An ongoing visual storytelling / documentary journey with VSE / House of VSE

This is an ongoing visual storytelling / documentary journey with Very Small Exhibition (VSE) / House of VSE. Let me bring you on a quick recap/travel back in time on how I started this journey. 

I first met artist Wei in 2021 at Malay Heritage Centre (MHC) for MHC x VSE support World Mental Health Day. That was followed following his Very Momentary Exhibition artworks displays and unforgettable experience with this Bring LOVE Everywhere.

In 2022, I wrote about “How I Met/Follow/Support Very Small Exhibition and Bring LOVE Everywhere”,  Today’s story would definitely be an add-on and continuation of my earlier story published in 2022.  That’s also Rainbow illumiNation – Celebrating 1 year of Very Momentary Exhibition.

Over the next few years till date, there were Your Artist Neighbour Exhibition by VSE in 2023, Explore and Discover your Inner “Chin-Chin” World in 2023, Tension by House of VSE in 2023, Modulation – A series of Participatory Art Experiences in 2024.

There were more photographs and videos that I didn’t manage to write it down into visual stories and published on this website. I am curating and uploading more photographs into my House of VSE / Very Small Exhibition / Bring LOVE Everywhere collection on Flickr, where readers can view more of my visual storytelling / documentary journey here.

Oh yes, this is still my ongoing visual storytelling / documentary journey with VSE / House of VSE.

Very In-depth personal sharing by Artist Wei

From my conversations with Artist Wei over the years at his various different artworks (whether work-in-progress or at the exhibitions itself), he doesn’t share that much in-depth about the different things that he was facing (probably like many of us out there too).

At The Substation Sub+ Artist Talk – Wormhole with Very Small Exhibition, friends/supporters present at the event venue (and those watching on Zoom too) were treated to a very in-depth personal sharing by the artist himself. 

We heard about the meanings, stories and inspirations behind the colour choices (Red, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, White), that many of us would associate with his iconic, bright and colourful rainbow themed artworks. 

Vulnerability

Vulnerability – That hits me deeply. This is something that everyone of us are facing it. We are not super human, we are never perfect, and in some ways we can be vulnerable to many different curve balls or situations thrown at us in our lifetime.

This is not just because as a practicing creative artist, you are more vulnerable than others who are not inside this industry. Our human race, we human beings, are facing some form of vulnerability at different stages of our life, some bigger than others.

Mental Health Matters

Mental Health Matters – The most recent global pandemic period from 2020 to 2022 (COVID-19) gave limelight to mental health awareness and why mental health matters. Artist Wei shared deeply on this, how it impacted him and affected his artwork journey, and why his artworks are therapeutic not just for himself, also for the greater community as well. 

Running a business is very stressful and challenging, let alone it’s part of the creative / artistic / media related production industry. Life, costs of living and societal pressures add up to our pressure cooker environment, some of us handled it alright, some couldn’t. There are times when people’s barriers and defences fell, they might be facing further more unknown and potentially bigger mental health battles ahead.

In a nutshell, Mental Health Matters, enough said. 

The Conflicting Personas that a Creative / Artist face

One of the key sharing by artist Wei that resonates deeply with me during the artist talk was on conflicting personas that a creative / artist face. As a photographer that runs both commercial/professional and personal/leisure/creative segments, I faced similar challenges, difficulties, as well as experiencing conflicting personas as “A Good Person”. “An Artist” and “A Business Person”.

In my personal humble opinion, I won’t say it’s impossible. However, to reach a stage of a good person, an artist that can practice his or her art and craft without too much stress or pressure and running it as a profitable business, it’s kind of a utopian world that many of us would like to have, even for those not in the art and craft or creative industries.

Personally, we have to separate what brings us the revenue (commercial / professional photography business), that can actually fund most of our personal photography projects or even documentary visual storytelling projects. 

Sometimes, or most of the time, we are juggling and handling all three personas on our own, and that makes us vulnerable, whether we like it or not. 

More than just documenting visual stories – Inspiration, Learning and Opening Up my Creativity 

On a personal and professional basis, this has been a very colourful, insightful, inspiring and encouraging journey supporting, documenting and writing about Very Small Exhibition / House of VSE over the years

The Phoblographer recently published this article, titled “What sketching can teach you about photography?” This is a great sharing and insights for photographers as well as fellow creatives from other genres. We can learn much more, open up our views and perspectives, be inspired and even opening up your creativity further by visiting or engaging arts of different forms and genres.

Through my journeys over the years, photographing and documenting VSE / House of VSE, I have also benefitted in my art and craft segment (still not that good with painting, drawing or making sculptures). My biggest takeaway for me is opening up my creativity, and how I can combine art and craft more into my photography. 

More than just documenting visual stories – Inspiration, learning and opening up my creativity through my ongoing journeys with VSE / House of VSE.

