Seeing The Obvious 5:
A Young Person’s Guide to Surviving in Singapore
The 5th edition of Seeing the Obvious began with the curiosity of investigating how children and youths find ways to cope with stressors in their lives. Titled ‘A Young Person’s Guide to Surviving in Singapore’, the co-creation project explores how young persons creatively use the limited resources they have - from money, clothing, to body movements - as tools to self-regulate and to care for their peers.
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The project is presented as a walking tour that brings visitors through various locations in Boon Lay. Visitors are given a map titled ‘A Map to Feeling Better in Boon Lay’ which will guide them to places that children and youth frequent. Besides the self-guided walking tour, visitors can sign up for participatory sessions conducted by youths to learn more about creatives use of money and to design clothing for different self-expressions.
Presentations
Master Class: Road to Success
Directed by Han Xuemei
Dates
Times
Price
Max pax
Duration
22, 23, 29, 30 July 2023
2:00pm, 4:00pm
$8
5 per slot
45 minutes
In this lecture, Aden (aged 14) and Lucas (aged 16) will share how they have learnt to make financial decisions based on the analysis of their family values, superstitions, personal priorities, and life’s curveballs. Together with the audience, the duo will attempt to design a Road to Success where one could have a lot of money without having to work. The masterclass is conducted mostly in Mandarin with no subtitles. Recommended for adults!
Walking Tour: Out in the Neighbourhood
Guided by Chew Shaw En
Join Shaw on a playground hop in neighbourhood spaces that span across Boon Lay Drive, guided by five wall murals titled ‘unsuspecting guardians cutting a path through dust’. As the artist shares her anecdotes and thoughts about spontaneous play, participants are also invited to observe and embody the human interactions that build the social resilience of this old residential area. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing, and bring along a water bottle and an umbrella. Recommeded for families!
Dates
Times
Price
Max pax
Duration
22, 23, 29, 30 July 2023
5.00pm - 6.30pm
$8
15 per slot
90 minutes
Workshop: Pillow & Garbage Fashion Studio
Facilitated by Lim Ci Xuan
Dates
Times
Price
Max pax
Duration
22, 23, 29, 30 July 2023
2:00pm, 4:00pm
$8
8 per slot
45 minutes
Do you need a customised costume to go about your daily lives? Pillow & Garbage Fashion Studio listens to you and rants together with you about your stress, your relationships, your body, your mental health and anything that matters to you. Our team consisting of Si Tong (aged 14), Zay (aged 13), and Cindy (aged 12) will design personalised clothing that helps you express your wants, hide your insecurities, or simply… give clear signals to others to respect who you are. Recommended for young adults!
About Seeing The Obvious
Seeing the Obvious is 3Pumpkins’ annual community action project that highlights the 'invisible' social dynamics and relationships that we often take for granted or do not notice in the neighbourhoods. Each edition is a result of site-specific longitudinal research practice, and aims to create new possibilities for people to connect and reconnect through art and design.
Adding new play elements at Toa Payoh Lor 1 Park (2018)
Transforming Boon Lay Drive Block 177 void deck into a gallery (2021)
Since 2018, the project has taken place in Toa Payoh, Lengkok Bahru and Boon Lay. Projects include reinventing games played at a local playground with new communication visuals, turning half a local fruit shop into a pinhole camera studio, designing asset-mapping murals, discovering a child-led community development centre, and co-creating a weekly 'Getai' open-mic that has evolved into a community ritual for the local children and youth to express themselves.
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Seeing the Obvious is conceptualised and led by 3Pumpkins’ founder Lin Shiyun. Past collaborators include Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design & Media (Visual Communications), Isabelle Desjeux, Huang Suhuai and Tak Takut Kids Club. The initial work in Toa Payoh received a Cities of Love merit award (2019) for social sustainability.
Acknowledgement
Presenter
Youth Participants
Aden Chew, Cindy Toh, Lucas Lee, Tan Si Tong, Zay Linn Htet,
children from Tak Takut Kids Club
Producer
Lead Artist
Project Artist
Project Manager
Graphic Design
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Cheryl Gan, Lin Shiyun
Han Xuemei
Chew Shaw En, Lim Ci Xuan
Megan Hon
Ngee Ann Polytechnic School of Film & Media Studies. Inspire Design 2023, Wildcard Agency
Supported by
Special Thanks to
