Introducing the women melding art, technology and sustainability in Singapore
NET-A-PORTER and The MeshMinds Foundation – an arts organization focused on empowering artists and technologists in Asia – have joined forces to launch ‘Please Insert Women’, a first-of-its-kind program supporting creatives in Southeast Asia. Here, MeshMinds’ founder KAY VASEY shares the inspiration behind the foundation’s work, while four artists featured in the exhibition – which takes place at Capella Singapore this month – reveal art’s ability to craft a more conscious, sustainable future
“MeshMinds came from the idea of bringing together the best brains in the world to collaborate on projects,” says Kay Vasey of the organization she founded in 2018. It had been in her former role as Director of Arts at the British Council in Singapore that she started to realize “the power of emerging technologies to transform the way that art was being produced and consumed around the world” and noticed the scope to increase awareness of frontier technologies – such as augmented reality, virtual reality and artificial intelligence – to drive positive social and environmental impact.
She started The MeshMinds Foundation, a not-for-profit arts organization, “with the aim of incubating and empowering artists in Asia to focus on the sustainable development of people and our planet”. At the same time, she created a sister group, MeshMinds – “a creative technology studio to develop a pool of job opportunities for the artists we had incubated,” she says. “Together, we combine art and technology with powerful partnerships to drive awareness, ignite conversations and inspire behavior change for sustainable development.” The organizations have since partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to harness the power of frontier technologies in a bid to supercharge engagement with climate communications. “Our goals are to educate our youth audience, evoke empathy and ignite behavior change to create a better world for all,” Vasey adds.
“Now, in 2021, we are beginning to realize that the pandemic didn’t start the sustainability revolution, but it has put it into hyperdrive, and Gen Z is leading the charge. By building and enabling fellow creators to design impactful experiences, we hope to support responsible companies to connect with millennials and Gen Z, the future custodians of our planet, in new and innovative ways,” she continues. “When the artists that we incubate go on to teach other artists or creators these frontier technologies, they further spread the power of and encourage more of the creator community to use such tools to supercharge their storytelling for people and planet.”
Vasey cites viral cause campaigns – from #FridaysForFuture led by Greta Thunberg, to the Bye Bye Plastic Bags movement started by sisters Melati and Isabel Wijsen in Bali – as proof that social media can be a powerful catalyst for good. “We can see the power of raising youth voices to effect change,” she says. Their commitment to digital storytelling is backed up by a recent report by UNEP titled Perceptions on Plastic Waste, which uncovered that social media is perceived as the most effective platform for consumers in Southeast Asia to learn about, and be encouraged to act on, plastic-waste issues.
“The fight to save the planet needs active participation from governments, companies, individual everyday activists and non-governmental organizations. Sadly, we are bearing witness to a battle between [them],” she says. “MeshMinds’ unique offering in this complex landscape is in helping responsible brands to focus on sharing sustainability stories that promote a conscious lifestyle through the power of art and technology. And this is supported by the work of The MeshMinds Foundation in building and fostering a community of creative technologists for causes, with people who are trained and ready to use their unique skills to do something for people and the planet.”
For the NET SUSTAIN x ‘Please Insert Women’ collaboration, and the augmented reality art (AR.T) exhibition titled A Considered Life, The MeshMinds Foundation has worked with four Singapore-based female artists on an eight-week creative technology learning journey, producing original artworks and face effects inspired by the nine key attributes of NET SUSTAIN. This is the seventh edition of MeshMinds’ flagship program ‘Please Insert Human’, and this time the focus is on empowering women and non-binary artists in Asia. “Our team hopes that it will be the first of many programs that will offer a source of inspiration and practical skills for new generations of creatives looking to create positive social impact with their work,” she says.
“Art is a powerful tool for change because it helps convey thoughts, ideas and emotions without the need for words
”Artist Elen Winata
Aeropalmics
“Art has the power to convey stories that hold weight and feeling, allowing its creators to push messages that tickle emotion for maximum impact. Our world is fueled by stories for millennia – it’s how humans pass information down on how to live life [and] how to survive. Stories are how we interpret history, how we look to the future, how we advocate for change.
Change doesn’t have to be massive. Just one life and it would have been worth the effort. I remember coming across an article years ago [about] an aging man who was unable to travel back to his hometown in Italy to see it one last time. Someone had taken it upon themselves to map that entire area out for him in VR and, in doing so, helped him to live that experience without having to travel. Art expands our perspectives and can pique curiosity.
Nature and its intricacies are a big part of how I relate to the world. I utilize many natural elements and textures in all the work I do out of both fascination and wonder. It’s how I find calm, and in my art I attempt to help others find a similar form of joy and relaxation.
It’s tough navigating how we can better keep [the environment] intact for future generations, especially as individuals. [I’m] feeling hopeful nonetheless – with passionate art and tech organizations like MeshMinds attempting to generate more conversations, more awareness, and doing so via the visually pleasing route [to make information] accessible to all.”
MessyMsxi
“I think that it is important for art to be accessible to a wider audience through digital platforms and public spaces. Art has the ability to speak louder than words, to spur people into thinking and acting on a movement.
Block Party is a celebration of locally made crafts and goods. I feel that in this day and age, as globalization has taken place far and wide, we can always buy goods that are much cheaper or made elsewhere with the click of a finger. The artwork draws us in to some of the processes of traditional block printing made by the hands of locals.
This year, [I have seen] more top-down initiatives for sustainable living and consciousness here in Singapore. I am really glad that the initiatives are happening, as it is better late than never.”
Elen Winata
“Art is a powerful tool for change because it helps convey thoughts, ideas and emotions without the need for words. Using art as a symbol for a movement can lead to a cohesive effort for real change. For example, Jean Jullien’s Peace for Paris illustration, drawn as a response to the terror attacks in Paris, garnered worldwide attention and became a symbol of unity all over the world.
I strive to make new ideas and concepts less intimidating and easy to digest through vibrant colors and friendly illustrations. Inspired by animal welfare, my artwork Utopia envisions a world where animals are not needlessly harmed for the sake of fashion. Metamorphosis was inspired by [our need to] reduce waste and, through it, I would like to inform people on the upcycling movement that is gaining traction in the industry. By extending the life cycle of fashion items, we can reduce the amount of waste produced and maybe even create something better out of it. Similarly, the ‘designed for circularity’ movement inspired my work Circle of Life, which showcases the life cycle of items and [illustrates] how they can go on for a long time with little effort – by planning out the different stages of an item, we can minimize our environmental impact and plan for a better future.”
Tiffany Lovage
“Art works as an alternative form of communication that speaks beyond words, expressing and connecting beyond languages and barriers.
I hope people learn to appreciate the work that goes behind the scenes [and] the process of making our everyday items. And, with that, [learning to] love and care for each product, reducing the need for more.
Amidst the pandemic and lockdown in Singapore, I have seen more people out and about on their commute on foot, [as well as] using reusable takeout boxes, cutlery, bags, and practicing good environmental habits that have left me hopeful for planet-consciousness in 2021.”
The AR.T exhibition A Considered Life runs at Capella Singapore from August 20 to September 30, 2021
The people featured in this story are not associated with NET-A-PORTER and do not endorse it or the products shown