Chew Jia Xuan, Chevaun

Theme: Expression

Merit, School Category, 2022

Artist statement:

Desire. What do you desire? No — What exactly is, “desire”? Robbed of your ability to see, your ability to feel; trapped in a cage of rage and confusion and despair, you wish to break free from the chains of death, but what will you do once you have quenched that thirst? Do you desire the ability to see again? Do you desire the ability to feel emotions again? To witness the very sights that broke you, to experience the very pains and sufferings that caused you to destroy it all. Only for you to regret anything and everything; your very existence. No, it was not your fault that you had become the “monster” that society often forgets and leaves behind in the shadows. It was not your fault that you had lost everything. None of it was your fault. Every single day, you wait and wait for maybe a ray of light to peek through the bars of your cage, perhaps a knight in shining armour, maybe even an angel, who's wings would fly you away from this horrible state of mind. At this point, anyone would do. You hope and wish for someone to come break you out of this cage, take you far away from the chains of death and into the warm and loving embrace of life. You finally understand the meaning of “desire”. You desire to Live On to see the many wonders of this world. You desire to Live On to endure all the negativities that this harsh reality will throw at you. After all, there is no point in losing hope, is there? Losing the hope that someday, someone will come to save you. Losing hope that one day, you will eventually achieve all that you wish to achieve. Losing hope that anyone would ever come to love you for who you are. No. It is your very desires that drive you to push through, so that you will Live On to see another day.

About the Artist

Chew Jia Xuan, Chevaun, 14
Singapore Chinese Girls’ School