tomorrow I will be attending the court session for Alan Shadrake, the author of "Once a Jolly Hangman." His book is on the death penalty in Singapore, making some people feel uncomfortable as dirty laundry is being aired. Hence, he was charged for defamation and contempt of court. Tomorrow's session will be interesting as I will get to see how stating facts in a book can get one charged, will it be a fair trial?

I am intending to make some sort of a guide book. It will be about the different places and the things Singaporeans are preoccupied with. I took Jackie's suggestion of reading some travel guides about Singapore, and found it very interesting. After reading up, it seems that most Singaporeans are apathetic about politics, not only because they are preoccupied with other matters, but also due to the fact that since elementary school we are conditioned to accommodate, agree and accept whatever that is shown to us. Our educational system domesticates rather than liberates. Still most Singaporeans would rather not rock the boat as we are a small nation. We cannot afford defiance, rebellion and constant questioning of government policies, in order to survive in this tough world. Even if we are taught to think and question typically, most of them are not willing to sacrifice their personal interest for the good of the nation.

Singapore before 1950

Singapore Now

Singapore in the Future

Rice Bowl by Suchen Christine Lim is a novel about the complexity of living in Singapore during the 1970s. Though the book is a fictional account of the protagonists' lives, I find many relations to the 1987's Operation Spectrum.

Operation Spectrum was launched on May 21, 1987 by Singapore's Internal Security Department (ISD) using its Internal Security Act (ISA). A second wave of arrests took place on Jun 20 in the same year. The security operation saw 22 young Catholics, social activists and professionals detained, without trial, under the internal security law, and accused of being members of a dangerous Marxist conspiracy bent on subverting the PAP-ruled government by force, and replacing it with a Marxist state.

This novel traces the events from the view of a Catholic nun, a priest, students and professors from the university. How their innocent involvement with helping the migrant workers landed them in politics.

This work is done by local artist Chun Kai Qun. Although it is very much related to my previous project, I thought that it is interesting to do a short write up.

Kai Qun is very much interested with the anxieties and desires of individuals living in a contemporary society. In his work, he often brings into play the art of miniature making, diorama making, creating cataclysmic explosions, reminiscent of sensationalistic blockbuster action flicks and video games.

He created an installation made up of highways and roads, suggesting that journey and search itself is where the utopian ideal is.

Remember in a few post ago I talked about how luck is very important? Under these umbrellas are people who help you decipher your fortune which you draw from the temple.

This deals with luck again. One must rub Buddha's belly in order to get good luck.

This man is reading people's fortune through their handwriting.



There is almost no beggars in Singapore, however, there are many old or handicap people selling tissue packets in order to earn a living.

Two posters I am trying out.. I intend to do 30 of this in A4 size.

Uniquely Singapore, everything relates to luck and striking the lottery.

i decided to do a series of photos/ posters using the Singapore Tourism Board's slogan of Uniquely Singapore.

here are the first two that I have done. This is just a try out. I kind of like the handwritten font, but will try printing them out next week.

so national day is coming soon, which means there will be a huge parade and everyone goes rah rah rah.

but what is the parade really? is it a time to show off the number of soldiers we have? or is it really nation bonding?

it might be a monumental event but i think that it can be simplified into a receipt and that sums up the whole event.

i have fabricated a receipt in which i will print on thermal paper so that it will look like an actual thing.

pay and pay ptd ltd

1 parliament place # 01-99

Singapore 049213

tel: 62858516

GSt no: 99-21112005-k

102 HArry

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chk 9931 18 July’ 10 15:25 Gst 0

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2ooo national Service $1000000

men @ $5/hr

1000 choir singers $1000000

@ $5/Hr

Cash $2500000

7% GST $140000

Subtotal $2140000

Paid $2140000

Change Due $360000

* * * Thank You * * *

* * * Please come Again * * *

Amount payable is inclusive of

7% Gst

This is what Singaporeans do best at: Shopping, getting freebies and eating.

Food is very important to Singaporeans.. more than politics.

I intend to make many of these and hang them from the ceiling. This will be an installation.

I chose to use this container as this is what we are familiar with when we were young. As for the house, i am not sure if i want a house like this or high rise flats.

Maybe this is why Singapore has few homeless.

I took this photo at the underpass.