The first section, Depth, examines the personal insights and perspectives of the teacher-artists. When we think of the word depth, what comes to mind is a layered complexity and extensiveness of thought. Through our discussions, we have linked this idea of depth to the ‘inner space’. Inner space is the introspective room that we create for ourselves, where we consider how we think, feel, and perceive the world around us. Inner space is the space we carve out for ourselves to practice our craft. It is also the physical space and stillness that we put ourselves in when we want to be left alone with our thoughts.
As artists, this introspection paves a way for us to gain a sense of self, to conceptualise our own circumstances, and to find meaning in the simple, seemingly unremarkable things. This internal discourse can then lead to the art-making process as it guides us to visually represent the things that matter to us. For Khor Ting Yan, her daily bus rides serve as her own pocket of time for her to reflect on her thoughts while also observing her immediate environment. This juxtaposition of her internal musings with the communal space that she is a part of is explored in her work, On the Way. It is a documentation of the mundane, day-to-day repetition that is, at the same time, vastly different in its nuances.
My World, Inside Out, by Wang Mo, is a presentation of both physical and mental growth, self-awareness, and clarity. It speaks of the changing tide of communication between self and others, of how as human beings we stretch and adapt to our circumstances. It is a process many are familiar with as we grapple with the events that surround us. This growth, represented as a baby in her work, also speaks of how vulnerable and precious the process is.
Through the pandemic, many have found themselves in situations where they are at a crossroads, where life goes on, and yet, not really. This in-between space can be a source of both comfort and uncertainty. Similarly, Chia Wei Hou’s cyanotype work, Liminal Space, explores the co-existence of light and shadow and the concept of the in-between space. He found the beauty of this interplay of light while looking at the ground, lost in thought. Liminal Space captures the fleeting nature of light and shadow that is visible for just brief moments in time.
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