The Malayan artist, who was awarded an honorable mention for his video installation Motherland, discusses the phenomena of diaspora and immigration, the main subjects of his work. According to him, those who displace themselves around the world are still mainly driven by their quest for a better life, even though some move for reasons other than survival, such as romantic encounters, promoted by the abundance of transportation available today. The artist expounds on the consequences of this quest for safety, which involves mostly issues of identity. As a case in point he cites himself, a Malayan with a Chinese ethnical background and singled out as such in his country, although he doesn’t even speak the language of his ancestors. This situation, which the artist says is common in Southeast Asia, is tackled in his work, which creates fictional narratives out of real life stories of immigrants living in Singapore. He also talks about his endearment to Brazil and his experience in the city of São Paulo, where he is often mistaken for a Brazilian due to his Eastern appearance.
- More about Sherman Ong in Collection
- Further info on Motherland in Collection