CLOCKWORK MOON SERIES
ClockwoRk Moon (in the blink of an eye)
48cm x 48cm
Ink and incense-burned drawing on Korean paper, embroidery hoops, light, 2017
Commissioned by Singapore Art Museum, 2017.
This artwork is based on stories from the domestic worker community who shared both the good and the bad times they have experienced. I met with many who have sadly been mistreated and live very difficult lives often with very little time or space of their own. For these ladies time feels precious and scarce when the work is so intense. As you delve deeper into the unspoken story, there is an underlying feeling of time lost for these ladies who have a whole other aspect to their life - their family, children and home in another country. Although losing precious moments with their loved ones by being here, they are willing to sacrifice that for the opportunity to provide for them, absent but all the while visualising a better life for their families. In the blink of an eye their children have grown up and they will not get that time back. One worker from Indonesia was waking at 5.30am every morning and working until till 11pm or midnight. With no rest days and no handphone usage, she was also not paid her salary for 10 months. There was no one to turn to and no one to witness what she was going through. When she tried to reach out to others, they turned a blind eye. Another helper was on 24 hour care of an elderly lady, sleeping in the same room and barely having time to shut her eyes each day. She found that lacking any personal time or space takes its toll, and was also in constant danger from the unwanted advances of the man of the house. With no time off or way to speak out, she was very lucky to convince the family to let her go. Now she has found a new role with a family who treat her well, but whilst we might initially feel pleased that this story has a happy ending, for her this is not a story or an end, it’s just the current moment - the next job may bring good or bad things, and she lives in fear of this future.