Six refrigerators lined up, in a circle formation, facing outwards to the viewers. One may wonder why and what the artist is trying to convey. The choice of this dull electronic product leads one to wonder the possible concepts that were behind it. To spread awareness about the consumer culture and the increasingly unhealthy dietary habits one is having?
The work, titled Secret Affair by Roslisham Ismail comprises the six different refrigerators, each representing a Singaporean family whom he has spent research with. All the objects in these families’ refrigerators are brought down to SAM@8Q, where even the arrangements of food products are the exact same one of the family. In front of every refrigerator, there is a video screened, depicting various scenes of these families purchasing the food products which may now be seen in the refrigerators.
Secret Affair speaks of an entirely refreshing concept, which may easily strike a chord with the curious or the gossipers. The refrigerator in this case is likened to that of a private diary shared by the people living in the household which encompasses secrets and personal opinions of the family not known to others. Not only through the choice of food to buy, but also the way they cook their food, what type of food they eat, as well as even the amount of food they have in the refrigerator or the arrangement of the food products. Like a diary, these simple things help to shed some light on people who do not know or understand the owners to these refrigerators.
Stepping into the exhibition, one is invited to boldly open the refrigerator doors- to experience prying into someone else’s lifestyle. How interesting. Fun as it is, Secret Affair is also able to generate some quality thinking among its viewers, and strike a chord with people. Comparisons between the different refrigerators (families) could be easily made. Such as the different in behavior of the family, where some were exceptionally neat in their arrangement of food products, using plastic containers with clear labels for everything or some who simply place their entire grocery plastic bag coupled with the food product inside into the refrigerator. Certain obvious dietary restrictions could too be identified, such as a family who purchased halal meat products which can be inferred to be a Malay family or even social statuses and health beliefs of the family where almost every single food product they purchased are organic. Some interesting findings were about some eccentric habits of some families too, who chose to place packets of potato chips into their refrigerator.
Ismail’s work discusses about the relationship between how one lives and their character, and which how connections may be readily identified through the different characteristics shown by different refrigerators. It leads one to reconsider about the various other aspects of life which would spread ideas about something as easily as the refrigerator too. Nevertheless, Secret Affair has shown a new intriguing view of refrigerators like never before.
2.Writing on Evidence Locker by Jill Magid at National Museum of Singapore
No loud descriptions or things in particular caught my eye. Typical, would be a word to describe Evidence Locker by Jill Magid before one attempts to understand it at a much deeper level.
A simple video installation depicting nothing more than what seems like archives dug out from the security camera tapes which are then painstakingly edited.
At first impression, it may seem like a monologue by the artist herself. But soon after, you would realize it is actually a dialogue between the artist and the policeman who is directing her.
Private and public spaces, an issue not commonly sought answers for. A barely distinguishable line, which is constantly being blurred over time as more and more issues pertaining to rights, privacy, laws and basic safety start to surface.
It is amusing to see how other citizens who are captured in a particular scene where they are simply oblivious to Magid's behaviour- moving nowhere slowly step by step with her eyes closed. In a public area, private meetings and behavior cannot be avoided. But, are private and public spaces starting to integrate together? When there is no defining standpoint for both.
What constitutes to be called as public spaces? Places that are not your homes, places you do not have a name to. If so, most people do not even have a private space of more than a room. The use of security cameras which are found nearly everywhere serves like a constant reminder of one being watched at, even during private times. Then therefore, would that mean to a willing give-away of self privacy?
Many times, people try to keep their privacy, especially in public areas and platforms. But there is much to question. Is this even possible to achieve? What would be the yardstick to measure private and public spaces?
Things eventually come to a clash, where more factors come in play- the need for ongoing checks to keep safety and peace in check in the public, which denies privacy.
Take the implementation of identity cards, a necessity to ensure safety of the country and citizens. But likewise, a dilemma surfaced due to possible infringes of personal rights and privacy.
So much to guarantee safety for all.
Perhaps indeed, an integration is inevitable?
Or should I say, a compulsory sacrifice of privacy?
3. Poem on Evidence Locker by Jill Magid at National Museum of Singapore
A security camera
Videoing the city square,
there's you, me and us all.
should i say this is a public area,
or should we consider this as a private space?
When i all see is you videoing myself when I'm doing my own play.
Public,
of, pertaining to, or affecting a population or a community as a whole
Private,
of, pertaining to, or affecting a particular person or a small group of persons
What has exactly divided the two?
What is there to say, when both are
Inevitably intertwined, inseparable.
In a crowd of many, a person might merely be one,
But if one thought carefully, there's so much to one.
A different family, a different life, an entirely different persona.
But hey, looking back,
A person simply is a a part of a larger entity.
A larger world, a larger truth.
A seemingly more important part for one to take care of.
Who can say otherwise?
Yet at the same time, you can't forgo your individual mind, you individual soul.
So how shall i measure how much is there for one, how many there is for all.
When imbalance is just an inevitable foe.
So much for integration, i say.
When the lines between public and private are blurred.
So much for my rights and yours, i say.
When no one is able to define what's correct and what's not.
So then, how come some people are able to divide
the portions that belong to you and the portions that are mine?
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