Artist Statement
With and without you is an intimate exploration of the relationships between Singapore-based individuals, their families, and the foreign domestic helpers they employ. Ultimately, it aims to uncover what it is that domestic helpers “fill up” or “fill in” for each family they work for.
Every family and their employee are first invited to have a candid chat on their reasons for hiring their helper and to reflect on how this has affected their family. If permitted, the employee is also invited to share their work experiences and reflections on being a domestic helper. Thereafter, photographs will be taken based on the interview content and comfort levels of each family and employee. Each set of photographs created will be read alongside text or writing that is a combination of poetic reflections and translations of interview excerpts.