CREEP 1  …..a stranger, quietly & rudely infiltrating our mind..thats CREEP.

Rain is when ‘heaven is crying’ , i was often told so, when i was young…It was after a Rain with him, we wandered around the estate to take pics. [Thks CH for teaching!] No one knows when nor why it rain-ed.  i captured this series, named: STRESS CREEPS; HOPE SEEPS,  feeling a sense of lost, fragile and stress, whilst hoping for hope.  Any paper, when thoroughly soaked or wet..will becomes soft and flimsy and it will no longer stand as one piece under the stress of rain. Any one, when extremely stressed or challenged will become weak and flustered and he/she will likely not trust life anymore than before. It’s not an exaggerated comment. It’s what personally ive seen, felt, experienced..and still experiencing with..Stress Creeps.

Realism Title: Soaked, tattered, scattered.

 

L:Newspapers soaked in rain just did not seem as perfect and ’strong’ like those neatly bundled papers we receive in the morning. Soaked papers break into pieces, as the bonds [atoms] within has broken. Shown as it is, they are ’soaked, tattered, scattered. ‘

M:When it rains, it was unexpected. Just like when stress creeps into our life, not all of us know how it comes, and when will it leave..and will it ever leave us..ever? It quietly infuses and builds up in our life. It breaks those, who could’nt stand up to its creep.  It breaks me, when ive seen how it broke the one i care & love. and why not me, be the one broken. Over and over again, rain doesnt end; Over and over again, stress continues to creep in…

 

Formalism Title: What’s left after the rain.

 L: Whilst soaked and exposed to natural drying, the papers are stuck to the floor. Wet and clingy, as it has lost its form. Though there’s wind and sun, it will never be the same piece. In fact, it tears and reforms as weather changes.

M: Help is provided. Help is seeked. Yet, it will not pacify the stressed one. The effects of the creepy stress doesnt fade just so. It has left its prints deep within us, creeping into one’s mind and soul. And sometimes, its just too hard to see why and how it is creeping in. Over time, one will feel like running away from the creep: Just leave me alone, thou shall not fight–> a cry which is hardly comprehended and compromised…but am trying my best to hold you..thou shall not give up. It is tiring. but giving up is the surest way to doom.  Running away is impossible, even if you think im-possible

 

Expressionalism Title: Stress creeps, Hope seeps.

L: This piece, though soaked is clinging over the edge of the drain. It is torned, but part of the content could still be read. From the article of a patient awaiting and hoping for a change…it states, “Her condition …more stable..although still critical.” whilst her cries, ” How long more do i have to wait for a heart? i need a donor”

 M: Stress doesnt break just anyone of us but it is not a choice, if it chooses you. When all that we have tried in vain, there is more to try and learn. Yes, it is tiring, to be soaked over and dry over and soaked over…Its exasperation when it keeps creeping and hope only seeps in slowly. However, it is not the stress that will kill us eventually. it is if we give up all our hopes for better. Hoping is a hope. Afterall, in life, what happens, happens for a reason.

~***~

 

 

 

CREEP 2.…to develop gradually or to infringe meanings on life/objects/situations…CREEP

 Pretty Vs Ugly. It is so subjective. Many a times, many simple beauty are amongst us, but we only have eyes for the others. What is pretty, what is ugly. No one has the right definition to it. We have LEARNT it from our environment, people whom we are with, from books, that pretty/ugly is defined as..pleasing, alluring/disgusting, turn-off. The definitions are socially constructed..they have creep into us, infringing meanings which we adopt but never ask why. why? This series is about how definitions of Pretty and Ugly seep into our data bank-brain. Titled: Pretty Ugly.

 

Realism Title: Rise Oh Rise Pipe. *EDITED

   

(Above: Replace Above, for a more realistic view of pipes and also, since the other two pictures show a simple style, i decided to use the above in place, so as to form a consistent style.)

                                                   

L: It is everywhere, amongst the hdb estate. Pipes creeping along the walls, buildings. Pipes carry with them..lots of creep within. u know…those stuff. but they conceal them within, those uglies..which most of us prefer not to be in contact with.