When my visual storytelling, documentary combines with art and craft, this give rise to my own creative artist story sharing, my style, my inner voice, right here on TGH Photography and Travel.

 * Photos shot with vivo V50 smartphone with its ZEISS Multi-focal Portrait lenses. A TGH Photography x vivo V50 visual storytelling series production. *

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“Back to School”

This year’s theme “Back to School”, it will transform SCCC into a school canteen with food and drinks stalls and fun activities to celebrate every student’s favourite school period – Recess time! Visitors can also look forward to exhibitions, workshops with local influencers (KOLs), games and dance performances. 

Cardboard Classroom – One key highlight

One of the key key highlight of REMIX: SINGAPO人 Youth Takeover is the Cardboard Classroom exhibition by local cardboard sculpture artist, Bartholomew T, in collaboration with students from Singapore Polytechnic. This whimsical recreation of a classroom features giant cardboard sculptures such as a 3-metre tall Graduation Bear, a 4-metre long Paper Aeroplane and an Eraser See-Saw, creating multiple photo spots for visitors. Each sculpture also incorporates touches of local Chinese elements such as childhood songs and idioms. In addition, the exhibition encourages youths to pen their thoughts and express their hopes for a cleaner and greener planet.

According to Mr Alvin Tan, CEO of SCCC: “With REMIX: SINGAPO人Youth Takeover, we hope to provide an opportunity for youths to experience and enjoy Singapore Chinese culture while offering them a platform to showcase their diverse talents. In doing so, we hope that youths who participate in our festival will enjoy themselves, connect with their peers, build a sense of community, and be sufficiently motivated to want to be part of our local Chinese arts and culture scene.”

Other Highlights of REMIX: SINGAPO人 Youth Takeover

Other highlights of REMIX: SINGAPO人 Youth Takeover include the the much-anticipated annual street dance competition RE MIX The Dance 2K24 where individual youths will battle to live Chinese drums and showcase their moves while groups are encouraged to draw inspiration from Chinese heritage and culture in their dance showcase.

Keep a lookout for giveaways from 18th to 20th October 2024 onsite, more details will be announced on SCCC social media platforms. 

Information on REMIX: SINGAPO人 Youth Takeover

• Dates: 18th to 27th October 2024
• Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre
• Website: https://singaporen.sg/remix 

* Information and pictures courtesy of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre *

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TGIF Music Station

TGIF Music Station was launched in 2018, they are a free monthly programme that takes place on a Friday night, seeking to showcase both emerging and established local talents in the Mandopop scene. Through TGIF Music Station, SCCC hopes to promote and raise greater public awareness, and appreciation of local talents in Singapore, liven up the Downtown/Central Business District and instil pride in Singapore arts and culture.

Since its launch, SCCC has organised a total of 152 sessions, featuring a total of 496 local artistes. These sessions attracted a total of 53,615 participants and 6 million online views during live streams on SCCC’s social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok as of August 2024.

TGIF Music Station 2024

For this upcoming October 2024 TGIF Music Station, SCCC will be featuring a total of 10 local buskers. They range from the young talents such as Lyla Ng (age 11) to senior groups such as Silver Hype comprising Gillian Goh (age 69) and Davidson Teo (age 65), as well as popular buskers who have released singles and EPs as WHYLUCAS and Jeff Ng.

According to Gillian Goh of Silver Hype: “We are grateful to SCCC for the opportunity to perform to a new audience. Through busking on the streets, we hope to set a positive example of how age should not stop you from doing what you love and to inspire more youths to pursue their dreams, especially in music. If we can do it, you can do it!”

Lyla Ng, added: “I’m excited to perform on TGIF Music Station on 18 October as this is my first time performing at SCCC and I will also be sharing the stage with many of my fellow buskers! Learning and performing Mandarin songs in public has not only allowed me to better appreciate Chinese culture and language but has also improved my academic results! I hope to meet more friends and fans at TGIF Music Station!”

SCCC Chief Executive Officer Alvin Tan said: “Through SCCC’s TGIF Music Station (Buskers Edition), we hope to support our local busking community by providing them with a platform to showcase their talents and interact with their fans, and help them reach a wider audience both physically and digitally. Moving forward, SCCC will organise a buskers edition every October and continue to feature at least one busker for every upcoming TGIF Music Station to provide more sustained support for the busking community.”

Information on SCCC TGIF Music Station

• Date: 18th October 2024
• Time: 8pm
• Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) Concourse

TGIF Music Station: SCCC x YES 933 is presented by SCCC, produced by Cross Ratio Entertainment, supported by YES 933 (Official Radio Station), 8world Entertainment and Lifestyle (Online Media Partner) and KKBOX (Music Streaming Partner).

For more information, please visit Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) website and social media

• Website: www.singaporeccc.org.sg
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/singaporechineseculturalcentre
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/singaporechinese
• WeChat ID: sccc_sg

* Information and pictures courtesy of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre *

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