East of Suez

 The work was executed in a terrace house within a British colony-built estate – Chip Bee Gardens in Holland Village, Singapore. Chip Bee housed family members of British forces assigned to the decolonisation process and the estate has hidden military defense capabilities.

Walls of 2 rooms were ground to the base layer and the dust collected for material that dates back to that period when Chip Bee was built (1965). The dust was then cast into British colony military medals replicated from a 1965 medal purchased from an antique store. 34 medals (matching number of personnel of a WWII British infantry platoon) were cast and installed in the room where the dust was collected.  

In many ways, Chip Bee witnessed the twilight of the British Empire which was also ironically called 'the empire of which the sun never sets'. When reinstating the rooms, dust on the floor was mixed into new plaster to smoothen the wall & painted over.

East of Suez, is a British military/political term used to describe the empire's lost of their eastern dominance. 

2017
Material: Paint dust, bonding agent, fishing line, jewellery accessories, metal rod, adhesive putty
Dimension: 3 x 4 x 3.5M (Installation - room 1 & 2); 3 x 12 x 0.5 CM (medal)

Installation view - room 2

Installation view - room 1

Processes

Grinding of walls in unit

Original medal purchased from antique store and used as master for moulding 

Moulds

Email: antchin69@hotmail.com    |    IG: anthonychin.art