The Yearning for Harmony

A solo exhibition by Ryhan M.Y.

18 to 31 May 2024
Objectifs Annexe 

Opening: Sat 18 May 2024, 7pm – 9pm
Free admission

Exhibition programmes:

Artist Talk (RSVP here)
Fri 31 May 2024, 7:30pm – 8:45pm
Objectifs Workshop Space

How do you learn to call a place in which you have no direct connection to, home?

Since 2019 Ryhan has been residing in Japan working within the agriculture sector. From farming green tea to researching sea salt, practising photography has provided her with a way of reconciling the paradoxical feelings of discomfort and joy while exploring her new home. This creative outlet became especially poignant during a time when borders in Japan were closed and there were numerous insecurities about the future.

Each photograph chosen represents a specific moment of beauty and longing for Ryhan. When being in the present also alludes to a well grieved past, this yearning for harmony between nostalgia and the allure of new memories is the fabric of her unapologetically human behaviour.

Shot primarily on film, each photograph is accompanied by Ryhan’s honest thoughts on tackling the harsh realities that came with making her dreams a reality. Trying to bridge the disconnect between the person she was when she left Singapore, and who she is now.

Ryhan has since also collaborated with two other artists, DaybyDae and MZA, in an attempt to make the rootlessness, tangible. Through the medium of pottery and music, both collaborators were given the freedom to interpret the photographs in their own voice.

Ryhan M.Y.
Full-time farmer, part-time photographer; the quiet of the countryside is where Ryhan finds her loudest bursts of creativity. Day in, day out, the continuous routine of the fields have trained her attention for detail and tenacity to seek out the beauty in small daily rituals. Shooting on both digital and film, she hopes to capture these delicate intricacies for others to appreciate.

DaybyDae 
A Singapore-based potter, Daesiree creates functional tableware using wheel throwing and hand building techniques. Her work explores the inherent elegance of form and function, where nature serves as a guiding muse. Her passion for pottery blossomed in 2019 and since then, she has been honing her skills in creating functional ceramics that bridges the gap between everyday objects and artistic expressions. Motherhood adds another dimension to her work, where she finds inspiration in the joy of everyday living. Whether crafting unique cups to elegant serving platters, she strives to infuse each piece with a sense of beauty and functionality.

MZA
A mixed Japanese-Singaporean DJ/producer, based in Singapore. MZA creates music inspired by jazz, hip hop and dance culture. Often using a mixture of drum machines, electronic synthesisers and traditional folk instruments from the East and Southeast Asian region.