Wong-San

Year 2017 / Disciplines: Fine Arts, Ceramics

About

This work was done in collaboration with Tsao Foundation, where students partner with an elderly resident to create an artwork based off their most prized possession.

I chose to work with Mdm Joyce as out of all the objects she could choose, her most prized possessions were 2 Singapore $1 coins from the 1970s kept in a beaded pouch. This sparked an interest in me as it is clear that the coins were valued for their sentimental value and not due to its monetary value.

During my interactions with Mdm Joyce, she stated that Mr Wong was a great boss who cared about all his subordinates. With no images together, he was verbally described to be plump and bubbly, with the coin being a memento of their time together. I have generated an impressionistic recreation of Mr. Wong to immortalise his essence and their relationship. 

Write up

Fascinated by Mdm Joyce's attachment to the coins, Wong-San is a fired white stoneware bust with a silver paint finish of Mr Wong, the former superior of Madam Joyce who gave her these coins.

Being no longer in touch since the 1980s, the bust is sculpted based on her verbal description of him being plump and bubbly. The sculpture serves as a commemoration in remembrance of their relationship.

The bust is made to be a coin bank, thus being surrounded by gold chocolate coins which allow viewers to interact with the work and recreate the experience of receiving a coin from Mr Wong.

This work was exhibited during the 2018 Singapore Day in London.

Work Images

Process Images