MrScottiefy

Hidden In The City, Yet In Clear View

April 5, 2016 / Scott Nathaniel / 2 Comments

Food For Thought

by Goh Chang Zuo & Scott Nathaniel Lim

English subtitles included!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTcxidwIcoY

Write a narrative of how your idea developed. (Begin by giving some response to the 1^st dance and games night)

On the first dance and games night, we only had a brief introduction of everyone. We didn’t really have an opportunity to have some deep quality conversations with the foreign workers. Feeling that there was much more to uncover, behind all the smiles and laughter.

Perhaps they didn’t completely trust us at this point

The pivotal point was in the second visit where we got down and personal. Realising that sharing a meal, in unison with the migrant workers, lowered both our defenses; we decided to develop our project around food.

Food brings people together

“Hidden in The City, Yet in Clear View”. We strongly agreed to the appropriateness of this topic, because these workers trudge day and night in all sorts of conditions, with their efforts going unnoticed. Contributing so much for our country, we wanted to be an outlet and a beacon of hope, to broadcast a message to mitigate the differences and boundaries between Singaporeans and migrant workers.

What about our meet-ups and the conversations you had created the interest in the area you ended up researching? Use your documentation photos etc.. to explain this process.

During the second meet up, they had samples of the catered food to show us and we were shocked.

Many agreed with the fact that the catered food was very unappetising. It was a concern to us, as it was reported in the local news and media platform just a few months back. But still, nothing has been done to eradicate the problem.

Discuss your exchange with the foreign workers.

Through our meet ups and the subsequently, with the filming of the cooking show, we have grown very fond of them. Sharing similar goals, aspirations and objectives like taking care of our families.

We walk the same path of life

Although they come from a less privileged country, they have their own responsibilities and dreams. It is heart wrenching, knowing most of these foreign workers may never reach their goal and achieve the “Singaporean Dream.”

It is a constant struggle in entrapment

When the cameras were not recording, the whole cast and crew sat down and ate together, on set at the Seet’s residences. During this time, we saw the most authentic part of Akbar and Habibullah’s life. It was a shame that we didn’t record this. But we had no regrets as we were enjoying the delicious food cooked by our two chefs. The rich flavour and aroma resonated throughout the house and in our palates!

Best mutton curry ever

Having exposure to charity and community involvement is healthy for Singaporean families. The Seet’s for example, regularly participate in giving back to the community, however it was their first time inviting foreign workers into their home. From their encounters, we could tell that even they were really moved by stories that Akbar and Habibullah had to share.

Take a leap of faith

We also noticed that having the correct upbringing is vital for children. If we do not want our future generations to be stereotyping or ostracising these migrant workers, we have to set an example. Only then, can our community live in harmony.

Change starts with us

Further Questions:

How did you initially see the foreign workers? Did you even consider their experience before our meet-ups?

Initially, we thought that the foreign workers were unfriendly people. After the Little India riot we had an impression that they have a disregard for the law. Having too many of them in this crowded country is definitely very overwhelming for those living here. However, our perception of them drastically changed as now we see how simple and warm they truly are. To take an opportunity to understand them and experience what they go through, is a pinnacle sacrifice that we should undertake before jumping to conclusions.

Along your journey what to, and when did you change your ideas/plans in response to what you learned/experienced or observed from contact with the foreign workers?

Describe your response.

It was only after hearing the truth for their chase of the “Singaporean Dream.” In monetarily terms, they’ve taken a big risk in coming to Singapore. And not many people know this.

We really admire their courage of leaving their homes, families, loved ones, in search of opportunities here in Singapore. Being plunged into a new environment and culture is something we Singaporeans are not knowledgeable of, and it is something we can learn from these foreign workers.

The issue on food has been a hot and steamy topic. Many of these migrant workers hope that they will one day be able to have their own cooking equipment, as the catered food is poorly prepared. Therefore, we did a cooking show, to brandish some of their talents as they fight for what they deserve.

What new knowledge did you gain from the interaction with the foreign workers and the actions you took in executing your project?

