The more I live, the less I know (2022)
synthetic polymer, wire, arduino, motorised with sound
(H) 38 x (W) 7x (D) 20 cm
bamboo turntable: (H) 9cm x (W) 29 cm (Dia.)
cable: 2m
speakers
Sound description: Sound of ocean waves, faint vocal of Zhang Zhanbo (Hui Tribe folk song) , 10 mins duration on loop
synthetic polymer, wire, arduino, motorised with sound
(H) 38 x (W) 7x (D) 20 cm
bamboo turntable: (H) 9cm x (W) 29 cm (Dia.)
cable: 2m
speakers
Sound description: Sound of ocean waves, faint vocal of Zhang Zhanbo (Hui Tribe folk song) , 10 mins duration on loop
In "The more I live, the less I know" (2022), Mah reflects on the uncertainty of his pluralistic identities. The work is inspired by the artist's deceased paternal grandfather, who was part of the Hui community (Chinese-Muslims who speak Chinese with fragments of Farsi). The grandfather migrated from China to colonial Singapore before World War II, but died young without passing on much of his cultural and family knowledge, leaving Mah to explore the ambiguity of his heritage.
The artwork rotates when the viewer pushes a button and a concealed camel is revealed from a certain point of view. The earphones play looped sounds of crashing oceans and a faint Hui folk song, symbolizing the artist's longing for cultural connection. The text "GO THE FU CK BACK" moves from ear to ear, reflecting the sentiment expressed by strangers to the artist and his family. The text "Paiseh I can’t go back where I come from", written in a combination of 閩南語/Minnan (Hokkien) and English, highlights the artist's linguistic hybridity. These elements come together as a lament for the artist's uncertainty about his cultural identity.
The artwork rotates when the viewer pushes a button and a concealed camel is revealed from a certain point of view. The earphones play looped sounds of crashing oceans and a faint Hui folk song, symbolizing the artist's longing for cultural connection. The text "GO THE FU CK BACK" moves from ear to ear, reflecting the sentiment expressed by strangers to the artist and his family. The text "Paiseh I can’t go back where I come from", written in a combination of 閩南語/Minnan (Hokkien) and English, highlights the artist's linguistic hybridity. These elements come together as a lament for the artist's uncertainty about his cultural identity.