Pairings
Michael Lee
Neighbourhood: Bukit Ho Swee
Pairs of things have begun to appear around my neighbourhood.
Two rubbish bins stand side by side near a lift lobby. Both are similar in size, colour, and function. A brief search for “Sembcorp” and “Veolia” shows that the former acquired the latter in 2020.
Two metal folding chairs flank a narrow trolley, all possibly from IKEA, their surfaces faintly marked by use. The chairs, their black plastic seats folded and leaning against the wall, rest unevenly on concrete, the lower bars wrapped in light blue rubber. On the top shelf sits what appears to be an ashtray, its blue echoing that of the rubber cushioning, while the bottom holds a pair of black slip-on shoes, neatly aligned. Behind them, a white wall and shuttered window provide a blank backdrop, interrupted by an ornate metal gate.
Two funerary bins—charred nearly black, each with a red lid—rest on the floor. They appear unrelated yet coordinated, perhaps by purpose or coincidence.
Michael Lee
Neighbourhood: Bukit Ho Swee
Pairs of things have begun to appear around my neighbourhood.
Two rubbish bins stand side by side near a lift lobby. Both are similar in size, colour, and function. A brief search for “Sembcorp” and “Veolia” shows that the former acquired the latter in 2020.
Two metal folding chairs flank a narrow trolley, all possibly from IKEA, their surfaces faintly marked by use. The chairs, their black plastic seats folded and leaning against the wall, rest unevenly on concrete, the lower bars wrapped in light blue rubber. On the top shelf sits what appears to be an ashtray, its blue echoing that of the rubber cushioning, while the bottom holds a pair of black slip-on shoes, neatly aligned. Behind them, a white wall and shuttered window provide a blank backdrop, interrupted by an ornate metal gate.
Two funerary bins—charred nearly black, each with a red lid—rest on the floor. They appear unrelated yet coordinated, perhaps by purpose or coincidence.
BACKYARD explores the phenomenon of how events become news. This collection of reports seeks to create a spatial tapestry of “news” contributed by artists living in different parts of Singapore. By inviting them to document the happenings within their neighbourhoods within specific windows of time, BACKYARD presents artists’ documentations as news reports spanning across 12 months. Each report contributes to a year-long narrative map of Singapore, positioning the artist as reporter. BACKYARD is an art space that takes place in the form of dossiers containing news reports by Singapore based artists.