As some of these foreign workers love to cook their own meals, and many are forbidden to do so. Therefore, we made this short cooking film where our Bangladesh foreigners gained a chance to interact with a Singaporean family to share their experiences and love for cooking. This will also translate a personal and familiar touch that other Singaporeans can relate to.

Prior to the shoot, we had come up with a storyboard and script. Although we stuck to the storyboard, much of the script wasn’t used as we decided that it would be much more authentic for them to speak from their hearts, albeit the language barriers we could understand what they wanted to convey.

What did you gain or what are the strengths/weaknesses/ differences & responses to learning that does not follow the conventional path of lecture/ tutorial and studio practice: learning by creating experiences beyond the classroom? a. how did you feel about creating a project where there was to clear path to follow–where you had to develop a unique path?

As Singaporeans, we are used to strict regimentation and guidelines in our education system. In conjunction to being engineering students, the lack of procedure and technicalities was initially unorthodox. But having utilised and embracing this freedom, we realised it was a much more enjoyable experience.

During the filming process, we were pulled away from the convention. Feeling lost at times, we recalled all our training from DA2002 and previous modules in NTU that had provided us with the necessary tools to construct and execute our film. Proper planning was crucial, as we had to structure our scenes and camera / equipment placement, but practicing flexibility was key to producing a film that portrayed emotion and meaning.

Overall, we were extremely satisfied with our work and what we achieved, and the hard work definitely paid off. The flexibility and independence that we were given, allowed us to enjoy every stage of this project, from the filming to the editing. A lesson learnt in itself.

We hope you enjoyed our video.

Thank you Prof Kelly for having been our professor and tutor for the past few months. It has been a very fun and enriching journey with you. We really appreciate all that you have provided and done for us, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

Chang Zuo & Scott

Linocut

March 6, 2016 / Scott Nathaniel / 0 Comments

Week 6 – 7: Linocuts

“Its gonna take a lot to drag me away from you”

There once was a man.

Blessed with blissfully good looks, intelligence and fortune, he had everything in life. A respected CEO by day and playboy by night, he had a selection of women at his disposal.

He wasn’t satisfied.

An emptiness and pain kept yearning out to him from within. Even though he had everything, he felt nothing. A dire loneliness made him feel trapped in Soledad (Spanish for solitude).

He dropped everything and denied himself.

He gave up all his wealth and possessions, except the clothes on his back and some basic necessities. With just enough spare cash to purchase a one way ticket to Africa, he boarded the plane to no return.

The nights were cold.

Foraging for himself food, water and shelter he survived many days and many nights. Time to himself allowed him to grow and heal. Although his yearning had subsided, it was merely placated. There was still something missing.

There it was.

He heard a howl from a distant elevation and decided to inspect it. There it was, standing at the very peak, a creature that cried out like a child. The man smiled to himself as he could completely relate to it. He felt an innate connection stirring in him, a feeling unlike any other he experienced before. But this feeling was short lived as this mysterious animal scurried off into the yonder.

Feeling rejected and desolate, the man trudged back to his shelter. And that was when he saw it. Standing proud and justified; almost glowing with the heat of the fire radiating off it. The man was lost for words and stopped at his tracks, mesmerised by its beautiful coat of fur ruffling in the wind. He realised it didn’t scurry off, but actually tracked him down.

The dog wagged his tail and barked at him.

The man understood what it said. “It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you.”

Click me!

Nightscape (Painting & Paper cut)

March 5, 2016 / Scott Nathaniel / 0 Comments

Week 4 – 5: Night paintings and paper cut

This piece is about the domineering effect that light has on a subject. From the pictures above, we see two contrasting styles of dominance that arise from the light source. The captured image on the right portrays the light source as an entity of warmth, comfort and shelter. In conjunction with the posture of the subject, it adheres to the refuge he seeks.

However, the image on the left was interpreted to depict light with more omnipotence and godly attributes. Inspired by the Catholic Church, the formidable light protruding out can be paralleled to the Holy Doors of Mercy. For this year, Catholics are encouraged to journey to or ‘make pilgrimage’ by walking through one of these Holy Doors. In doing so, it enables Catholics to be closer to God. Hence deriving the omnipotent aspect of light. Moreover, the beams of light that are casted out into the plane are exaggerated to effectually demonstrate the multidimensional of this ‘light’ which in essence is God.

