Small Spaces, Big Dreams

A symmetrically presented collage by Chris Yap

Yap believes that 'human beings are born with an innate resistance to the changes around'. 'While we constantly hear about people caving in under pressure--be it physical or spiritual--we don't give in easily,' he says. The modern life necessitates space having 'multitude of uses, simultaneously or otherwise'. And just keeping that in mind, Yap presents nine different shots on a single canvas portraying the 'multitude of uses' brilliantly.

'In land-scarce Singapore, we learn to deal with limits in living spaces,' Yap explains. 'The void deck below the public housing blocks is a place for both living and dying.'The bathroom can be a private sanctuary. The home is a workplace, and a workplace is often more hospitable than home,' says Yap. His canvas presents glimpses of the living room, kitchen, balcony, bathroom and portico, among others.

The collage projects the continuous litany--'Make space, make space', but it also reflects the conviction of the city-dwellers--'We are resistant.'

The exhibition runs till December 23, the closing day of Chobi Mela III.