Open Call 2010 – \\: The Singapore River as a Psychogeographical Faultline

Thursday 2 September to Sunday 26 September
Opening: Thursday 2 September, 7.30pm
Artist Talk: Thursday 2 September, 7pm

The Substation Gallery
Gallery Hours: 12pm to 9pm
Admission: Free
Presented by The Substation

Video Credits:
Edited by Jared Keh
Camera by Keshav Sishta
Audio composed by Simon Petre

Read Debbie’s interesting blog on her work in progress for this exhibition.

Check out the photos taken on the opening night, 2 September. Photo Credits: Suzanna Low Chew

For Open Call 2010, The Substation is happy to announce that we have selected \\: The Singapore River as a Psychogeographical Faultline by Debbie Ding to be presented at The Substation Gallery from 2 to 26 September 2010.

\\: The Singapore River as a Psychogeographical Faultline, conceptualised and produced by 26-year-old Singaporean artist, Debbie Ding, will examine and reconsider the role of the Singapore River through a unique interactive and generative map installation.

On the reason for the selection of Debbie’s proposal for Open Call 2010, Noor Effendy Ibrahim, The Substation’s Artistic Director, says that, “Debbie’s proposal explores art in the Singaporean context – which is particularly meaningful for us as Singaporeans – with a strong interactive element that encourages dialogue with the public. This is in line with The Substation’s new vision, which is to increasingly bridge the gap between art and the public.”

About her art proposal, Debbie Ding explains that she has “…always been interested in maps and urban spaces” “Through this exhibition, I hope to explore the Singapore River as a ‘psychogeographical faultline’ where reality, memories and imagined spaces interact, merge, or drift apart.” Psychogeography is the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, on the emotions and behaviour of individuals.

As Singapore’s most significant river, the Singapore River is a site that contains many common memories and stories. Over the last hundred years, due to commercial and developmental reasons, the river has changed drastically in purpose, form, and colour, leaving us to struggle with its exact history and geography.

The exhibition includes a map installation, generated by algorithms, that will help the audience to understand and make sense of the significance of the river, increase awareness of local geography, as well as highlight the importance of maps as a tool for the production of meaning. In addition there will be 20 to 40 small hand drawn maps depicting various people’s perspectives of Singapore.

The audience will also be invited to take part in an interactive exercise during the exhibition, where they can mark a map of the Singapore River with both real and fictional landmarks, stories, and memories, creating, in turn, their own mythology for the river.

After graduating with a B.A (Hons) in English Literature in 2007, Debbie Ding worked as a copywriter and researcher while involving herself with a wide range of artistic projects in the areas of illustration, graphic design and theatre. She has been accepted to do her Masters in Interactive Media at London College of Communication (University of the Arts London) in October 2010.

\\: The Singapore River as a Psychogeographical Faultline is Debbie Ding’s first solo exhibition in Singapore.