Between Hope and Dreams

Between Hope and Dreams A photography publication by Antonius Cong

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.�

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Foreword Social disparity is generally seen as a love affair for firstworld countries. The notion of rich being self-loathing, and the underprivileged being complacent has exacerbated said issue.

Whenever I go for a volunteer trip, I always hear testimony of how my peers’ lives has somewhat been transformed, most learning to be grateful of their said privileges as

compared with the people whom we engaged with during the trips.

Despite feeling satisfied of their life, we as agents of change need to question ourselves, “Don’t they deserve more?”

Most importantly, we need to question back ourselves, “Are we not as complacent as to ask others not to be one?”

Everyone has something to live up to.

As disgusting, lowly, or mountainous as it looks, home is where we are and will always be.

The frequently-abandoned items are the foundation of their homes.

How people define valuables differ from person to person, yet the elated feeling remains the same.

To what point do we feel trash is not trash?

A landscape is formed, and so is a community.

What is it that he seek?

Something beyond the unseen, or something that only they can feel?

A place with tragic past, currently a settlement for the unprivileged.

No matter how isolated boundaries are, there will always be an open spot.

We create, we share, we inspire.

Two contrasting figures in one image.

Perhaps just a typical day in the construction site, with a twist.

Unlike normal houses with bricks and woods, theirs are formed through stacking of unused materials.

Remember the good, old days when we used to hang out in the evening?

As long as the future generation keeps dreaming and aspiring, hope remains strong.

Colour of Dreams, a settlement reimagined for the benefit of social integration

A house is not a home without family and collective ownership.

With a safe environment, the future changers can settle down easily.

Just how does the other side views this place?

Even after the Spanish colonization, there are still cultural traces left behind

Everyone is going through hard times, but they are still putting up a good work.

A sea of waste and mountain of plastics

A landmark of history, a pioneer for eternity

Looking beyond their home, the landscape remains unchanged.

Are the future they seek as clear as day?

Co-existing with plastic may not be easy for us, let alone them.

May this image be a remembrance of the past, or a continuing plague?

Will the urban landscape remain a temporary settlement?

or perhaps, drive forward to a future of legacy and prosperity?

Is it hope that we seek day by day?

Is change coming? The future generation shall prove.

Education

n

2016-19 Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore 2013-16 Senior Senior High High School, School, Sutomo Sutomo 1 Senior 1 Senior High High School, School,

Medan,

Indonesia Medan, Indonesia

Professional Experiences

s

2016-19 Student Assistant, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts 2016-19 Freelance Freelance Photographer Photographer 2017 Official Official Photographer, Photographer, Asian Asian Festival Festival ofof Children’s Children’s Content Content 2016 Official Photographer, ChildAid 2016: Living Dreams

Positions s and Appointments

Artist Biography

2017-18 Editor-in-Chief, Editor-in-Chief, HeyDiaspora HeyDiaspora Online Online Magazine Magazine 2018 Volunteer, Volunteer, Meet Meet and and Greet Greet HEHE Joko Joko Widodo Widodo 2018 School School Tour Tour IC,IC, NAFA NAFA Open Open House House 2018 2018 2017-18 Publications Publications Co-Director, Co-Director, GAYA GAYA 2018: 2018: MERAKI MERAKI 2017 Team Team In-Charge, In-Charge, NAFA NAFA Welcome Welcome Orientation Orientation

Week(WOW)

Week(WOW) 2017 2017 2017 Registration Registration IC,IC, NAFA NAFA Open Open House House 2017 2017 2016-17 Multimedia Multimedia Co-Director, Co-Director, Proyek Proyek Malin Malin 2016-17 Internal Internal Coordinator, Coordinator, IndofestSG IndofestSG 2017 2017 2016-17 Member, Member, Indonesia’s Indonesia’s Student Student Association Association in in Singapore Singapore 2016-17 Publications Publications Member, Member, GAYA GAYA 2017: 2017: KISAR KISAR 2016-19 NAFA NAFA Student Student Representative Representative

Achievements s

Reference

2018 Participant, Participant, Singapore Singapore Youth Youth Photographer Photographer Award Award 2017 Participant, Participant, Common Common Purpose Purpose Global Global Leader Leader Experience Experience 2017 Participant, Participant, BeBe a Good a Good Presenter Presenter Workshop Workshop byby

Mr. James Mr. SinJames Sin 2017 Participant, Participant, Documentary Documentary Workshop Workshop byby Gary Gary Knight Knight 2017 Participant, Participant, Travel Travel Photography Photography Workshop Workshop byby

David

H.Wells David H.Wells 2016-19 Tuition Tuition Grant Grant Scheme Scheme - Tier - Tier C,C, MOE, MOE, Singapore Singapore 2016 Participant, Participant, NAFA NAFA Career Career Preparatory Preparatory Worksop Worksop 2016 Participant, Participant, NTU NTU Student Student Card Card Design Design Competition Competition 2016 First First Runner Runner Up, Up, Sutomo Sutomo 1 Logo 1 Logo Design Design Competition Competition

Lu Heng (Mr) Executive Officer NAFA School of Music (+65) 6512 4179

Exhibitions s

Sharon Koh (Ms) Executive Officer NAFA School of Arts Management, Dance, Theatre (+65) 6512 4176 Joyce Koh (Dr) Vice Dean of Interdisciplinary Studies NAFA Office of Academic Affairs (+65) 6512 5784

2018 Global Global Awareness Awareness Project: Project: Manila, Manila, NAFA NAFA Seminar Seminar Room, Room,

Singapore Singapore 2018 Flagship Flagship Genius Genius II: Angkor II: Angkor Wat, Wat, NAFA NAFA Ngee Ngee Ann Ann Kongsi Kongsi Contact

Gallery, Gallery,Singapore Singapore T: (+65) 9134 9941 2017 Overseas Overseas Immersion Immersion Project: Project: Beijing, Beijing, NAFA NAFA On-Air On-Air E: antoniuscongg@yahoo.co.id

Gallery,

Singapore Gallery, Singapore W: www.behance.net/antoniusco5587

Group photo after the workshop

EDM design by Asian Journeys Pte Ltd

Photo credits: Lawrence Ko and Grace Leong

Acknowledgement Acknowledgement

The artist would like to thank the following people: - Photography mentors:

Mr. David Yeo Chin Thiam

Mr. Lim Jit Hwang

Mr. Roi Hew for the constant support, mentoring and advice in the artist’s photographic endeavor; - Asian Journeys Pte Ltd

Ms. Elena Yeo

Mr. Ko Jearn Hui

Mr. Lawrence Ko for the weekly workshop, teaching and preparing for the trip; - NAFA Global Awareness Project Team

Ms Grace Leong (Lecturer)

Ms Tan Ai Khim (Lecturer)

Andrew Ang Kwang Thong

Anulika Choudary

Arinjaya Singh Cheryl Esleen

Li Xiaoyan (Lynn)

Lim Xing Yi Lin Jingyan (Ruby) Phoebe Lee Jing Xuan Poonam Dasilva Ritika Goel

Su Htoo Mon (Helen) for the five days of adventure in the group; - Visitors of exhibition and workshop:

ITE College Central

ITE College West - Dear friends who came over to the exhibition

Cynthie Renata

Dominic Liman

Grace Angel

Stefannie Alicia Susilo

Veronica Willany

Last but not least, to the children and the community in Metro Manila.

Copyright 2018 ANTONIUS CONG Singapore All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form by any means - graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by using information storage and retrieval systems - without written permission of the publisher.