Davis Systems Formulas Heartlanders

Today, our view of Singapore doesn’t stay at the beautiful picture Lee Kuan Yew paints for us but instead the awful but realistic images that we normal citizens see around. To know Singapore, one shouldn’t say they know Singapore based on the clean and green environment. But instead, to really know Singapore, one should view Singapore from inside to outside. That is obviously what many photographers and film directors try to paint Singapore as. Many people always question why they like to paint Singapore as a dirty and ugly city with gamblers, red light districts and our juvenile ‘ah bengs’. But I gradually realize that from their point of view is then the real daily life of Singaporeans. To analyse Singapore’s society, we can reflect on the humans (our common citizens’ actions and routine), artifacts (our daily necessities and belongings), landscape (interiors and structure of buildings). Definitely, the artists today receive more freedom in their creation as compared to the artists in the past who have pressure to only bring the good side of Singapore.

Shannon Castleman posts an interesting system to explore the life within a certain space, in order to attract us, influencing viewers to post attention into the issue of homeless man. This seems to create a visual image and story for the viewer to understand and stand in the situation of the homeless man issue. The “Jurong West Street 81” project provides an opportunity for all the residents to really interact with each other. The high-stories of HDB seem to like encompass the density of all the residents’ energies, personalities, intimacies and distances inside and between these bricks and cements.


However, residents are residents. They are just common citizens of Singapore. Through them, we can see the different characteristics and personalities of heartlanders living on this land. Some people are shy (avoid the camera) and some are overly-enthusiastic. However, through 20 minutes of looking at their actions, we are like looking at their daily life. A picture tells a thousand words. That is definitely true for Singapore. We should be more observant for things and people around us, and we will realize Singapore really do indeed has cultures and is a place with a cool character. We are definitely beyond just Merlion statutes and modern buildings.