ISEA2008 Juried Exhibition
So Close the Desert Isle
Jason Wee (Singapore)
Collaborating with: Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing & Processing (CRISP)
Deserted islands have long fuelled our imaginations with the romantic promise of idyllic isolation, although in reality their discovery often leads to territorial disputes and conflicts between states. For this artwork, Jason Wee has chosen one such space, a ‘white rock’ located off the southwestern tip of the Malayan Peninsula. Contested by both Singapore and Malaysia, it is known by two names, Pedra Branca (for Singapore) and Pulau Batu Puteh (for Malaysia). Satellite images from the island will be relayed back to the gallery, while the island and its surrounding waters will be re-mapped in the form of a 3D CG model so that virtual images can be placed alongside the real ones. This artwork is a critical exploration of borders and territories, both actual and imagined.
Jason Wee (Singapore/USA) is an artist, photographer and writer, he is Adjunct Faculty at the International Center of Photography, New York, and editor of Softblow.com.
