Chosen Theme : Social and Cultural
(The reason I've chose this theme is because mostly of the public art is concern about social and cultural issue. AND, also the reason why the artwork is drawn in public setting in order to increase the awareness of public.)
Basically my inspiration came from daily stuff such as television news, online articles, photos, videos, friends and so on. However, I've somehow focus slightly more on social inequality issue such as the social class between rich and poor.
Peace Dove
the idea behind was unity of the 3 main ethnic in Malaysia- Malay, Chinese and Indian.
I was inspired by the colourful pattern of batik, sari and cheongsam.
Therefore, I've mix the 3 element into the peace sign of dove to represent the idea of unity 1Malaysia.
African child soldier
The child soldier idea is basically came from the movie "Blood Diamond".
Under the military culture of African, most of the children have their own guns or M16 and they taught to be "IT IS OKAY" to kill people.
Compares with other cultural children, instead of playing toys and dolls, African children play guns.
Sex selection Abortion
Nowadays, abortion is still an on-going debat issue.
Though, in China, the former one-child policy for each and every family has been removed, still there are many sex selection abortion cases going on.
The reason is simple, Poverty; which force the family to choose the "valuable" one to give birth.
As indian and chinese, male children will carry the family name to the next generation; thus, female babies are finantially burden for the family.
LRT phenomenon
The scene of young people sitting on the priority seating (seats reserved for the pregnant women, disabled people, old man, etc.) are normal phenomenon in LRT.
I was then inspired to sketch the angry disabled people, pregnant women, and old man that scolding on the young man who sitted on the priority seat.
Organ Trading
I saw a news about organ trading in China which inspired the idea for me to sketch.
Again, the reason behind is because of poverty. Poor people got no assest, the only valuable things they have is their organ. Organ are sold to the rich one.
This get me into deep thought : Is that money really can buy anything? even poor one is willing to put their life on risk to sell organs. Does this money trading a HOPE? or a way to DEATH?
Unspoken words
Egypt women are not allow to give out their thoughts in public. Some even thinks that running on the road is ILLEGAL. According to BBC, "gender gap" is the BIGGEST in Eygpt.
Suicide Japan
The hectic life of Japanese workahorlic is slowly pushing them to the death.
Where at the point the stress and negative emotions cannot be release.
Japan is the highest suicide rate country.
Child Marriage
Poverty, again is the black force behind that push all the young little girl to get under-aged marriage. Normally, poor family couldn't afford the girl's living cost, so they sell the their daughter.
Window prostitute (Dolly)
Being a prostitute deserve the same respect and equality rights as they are human too.
The idea was once strike in my head as i was reading the news about how a prostitute mother strive to survive in this society and earn money to brought up her daughter. However, the mother was once looked down by her own daughter in term of her career-Prostitute.
Kiasu-ism
Positive competition? or negative?
Anti Shark Fin Soup
Shark fin is one of the most treasure food from sea in Chinese's eyes. Shark fin soup is the MUST dishes on Chinese wedding dinner it represents prosperity, wealth and prestige.
However, shark is getting extinct. The sharks are thrown into the sea and let them swim without the fins and eventually sink to the bottom of sea and die.
The "Stairs" Social
The social gap between rich and poor is HUGE.
The rich one have all the sources, power, and authority.
While the poor one, they are being exploited and be servant generation to generation as they lack of the knowledge of their own rights.
Behind the Mask
The sorrow eyes behind the arabic women's Hijab. (the headcovering traditionally worn by Muslim women)
Arabic women are being discriminated in US. Goverment of US made an effort to against the discrimination by stating the law of freedom :Arabic women are freee to express their religious belief and at the same time, whether or not to wear hijab.
The Craftman's Hands
I am trying to create a fading effect to shows that our cultural is fading away through times.
Younger generation is not willing to resume their cultural, slowly, the cultural will be forgotten in the future.
The Fast Falling
City people are being fostering under the "Fast Cultural".
Everything need to be fast, instant and quick.
Slowly, this has become the invisible pressure for the city people.
The fast falling people are being pressed by all the tall, fancy buildings to show thats the fast pace is suffocating the city people.
Unity
The idea of WE ARE ALL HUMAN who different only in colours. we deserve the SAME RIGHTS.
The Living and Dying
The contrast between the dying hunger child beside the restaurant and the obesity child who is eating and enjoying the ice-cream and McDonald.
Again, this bring up the social gap issue.
Nowadays, social gap not only can be found in third world country, but research has shown the gap is getting wider in the urban city such as US, China, etc.
Kevin Carter, 1993 "Waiting for Death"
Natural Face
Plastic surgery has become a trend in nowadays. Celebrities, rich people are mostly the clients of plastic surgery.
However, god has create us with our own unique faces, why do we need to copy others' face?
The idea of natural beauty is somehow forgotten in this era.
Amanda Lepore
Thank You!
