Industry (2023-)

Northlink is a commercial, industrial building housing carpenting, metal fabricating, car repair, and various other workshops. Tucked away on a mezzanine floor is madam data soundlabs (mdsl). I had the opportunity to spend two months there, to escpae the Berlin winter, to land in tropical Singapore summer, with support from the National Arts Council Singapore. Days were long and felt timeless. I remember the first days of the residency, thinking to myself what am I doing here. A and I asked me why I wanted to work at mdsl and frankly that question sent me into a mini panic. But with time, mdsl became a familiar place. I am there to practice, participate, involve myself in something that I don't quite know yet. Each day starts with either A or I making tea. A most times. Duck shit tea, tea that smells like lychee, white tea, tea from Vienam, tea from Thailand, tea from 2006, tea from a special flower that blooms only once a year. Hardware and electronics, food, and friendly visits formed a big part of my experience at mdsl.

Northlink features in Industry. It takes the form of a slideshow, inspired by Nan Goldin's The Ballad of Sexual Dependency. Most photos in the slideshow were taken on the way to lunch at the coffeeshop downstairs. The accompanying soundtrack consists of recordings I made at mdsl. It is never dull at mdsl.