Block 12, My Territory, My Dignity #4

Collections
1613866
Title
Block 12, My Territory, My Dignity #4
Year/Period
2010 - 2011
Region
Singapore
Dimension
Object size: 85.0 x 106.8 cm,
Image size: 80.0 x 101.8 cm
,
Image size: 85.0 x 107.1 cm
Accession No.
2025-00426

This image is part of a photographic series "Block 12, My Territory, My Dignity" by Lavender Chang (b. 1983), which portrays the interiors of one-room rental flats occupied by elderly tenants in Bedok South Avenue 2.Nestled within each of these domestic spaces are belongings and configurations of furniture embodying hints about their owners' identity, personalities and beliefs that coalesce into a rich and fascinating portrait of their lives. The layout of this unit reflects the tenants' preference for a more flexible living arrangement as they have done away with bed frames and instead opted for mattresses that could be kept away for space-saving purposes.Captured in a stark, unflinching style reminiscent of German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher's iconic typological industrial structures from the late 1960s to 1990s, this series offers a rare insight into the social realities of economically disadvantaged Singaporeans, while reflecting the immense sense of pride and ownership they have in designing their everyday living spaces.