Priyageetha Dia, the artist behind the controversial Golden Staircase artwork in a Jalan Rajah HDB flat, is back again.
Back in March, she spent 5 hours layering gold foil on top of a flight of stairs at a HDB block, sparking furious debate about art and vandalism, both in the government and in the public sphere. The controversy hit its peak after the Jalan Besar Town Council ruled the artwork as unauthorised and not permissible.
One week after the foil was placed, Dia removed it. The artwork only exists in pictures now.
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Now, Dia just unveiled her newest works, with more gold foil too. At the Bachelor of Arts Graduate show opening on Thursday (April 27) at the Arts Winstedt Campus, she is showing a pair of rubber slippers and a set of transparent rubber sheets, both decked out in full gold foil.
Her obsession with all things gold stemmed from her fascination with her family history. As her family line 4 generations ago used to be goldsmiths, she decided to pay homage to that by using gold whenever she could.
After her first commentary on to profane vs the divine, and art vs vandalism with the staircase, it is interesting to note the objects she picked this time to cover in gold.
Art is frequently stuffed full of symbolism, and without a doubt these slippers and rubber sheets are, too.
If I had to guess, I could probably come up with some fancy explanation.
Slippers are traditionally an everyday object, used by most daily, and ignored by everyone at the same time. Covering them in gold foil brings unexpected attention to such a mundane object, and raises the everyday into the sacred. It also brings to attention the gaping difference between something dirt cheap, and something which is literally the definition of money.
Rubber sheets, on the other hand, feels very industrial. There is an interesting conversation here between the more religious and traditional concepts behind gold, and the modern, industrial functions of transparent rubber sheets.
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Of course, in the end the true meaning behind a piece of artwork is a collaboration between the audience and the artist, where the artist provides the artwork itself, and guides the audience along certain trains of thought.
At least this time, Dia didn’t go around sticking gold foil on public property and incurring the wrath of the government. Imagine what would have happened if she covered a traffic light in gold foil, for example.
Keep up the creative work, Dia.
(oh man, imagine wearing golden slippers! So shiny!)
Since you’re here, why not check out Goody Feed’s YouTube videos as well? They’re so Singaporean, I bet you’ll like them!
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Featured Image: Facebook.com (Priyageetha Dia)
This article was first published on goodyfeed.com
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