LIVING PHASES
Beyond the horizonality and verticality: An archaeology of complex contradiction
LIVING PHASES
Beyond the horizonality and verticality: An archaeology of complex contradiction
LOST
THOUGHTS
PLACEBO
Mass Production of White Things
White refers to wide, clean, purity, orignal and powerful !
Site
The Substation, 45 Armenian St, Singapore
Condition
Non-profit Organisation; Independent Contemporary Arts Centre
Original
Reaction/Impression
Narrative
Methodology
Turn Substation into another national gallery to satisfy the State's desire of how arts should be viewed as. Forget about being an independent Arts Centre. Seems like everyone likes everything same, like being held by the nose, like being enforced with practical and conventional ideas; do not possess own thoughts. Using the method of duplication to create another IDENTICAL TYPE of gallery, museum, arts centre or whatsoever. To duplicate is to satisfy the assumed right views from the people around the world enforced by the state's or any other parties; forming 'dead-wood' society.
Content
View
White refers to the conventional design in architecture, as well as powerful and successful political representations in Singapore. Mass Production of White Things incorporates the concept of minimalism by multiplying the number of white plaster blocks with the dimensions of Substation to critique about the state’s guidelines of being conventional, and the state’s duty to shield offensive material to the public. Mocking at how Substation have to be concealed and designed to coincide with the state.
My reactions / impression of substation:
I do not have any impression of substation as I only have my 3rd visit there. Yet, I am interested with the incident about the banning of certain art that was criticised as OBSCENE and UNHEALTHY to the public.
Specifically, on Joseph Ng’s performance art on the New Year, cutting his pubic hair in public as a protest. In addition to Loo Zi Han’s re-enactment of brother cane at substation and also Ray Langenbach’s ban on teaching performative arts in Singapore.
My Concept:
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Mocking the States, art organisations, public.
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Who has the right to voice?
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Concealment
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Political commentary
Rethink and describe the possibility of the future of Substation:
I thought about censorship, which is the state’s duty of shielding offensive material to the public. Thus, with the idea of concealment (how usually the states deal with), I am approaching architecture as a medium to redefine the spaces and its façade in Substation to hide “obscenity” and “unhealthy” scenes, proclaimed and judged by the public so that the framing of the arts and culture coincides with the state. (MOCK)(SARCASM)
Substation being a divergent from other local art museums and galleries. While the concealment, inner space has to differs from the façade. Why still the need of floor and wall? Floors and Walls that were existed in the Substation to demarcate spaces for arts use, have to be removed. No windows and no doors; anyone from the outside cannot enter, and anyone form the inside cannot leave. As it is unrecognised, and no one will even be bothered for the programs of the substation since the “types of arts” that are allow to be presented has its “predetermined fate” by the state.
The “concealment technique”:
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The Substation will be enclosed with a “white box”.
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The use of white relates to cleanliness and tidiness.
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The white and four sides wall relates to general museum context.
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The four sides’ wall relates to conventional architectural design.
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“Man in White” à world’s most successful political parties.
