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Seah Chee Meng set out to depict home in its most everyday, ordinary sense; this artwork portrays a typical scene in the heartlands.

 

In a HDB apartment block, many households have left clothes out to hang under the sun, a familiar sight for all of us. People are relaxing, doing chores at home or heading out and about. Birds are flying freely in the sky, further creating a sense of tranquility.

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This sense of simplicity is strengthened by his art style. The artwork is drawn by hand with relatively uncomplicated shapes, eschewing the use of more sophisticated techniques. Through this artwork, Chee Meng highlighted the comfort that can be found in domesticity and the seemingly mundane.

 

Despite the challenges caused by COVID-19, Chee Meng will always see Singapore as a quiet and tranquil paradise that is safe and secure. Chee Meng’s eclectic personality is charismatic and he packs a great sense of humour.

 

In one instance, with a twinkle in his eyes, he naughtily exclaimed: " If I could, I’d be an emperor because they don’t do anything. They just order people around!” He has a wide range of interests – he loves K-pop tunes, eating Korean food, playing video games and taking walks in the garden at Metta Centre. He has two wishes for Singapore: for it to remain a safe and stable country, and for all of us to actively accept and embrace people with intellectual disabilities with an open mind and open arms.

 

Certainly, his cheerfulness and optimism make it clear that there is much we can learn from him. Or, as he puts it: “I want Singaporeans to be more friendly and less quick to judge!”