Another light source worth mentioning are the reflections in the glass. From the captured image, the reflections contain simple solid objects. Whereas, the interpretation shows the reflection to be more fluid. This evokes life into the light itself, portraying it with more dynamism.

Paper cut

Adapting aspects from the night painting and incorporating the ideas into a paper cut was a challenging process. Fore mostly how light is not distinct as it gradates over time and distance. Light generally spreads unconditionally.

However, for that very same reason was inspiration for the piece below. We see light within the doors are segmented with leading lines converging to the central focal point, which adds depth to the door. As we don’t know whats within this portal. “Could it be a portal to another dimension?”

The lights emerging from the door itself, originates from the main light source as well. It slowly dissipates into the darkness of the ground. Having only 5 strips of yellow light to show the spread, emphasises the correlations between darkness and light.

If light = good,
then dark = bad

We see how the dark olive greens eat away at this yellow light, slowly devouring the light till light breaks down and shrivels at the end. Further making parallelisations, it can be seen how the works of the devil scrummaging against god.

National Gallery

February 1, 2016 / Scott Nathaniel / 0 Comments

Week 3: National Art Gallery

Art that shaped the development of Singapore

When we see the word ‘development’, we think of the dynamism that our modern Singapore has grown into. Our cityscape, infrastructure and economy has sprung into life at incomprehensible speeds.

Life now is comfortable, peaceful and safe. However, many a time, our generation has taken this luxury for granted, even relinquishing thoughts for the trials and tribulations that our forefathers had experienced.

The art pieces in the following posts aim to expose the difficulties and turbulences, to raise awareness and appreciation for the men and women that pioneered Singapore and all our neighbouring countries into existence.

The first photo shown below shows despair. Using oil based paint, it gives the grunge effect; that society had an underlying suffering the World didn’t see. The combination of the dark browns and blacks contrasting with the skin produces a sense of heat, which represents the anger and repression they faced.

SgArtGallery-7

On the other hand, the soft water painting in this piece evokes the sense of serenity, with the smooth curves and light strokes. The earthy tones compliment the feeling of calm. However the silhouettes of the subjects, allows us to infer that everyone was devoid of emotion that they were obliged to a life of work.

SgArtGallery-8

In conjunction with the previous two paintings, we see another form of art through Lino Cuts. Primarily, a significant difference would be the textures that a Lino piece can create. The lines and jagged edges create a rough and rustic atmosphere, which coincides with the lifestyles that our predecessors lived through.

SgArtGallery-1

Traversing onwards to the next three paintings, brings about a different perspective to life in the past. The compositions of the next few paintings differ as they portray more subjective emotions that leave room for personal interpretation.

A word to describe this piece below, would be confused. The tangling branches and vines of the trees in comparison to the concrete and structured background shows perplexity. As the viewer, we are drawn to the organic environment, yet our attention dances back towards the city. This is due to the balancing shapes and framing that the trees develop, allowing the subtle colours of the houses with red roofs to peak out. The proportions and scales also reference that we are distant from the background, in essence, lost, wandered and confused. Do we go back to a life in the city or choose our own path?

SgArtGallery-2

The picture below can be perceived differently, however personally I would justify that it is a painting of the ephemeral nature of life. Using inconsistent dashes and splattering strokes, the artist is able to depict the transiency between life and death. Remanences of red and green spots scattered around the painting, convey the hopelessness that humanity faces prior to an eminent death.

There are also shapes with sharp and bold, black outlines that contour it’s unfilled centres, that aid in showing a diminishing World. As a body without blood is predominantly an empty vessel, we can see that these patterns highlight the ephemerality of life.

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Last but not least, the painting below.

After being away from home for a long time, we feel the longing to return. This piece evokes an appreciation for the comfort and security that we have in our homes. It is a place where you can escape reality and be yourself.

The simple pastel water colours with the neutral earth browns, produce an accommodative message. The artist wants the viewer to desire to seek refuge in his safe haven that he has created.

