In 2020, the world faces a pandemic that is unprecedented in modern
history, in which death becomes a daily statistic rather than a spiritual, mystical fate.
Curated by two Indonesian curators, seven Singaporean artists from diverse cultural backgrounds take part in ‘Hereafter’, an exhibition which explores perspectives towards death and the afterlife to understand how age-old wisdoms and diverse traditional cultures can help us navigate our current way of life.
Date : 26 November – 2 December 2020
Curator:
Evelyn Huang & Nin Djani
Artist:
Akai Chew – Asyraf Said – Eugene TYZ – Nicole Phua
Jason Lim & Kai Lam – Reza Hasni – Vimal Kumar
Akai Chew, The Ghost of Kampong Kayu (2020)
Presenting it with a straight on elevation approach of photography, the artists explores the concept of informal architecture and presents the getai as a transient, organic and symbiotic architecture, creating new and unexpected places for urban interaction.
Asyraf Said, Deeds (2020)
In his works, he explores on spiritual creatures and paranormal activities that are prevalent in urban legends and local folklores, especially in the Malay-Southeast Asian context
Eugene TYZ, 29 August (2018)
Involving the use of multiple pop up windows, in this internet piece the artist investigates contemporary ways of grieving and remembering. In a way, the internet becomes an endless space where memories and histories remain, thereby giving an eternal life even long after someone’s passing.
Jason Lim & Kai Lam, Spirit Dusting for Dummies – Everything we do, we do it for you (2020)
The works engage with questions around the significance of burning offerings as a way to honour the deceased. By exoticizing the practice, the artists wants to see how death is perceived by the living.
Nicole Phua, Altar native (2020)
‘Altar native’ is an interactive installation that attempts to create a time and space to come together to discuss living and dying, the two events that occur in this lifetime that no one can avoid, exchanging energies through eating and conversing, and leaving the space in good spirits and full tummies.
Reza Hasni, Keramat Tamagotchi (2020)
The artwork is inspired by the artist’s observation of our constantly changing obsession with electronic animal avatars such as the tamagotchi. The artist draws a parallel with tamagotchis and the old Malay concept of ‘keramat’ or the belief in supernatural responsibilities of deceased datuks.
Vimal Kumar, Crossing the Vaitaraṇî (2020)
The Vaitaraṇî River is a waterbody mentioned in Hindu religious texts (and later found in Buddhist texts as well), that runs like a moat around the realm of hell. The river is described to be one that is extremely frightening, which souls of the deceased have to make an attempt to cross in order to reach the court of hell and receive their judgement from Yamā, the Lord of hell.
