To question a widespread repute for tidiness and orderliness usually associated with Singapore, Thai photographer Wuthipol Ujathammarat finds himself startled by an excessive number of bicycles left scattered disorderly on its city streets.
His photographic publication ‘Little Yellow Spots’ captures unfamiliar streetscapes, carelessly dumped with dockless bicycles, as an urban art form that puts Singapore on a spot. The eerie perspective the photographer emphasises on floats beyond political or ideological affairs. It introduces an alternative impression of Singapore where the dockless two-wheelers are being observed as a form of artistic mundane. His unusual curiosity reflectively creates a foreign outlook that hands Singapore with a quirky aesthetic through urban tonality and untypical street clutters.
N — NOTICED
When you noticed something fascinating, it cannot be unnoticed. The photographer began to observe the branded palettes; in which the dockless two-wheelers brought to light against the city’s usually organised and neat landscape—these were clearly made visible from afar. Charming as they might appear, these bikes ultimately became parts of an urban norm that influences a modern perspective of the city known for its aesthetic order.
Inspired by Singapore’s nickname ‘Little Red Dot’, the conceptual identity of this publication intends to capture a similar experience of how Singapore would be perceived by outsiders. It creatively implies a playful narrative that inspires the title of this photographic publication ‘Little Yellow Spots’.
Why only yellow spots? Just when the photographer started to notice this dockless phenomenal, numerous bike operators had gone out of business due to financial and legal dilemma. Remaining in existence was the yellow-branded fleets, spotted alongside the previously abandoned.
D — DUMPED
The cluttering mess created by abandonment of these bikes is the significant inspiration for this visual recording; to unveiling a twisted perspective on potential street vandalism as urban art forms. Its outer appearance may be unappealing, but there is always a compelling and unfamiliar narrative unknowingly attached—similar to a modern language of street graffiti.
Such a typical opportunist as he is, the photographer chooses to ignore the dramas on street vandalism, and merely focuses on a so-called ‘artistic’ human behaviour created by the riders among other individuals. When designated parking spots were elusively rare, the riders were left without a choice but to dump these bikes on the streets where appropriate, and not—this in turn creates an unexpected trail of ‘artistic’ mundane.
This is genuinely resulting from a random act of inconvenience cured with a definite confusion that gifts the photographer an uncanny viewpoint of Singapore—it could well be his first impression of this city.
C — CREATED
Without realising the charms of their surroundings, the riders often docked their bikes free-floatingly as they felt convenient—revealing an unexpected artistic impression sublimely captured by the photographer. The fascination settles within the idea of how things—dockless bikes—are unintentionally placed into an urban situation; where its surrounding is a canvas that beautifies Singapore’s streetscape through urban colours, geometrical composition and spotty aesthetics.
S — SHARED
To replicate an experience of how bike sharing works, the photographer now gives you, the reader, an opportunity to recreate or continue the narrative with your own interpretation. This handcrafted zine is intentionally made incomplete in order to instigate a shared experience between him, the photographer and you, the reader.
His hopeful inspirations from a famous brand statement ‘Share More, Consume Less’ are nevertheless to creating a never-ending network of share matter; where you are encouraged to create, share and playfully pass it forward. This is the intended interactive reading experience that urges you to design your own narratives—as you feel appropriate—using the props and additional components attached within.
Remarks
Only 15 limited editions of ‘Little Yellow Spots’ are thoughtfully created, and made available as a statistic commemoration of the average usage time riders, in Singapore, travel per trip; approximately 15 minutes.
Please note that ‘Little Yellow Spots’ does not aim to demote or discredit a brand image of Singapore—instead it offers an opportunity for a new aesthetic within a fascinating perspective that celebrates its ever changing city landscape.
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