As with human relationships, the attachments to our things deepen with the passage of time. Elderly people are often surrounded by possessions that may have followed them through times of good and bad, while many children have an unusually close relationship with a specific ‘attachment object’. These cherished possessions often provided a vital link to memories, relationships and former selves, helping foster a sense of continuity.
The display cases and racks in many of the shop units in Peace Centre have been the important bridge of relationship between the shop owners and their customers over the many years of operation. While patrons to these shops pay particular attention to the specialized wares of each individual shop, many fail to notice the (almost) random and nondescript decorative items and ornaments displayed alongside the key players put on sale for purchase. These overlooked objects, however, reveal the taste, personality and stories of their respective owners, at times more than the items which the business centers around.
External Receptacles and Signals makes a quiet observation of the overlooked and at times neglected decorative objects noticed in display windows and cases.
Pictures in the Mind
4 to 20 January 2023
Part of Singapore Art Week
deck.sg/event/pictures-in-the-mind
Exhibition images taken by Brian Teo.
