2015, Photographs, Objects, Dimensions variable
By VICTORIA LOY, Singapore Teachers’ Academy for the aRts
Balik Kampong refers to ‘returning to one’s hometown’ in Malay. For me, it means leaving the hectic city life to enjoy a few days of serene village life in Pengerang, a quaint fishing village, the hometown of my in-laws. Each escapade is an occasion for the entire extended family to get together. Sadly, this small town is under the threat of becoming a site for heavy industries such as naphtha crackers, petrochemical plant, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal and a regasification plant by PIPC (The Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex). Many of the villagers, including my relatives, are losing their jobs, homes and livelihoods.
The diminishing Pengerang means the demise of familiar children’s playgrounds. The plight of Pengerang is not unique, and perhaps familiar to many towns around the world, struggling to stay relevant and competitive in the global economy. In this artwork, I hope to capture the beauty of this hometown by exploring my personal longing and beautiful memories of our ‘home’.
心灵深处 – 回乡
眼看边佳兰的老家即将在眼前消失，
心如潮水一般起伏不定，
只希望能将踏进这老家港湾里的平静
永远保留在记忆，回味中。
老家，
想念，
如今却遥远。。。
唯能静下为心情把脉，
思念。。。
aedge 