is woven together forming a very aesthetically pleasing pattern, supported by the wooden sticks, reminds me of the very calm and supportive environment, that of my home.
Transit
Artist: Rifki Amirul
Medium used: Metal Foil Curtains, Aluminum Frame
Preliminary read: It is made of shimmery metal foil and aesthetically, this was the most beautiful artwork I saw during my trip. Because of the breeze at the location, the thousands of foil strands sway to and forth almost continuously. As I saw it and the child in me almost immediately jumped to the center of the installation, little did I know that that’s the very purpose of it.
Secondary read: The artwork is installed at the void deck at the Waterloo center, and more often than not, people walk past it without actually realizing that it is in fact an artwork. The artist has worked on the concept of void spaces inside void spaces. The purpose of the artwork and the artist’s intention was to make people pause and take note of a space that’s often overlooked.
