Live-in (Mattress provided), 2017-ongoing
12 digital photographs
12 digital photographs
Live-in (Mattress provided) is an ongoing photography series that responds to the live-in rule adhered to by women employed as foreign domestic helpers (FDH) in Singapore. The rule mandates that all FDH live with their employer throughout their stay. At the present moment, the series presents a rough spectrum of different living spaces afforded to FDH; these are featured across a range of homes, and they vary in size, location within the home, and level of privacy. It is also to be noted that "living space" is oddly defined for these women as their site of work is conflated with their place of rest and relaxation. The rule has therefore been heavily criticized for leaving FDH vulnerable to various types of exploitation, such as long and unclear work hours, and mental health issues resulting from prolonged social isolation or abuse.
Access for this series was granted through the generosity and trust of friends and family, who were then guaranteed anonymity in exchange. On one level, the decision to not include any identifiable human figures is a choice made in promise to these home owners and employers. On another, it is also a response to the types of photographs already in circulation, coupled with a strong hesitation to tie anyone employed as a FDH to that one dimension of identity. A deliberate focus on domestic space and plain mattresses --void even of the personal belongings of these women-- stands as an architectural expression of a host of systemic conundrums. Despite the obvious relationship to advocacy, the work really seeks less to incriminate, and more so to capture and understand the relational dynamics within different members of different homes. It also alludes to larger questions about the support systems in place for a country's citizens.
While the work knocks on unopened doors, the living spaces captured are really not indicative of other forms of generosity and liberties, such as employers who accommodate the partners and family members of their employees, and so forth. I am currently contemplating other methods of including relevant parties in the making of the work, and to fine-tune, but also broaden, the psychological and emotional heart of the matter.
Access for this series was granted through the generosity and trust of friends and family, who were then guaranteed anonymity in exchange. On one level, the decision to not include any identifiable human figures is a choice made in promise to these home owners and employers. On another, it is also a response to the types of photographs already in circulation, coupled with a strong hesitation to tie anyone employed as a FDH to that one dimension of identity. A deliberate focus on domestic space and plain mattresses --void even of the personal belongings of these women-- stands as an architectural expression of a host of systemic conundrums. Despite the obvious relationship to advocacy, the work really seeks less to incriminate, and more so to capture and understand the relational dynamics within different members of different homes. It also alludes to larger questions about the support systems in place for a country's citizens.
While the work knocks on unopened doors, the living spaces captured are really not indicative of other forms of generosity and liberties, such as employers who accommodate the partners and family members of their employees, and so forth. I am currently contemplating other methods of including relevant parties in the making of the work, and to fine-tune, but also broaden, the psychological and emotional heart of the matter.