About the Project
An arts-based community development approach has been adopted where we are expanding upon our previous endeavours to establish longer and more intimate connections with community members. By harnessing the transformative power of the arts and creative practices, we aim to empower individuals to become agents for change, addressing the very issues that deeply resonate with them. To achieve this, socially engaged artist, Salty Xi Jie Ng has been engaging seniors from the Wellness Kampung @ 765 Nee Soon Central since June 2023 through workshops, intimate conversations and co-creating artworks to invite wider engagement. The first year of this collaborative journey culminates in an art exhibition with programmes in March 2024.
Art Exhibition & Programmes
9-20 March 2024
Weekdays, 10am – 6pm
Weekends, 10am – 8pm
tides 潮
Standing in the waves of time, gazing at the horizon between life and death, one turns to another and breaks the silence: “How do you prepare to leave this world?”
This year, we sail with a band of brave elders to explore what it means to live well, and leave well. With an arts and asset-based community development approach, we are excavating the taboos of death, end-of-life conversations and choices.
In the ocean of this shared endeavour, the waves carry us toward places of light and dark, sorrow and joy. Join us in the Yishun community to intimately contemplate and celebrate lives, legacies, and transitions with an exhibition of artworks and programmes, including conversations with and tours by senior collaborators.
Visitors may view the exhibition daily during opening hours
For guided tours and other programmes, please refer to this schedule
All programmes will have limited spaces, available on the basis of arrival sequence.
Please gather at the entrance of the Wellness Kampung @ 765 for all programmes unless otherwise indicated.
Saturday,
9 & 16 March 2024
2 – 2.15pm
Readings by Lim Soh Joo (Mandarin) & Magdalene Yap (9 March: Mandarin, 16 March: English)
Listen to one curious senior’s existential questions and a full-time dementia caregiver’s heartfelt address to fellow caregivers.
*please note the dates for the readings in English or Mandarin*
2.15 – 2.45pm
Exhibition Tour led by Seniors
Be led by tides’ senior collaborators through the artworks and the stories behind them.
9 March: Mandarin
16 March: English
*please note the dates for the tours in English or Mandarin*
3 – 3.30pm
End-of-Life Conversations with Seniors
Engage in a range of end-of-life conversations with tides’ senior collaborators.
9 March: Mandarin
16 March: English
*conversations will be in both English or Mandarin during each session*
4 – 5pm
See You Up There: Conversation Circle by Agnes Tan (English)
Chat with Agnes under the tree about saying goodbye and having end-of-life conversations.
Pain and Joy in Caregiving Journeys by Magdalene Yap (English)
Caregiving for seniors has its ups and downs; join other caregivers in sharing your journey.
Existential Chats by Lim Soh Joo (Mandarin)
Circle the booth and pick your questions, then engage in friendly conversation with cosmic philosopher Soh Joo inside her peaceful space.
Sunday,
10 & 17 March 2024
2 – 3pm
Exhibition Tour led by Seniors with Q&A
Be led by the senior collaborators through the artworks and the stories behind them.
10 March: English
17 March: Mandarin
*please note the dates for the tours in English or Mandarin*
3.30 – 5pm
Talk: Demystifying End-of-Life Preparation
Come learn the difference between several end-of-life arrangements such as Wills, Advanced Medical Directive (AMD), Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), Advance Care Planning (ACP), and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR), as well as an introduction to palliative care for the terminally ill.
Speaker Bio
Ms Sim Lai Kiow is a nurse clinician with Yishun Health with vast experience accumulated over the decades, including being a midwife, a SCDF ambulance officer and currently, a specialised palliative nurse. She provides geriatric and palliative care in the long-term community setting, and she journeys with patients living with life-limiting illness, ensuring a smooth transition from curative to palliation. Lai Kiow provides compassionate, holistic end-of-life care, supporting both patients and their families.
As an experienced Advance Care Planning (ACP) trainer, Lai Kiow conducts workshops to train ACP facilitators. She also facilitates meaningful conversations with patients and families to plan for future medical care based on their values, healthcare preferences and goals.
10 March: English
17 March: Mandarin
*please note the dates for the talks in English or Mandarin*
Venue
How to get to the Wellness Kampung @ 765 Nee Soon Central?
Nearest MRT is Yishun via the North South Line Exit E, 10 min walk from Northpoint City.
Nearest bus stops are Blk 767 & Blk 763, both within a 10 mins walking distance.
