Photo Essay: Republic of Pulau Semakau, by Zinkie Aw

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Republic of Pulau Semakau

The things we throw away tell much about who we are.

Dustbins are, essentially, a part of one’s personal space, almost akin to a type of ‘identity autopsy’.

Through photographs of trash and their environment, viewers are exposed to things owned and disowned by different people.

Pieced together, this body of work anchors to issues of waste management in Singapore — to realise things that we as individuals discard, will collectively contribute to Singapore’s only landfill on the offshore island of Pulau Semakau.

In 1999, after having exhausted the landfills on mainland Singapore, Singapore then created a Semakau landfill by enclosing Pulau Semakau and a small adjacent island with a rock bund.

In this light, we, could all be considered ‘Founders’ of this reclaimed portion of the island.

It has never occurred to us where all these rubbish end up in land-scarce and over-populated Singapore.

Hopefully these dustbins will form a reality check for all of us.

Peer into all the dustbin heads at  awzinkie.com/photos/rops/zoom.html

Photographer: Zinkie Aw
Camera: Canon 7D
Website: http://awzinkie.com/photos/

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