On the other hand, the clean white washed walls also takes the viewer to another dimension. For me, it takes me back to the travels I had in Spain, walking around the courtyards and embracing the cool breezes.

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Color Still Life

January 31, 2016 / Scott Nathaniel / 1 Comment

Week 2: Coloured Still life

The Great Divide

This piece is about the stigmatism and racial discrimination in the world.

Using juxtapositions of colour, shape and direction, the idea of one’s race being segregated by another’s, can be inferred from this picture. One side of the wall has a harmony of colours showing the unity of different races, religions and beliefs. Whereas the opposite has two bold colours of black & white discriminating the bouquet of colourful flowers. This is metaphorical for the discrimination and ostracism that some parts of the World face.

With the compartmentalisation of colours into their segmented squares, this piece is able to show the contrast between light and dark; peace and war, in a simplistic manner. Inspired from the Dutch Movement, De Stijl, the shapes and colours conflict with the long stalky black lines. These black lines covering the black checkered walls are to create a sense of anxiety due to its incompletion, unbalancedness and inequality, as they are skewed to the left, overlaying the rest of the image.

However, the colours are rebalanced by the bouquet of flowers as they anchor down the black stilted scaffold-like beams, perhaps trying to get through.

Finally, eye direction is centralised to a converged focal point in the middle of the page, the luminescent and glittery rose. As the rose is symbolic for love, the underlying objective of this picture is to enforce the ideology for peace, harmony and love in the World.

Black & White

January 25, 2016 / Scott Nathaniel / 2 Comments

Week 1 : Sequential Black & White

3 x 3 of sequential black & white paper cut outs – Scott Lim

This is an overall image to show the sequential black and white paper cut outs for DA2002. The first homework of the semester!

It depicts the transient nature of life, capturing the fundamental moments that affect us in this present day and age.

A short narrative of each individual piece can be found below.

The Journey

Life is a journey that takes us far into the beyond. However, we never know where the path we’ve chosen may lead us. What lies ahead?

Dismissed Warnings

A sign is merely an indicator for us to interpret. We perceive these symbols with our sense of perception and inherited knowledge from society’s paradigm. What does this icon mean to you? Do we know it as a ‘U-turn?’ If so, do we turn back?

Abduction

Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) are vessels used by extraterrestrial beings. In the TV series “Taken” by Steven Spielberg, we see how UFOs beam waves of light and abduct people. In coherence to our modern life, the UFO is a symbol for technology kidnapping society away from authentic living. The iconic WIFI logo replicates the beams of light that grabs astray victims.

Stepping Back

After abduction comes the torture. This piece communicates the psychedelics one goes through after being seized by the aliens. The conflicting balance of rotations in the larger diagonal to vertical small squares, gives the effect of confusion and unconsciousness; a brief realisation that something has gone wrong.

Origins

One cannot fully rectify his/her mistakes, but merely mitigate their forthcomings. Learning from the past allows us to make better decisions in the future. This piece is conveying the notion that we should look within ourselves, to understand who we were before we can know what we want to be. The little star in the middle represents the past, while the large Sun portrays our future.

Entrapment

Inspired by the poem “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou. This direct representation of a Caged Bird, which thematically gives effects of entrapment. In retrospect, society itself is confined and isolated in our own bubble.

Circadian

Repetition…Repetition….Repetition… Our daily affairs consist of monotonous and mundane activities. We go through the same motion everyday, in a circadian manner. This piece uses the snail and leading lines to give effect for a painstakingly slow journey.

False Devotion

The penultimate piece is the underlying root to all the problems faced by society. We have an altered paradigm, that we signify social media over the importance of healthcare or religion.

When we take these inherently good places for granted and place our worship with social media or technology, is when we begin our journey to abduction.

On the other hand, when we capacitate all these qualities and effects from the previous pieces, we would be taking steps to the path of freedom.

Exodus

The leading lines all converge to one focal point. To some, you may be travelling on a train to venture distances beyond. Others may view it as steps leading to one’s salvation. Which ever way you see it, accepting and learning from one’s mistakes, is key to trudging forward.

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