Community Creations
Following an intimate process of learning what matters to each senior collaborator, artists Salty Xi Jie Ng and Stacy Huang conceptualised and made these artworks with them, guiding the process over months. Staff members from Yishun Health also collaborated on several projects.
From Atha to You
by Devi Maniam
In collaboration with Lim Feng Ling (Senior Graphic Designer) and KumKrish Photography
Images on Vinyl
Recollection
by Michelle Sim
Film
Float Free
by Chia Yim Fong, Koh Tong Cheng and Michelle Sim
In collaboration with Lee Sok Howang (Senior Staff Nurse), Naliny Narayanan (Community Care Associate) and Ng Zeming Benjamin (Executive)
Film
Single Seniors Club
by Chia Yim Fong and Koh Tong Cheng
In collaboration with Marilyn Chan Min (Senior Executive) and Agnes Low Si Ling (Executive)
Programme
My Way
by Shirley Wong Kwai Cheng
Installation
Cord of Life
by Agnes Tan
In collaboration with Fanny Hee (Senior Staff Nurse) and Ji Yanli (Senior Healthcare Assistant)
Installation
Feelings of a Dementia Caregiver
by Magdalene Yap Choy Kam
In collaboration with Putri Nada’Billah Binte Mohamad Hisham (Community Care Associate)
Images & Cards for Caregivers
Who Can Tell Me?
by Lim Soh Joo
Mixed Media
Project Journal
By Salty Xi Jie Ng
29 August 2023
Curious about what goes on behind-the-scenes of an arts-based community development programme? In her inaugural Project Journal post, Salty delves into the stories and memories of 8 seniors through bilingual chat sessions and intimate gatherings. She also guides them on a journey to learn more about end-of-life matters, discussing topics such as death preparations, final wishes, and the meaning of living and leaving well utilising various arts and creative approaches.
By Stacy Huang
2 November 2023
What is Community Art? As our intimate conversations at Wellness Kampung @ 765 Nee Soon Central progress, curiosity is afloat. In this project journal, Stacy Huang explains what community art means to her and how this project has enabled the senior collaborators to express their deepest reflections and contemplations on living and dying.
By Salty Xi Jie Ng
17 November 2023
In her second Project Journal post, Salty touches on the realities of working on a project that takes a community development approach. As Salty leads the seniors on their individual projects, she shares how she grapples with the challenge of having a myriad of expectations from different stakeholders and the race against time.
By Salty Xi Jie Ng
26 February 2023
As the community exhibition, tides, draws closer, Salty reflects on the inspiration and processes behind each artwork — reminiscing on their collective journey towards living well, and leaving well. In realising the senior collaborators’ unique perspectives and passion for end-of-life matters, this project journal post reveals the year-long journey of excavating the taboos of death through meaningful conversations.
Salty Xi Jie Ng
Lead Artist
Stacy Huang
Assistant Artist, Spatial Designer and Production Manager
Chia Yim Fong
Koh Tong Cheng
Lim Soh Joo
Devi Maniam
Michelle Sim
Agnes Tan
Shirley Wong Kwai Cheng
Magdalene Yap Choy Kam
ArtsWok Collaborative
Ngiam Su-Lin
Producer
Angie Cheong
Producer
Durrah Qistina
Assistant Producer
Kyara Devaser, Karen Yu
Marketing
Jennifer Kwan
Publicity
Wellness Kampung and Yishun Health/Regional Team
Evon Chua Yiwen
Assistant Director
Ong Siew Hong
Centre Coordinator
Tan Shi Hui
Assistant Manager
Cassandra Quek Jia Yu
Senior Executive
Putri Nada’Billah Binte Mohamad Hisham
Community Care Associate
Lee Sok Howang
Senior Staff Nurse
Fanny Hee
Senior Staff Nurse
Ji Yanli
Senior Healthcare Assistant
Lim Feng Ling
Senior Graphic Designer
Agnes Low Si Ling
Executive
Marilyn Chan Min
Senior Executive
Naliny Narayanan
Community Care Associate
Ng Zeming Benjamin
Executive
Our gratitude to the following for being a part of our journey:
Belvindar Kaur D/O Suhan Singh, Kanto D/O Suhan Singh, and Teo Geok Tin for starring in Float Free
Nee Soon Town Council
St. Luke’s ElderCare
ActiveSG and Yishun Swimming Complex
The community at the Wellness Kampung who have contributed wonderfully in various ways to the exhibition
All our hardworking, generous Both Sides, Now volunteers!
In Collaboration with
With Support from