Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre and Hunny & Lummy offer Masks of Singapore workshops to rediscover who you are

The ongoing pandemic has led to a surge in the number of people experiencing mental stress due to prolonged isolation, loss of income, bereavement, and fear. On World Mental Health Day 2020, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the establishment of an inter-agency task force to support residents coping with the psychological impact of COVID-19.

With this, non-profit start-up Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre began working with several partners to promote mental health awareness in 2021 by providing a friendly counselling space and promoting art therapy as well as sharing mental health knowledge. Since the launch of free counselling services by Silver Ribbon Singapore, Tzu Chi has been collaborating with local social artist duo, Hunny & Lummy to bring their ThisConnect: Threading Worlds exhibition and Masks of Singapore workshops in Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre.

Photo credit: Hun Ming Kwang

Since September 2020, in conjunction with World Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, in conjunction with World Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Hunny & Lummy’s ThisConnect: Threading Worlds exhibition has been presented across various venues. The full exhibition took place from December 2020 to January 2021 at 1 Neil Road and satellite venues which saw over a total of 3995 visitors in 6 weeks. Notable visitors who came for the show include MPs Carrie Tan, Eric Chua, Sylvia Lim, former NMP Anthea Ong, and other public figures such as local actor Adrian Pang and COO of AVPN Kevin Teo.

Photo credit: Hun Ming Kwang

In life, we put on different identities (aka masks) based on our roles, responsibilities, social groups, expectations imposed onto us, leaving some of us forgetting who we truly are. The 3-hour Mask Making Workshop then, is a way to challenge participants to explore and to reconnect with that true identity at their core.

A photographic masked-portrait will be taken at the end of the session and published in a photo book. The masks will be collected, maintained, archived in the custody of ThisConnect.today under the social artist duo collective Hunny & Lummy for a public installation from September till end October, in conjunction with World Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and World Mental Health Month.

The Masks of Singapore workshops are held twice a week on Tuesdays (7pm – 9.30pm) and Sundays (2pm – 5pm) from now to 6th June. Find out more about Tzu Chi here and here

Find out more about ThisConnect here