SPACE 4 : INDEPENDENTLY EVER AFTER BY MR DIMPLES
Exhibition dates. 24 Aug - 4 Sept 2022
Opening Reception : Thur 25 Aug 2022, 6:00 - 8.30pm.
Society over the last few years has changed dramatically. Humans are becoming more aware of cultural, emotional and physical changes in ourselves. We have seen the rise of the Me Too movement, where we are seeing equality with gender, and females feeling safe and empowered. We saw better equality conditions with the Say Yes campaign and all the education about the LGTBQ Communities, where people are feeling safe about allowing the world to see them. We are more aware about what is acceptable with racism and culture with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. And the not to mention how the COVID pandemic has affected our physical, mental and emotional psyche of the population.
All this has led me to think about my existence and what I want out of my life. I had a lot of time to think throughout the numerous lock downs, isolations and working from home.
How do I see my future? What will it involve? I have a rough plan of what I see myself doing in the next ten, twenty or forty years.
But constantly, without failure, you crash into the big wall that we know as society’s expectations and stereotypes. From family, friends and even total strangers, you get ask the same few questions. Like it’s a test on how well you have lived your life. And these questions are:
When are you going to get married?
When are you going to have kids?
When are you going to buy a house?
What do you do for a career?
To be honest, the career question I have it covered. I have a great career as an art and woodwork teacher, where I have had the same job for the past 15 years. I have a very successful art career, where I host exhibitions, running workshops and producing murals. And also I curate an art space, where I choose the artists and hang the works. But the other three questions frustrate me. As a single man, with no kids and renting a house, why do I get the judging looks from people? Why do they makes me feel like a failure in life, like someone approaching 40 should have achieved more?
Why am I seen as a lesser person if I am unmarried, haven’t produced offspring and don’t own a house? My life isn’t empty, it’s filled with love, friendship and work. I am producing art and that is my main passion. Isn’t being happy at what I do and happy with my current situation enough? Why are we still living by old and archaic rules to how we should run our lives? Why do they feel I need a partner? Why can’t I just live my independently ever after?
Nathan Sim (Mr Dimples)
The Exhibition view
