Hugging the ghosts of the past and soon-to-be-past

• Main Author: Heng, Jia Jie
• Other Authors: Louis-Philippe Demers
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: DRNTU::Visual arts and music::Media; DRNTU::Visual arts and music::General::Social aspects
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/71245
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Hugging can signify many things. It could indicate affection or grief; it might be congratulatory or encouraging. But one thing in common with all hugs is that it shows support from one person to another. “Hugging the ghosts of the past and soon-to-be past” is an experiential installation. The audience is invited to journey into a space and physically interact – by hugging or touching – with hanging objects. These objects represent the cultural equivalent of a security blanket, a “comfort” or “transitional” object. They are intentionally made to look like bolsters, a soft pillow object that many Singaporeans grow up with, hugging it to better sleep at night. These bolsters are arranged and grouped to define a new space, and it relates to the idea of a maze; albeit one without any pre-defined entrances or exits. Furthermore, because the bolsters are removed from their usual context and hung up vertically, it becomes a space that is simultaneously comfortable and engaging yet slightly enigmatic.