M: It is so integrated and merged with our surroundings, that we hardly take a second look at them. No doubt that over time, algae grows on them..but it is still as tough as before. It may has an ugly interior, but it sure present itself simple and pretty.

 

Formalism: Yellow yellow dirty fellow. Says who?

L: A deterioriated pipe, that is ‘peeling’ under stress. It is bent, yet it still stay strong and stood out against the white wall.

M: Pretty is not skin-deep. Often, after trials and tests, we would change. The exterior may not be the same, but the pretty self inside..wouldnt change easily. We are pretty, not by skin, but by who we really are. Hopefully many of you will agree so. We are ugly only when we deny our true selves. Like this pipe, it may be decaying..and ugly, but does it try to hide, nope. It is still there, it is out facing the world. It is a pretty little thing, against the white wall. It sure catches one’s eyes. Pretty or not, it is really not  debatable. We all have different definitions, but these definitions of pretty/ugly are so socially constructed, and they creep into our dictionary. are we aware? How often, have we commented on whether this guy/girl is pretty/ugly, just by ONE look? We do, dont we. We have our sets of definition imprinted in our mind. It wasnt there..it creeps in…

 

Expressionalism: Paint the Ugly Pretty.

L: An algae infested pipe [in the background] is deem gross and ugly, by some of us. It is hardly given a second look.

M: It is ‘ugly’ on the outside. but it is pretty too. Especially if one takes a step back and view this. It is pretty much like a painting of a green bamboo, with red flowers emerging from the corner. Sometimes, something ugly come along, we take it for granted or ignore it. Only when something pretty creeps in, we will take note. The flower creeps in from the corner of the picture, and beautify the picture. Now, no one will really see and know that it is a ‘creepy rotting pipe.’ Sometimes, it is amazing. Something ugly in something pretty can be the most enduring beauty. =)

 

~Peer Review~

Qiyi suggested that the second piece is pretty expressionistic, as she could see the form of the runnning figure, which i did. gee. thanks, not many did see it. glad u did. =) Probably i would keep it so, as it is an abstract piece, in my view.  Ivy commented it was a nice journalistic style of shooting which she liked. Thanks too.  Mr Reddy preferred the last shot best..as it draws one to look at and prefer the second series..Thanks. It is also suggested that i could probably change the first pic [ of the second creep] as the subject itself didnt stand out clear.

 ~Review for peers~

I love Jillyn’s work best. It is a creep of a snail. Slowly and steadfastly, the snail is crawling up. I love the shoots and how she portray the theme in relation to life..how we should never give up and move on. 9.6/10. I also like both Eileen’s and Paul’s capture of the cementry. The former is touching creepiness..as it relates to the kranji war. I like the meaning for creep-reach out to people out there, that the sacrifices made by man was worth. [Eileen's definiiton =)] In relation to Paul’s, I like the overall feel of creep..it kinda irks, and i love the contrast of the headless and complete angel. It spelt out c-r-e-e-p. 8.9/10 for both. I also like Rebecca’s work of her mom’s ageing. It is indeed true that our parents are ageing faster as we grow older. Her formalism pic draws one to reflect upon how often have we choose to stay with our parents. Especially the red nails, which brings up the creepiness..Good! 8.6/10

 ~Self assessment~

In relation to both Jillyn’s and Eileen’s concept, i would give myself 9.5 for effort,9 for creativity/concept, 8.6  for technicality. total 9.03/10. Jillyn has weaved it well, and fit all 3 pics into formalism, realism, expressionalism, with a motivating and simple concept. cheers! Much much better than mine. Whereas, Eileen did a good relation to creep, than the usual creepy plants. I would prefer her second series much more as it portrays the various style clearer. Both of them try to portray hope for life and i do too, in different perspective and theme. I took the meaning of creep as a form of mentality and forms my pictures. It is something difficult to portray but something one can related to in daily lives-Stress & Meanings in Life.