Annually, the graduating MA Art Therapy cohort at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore create artwork alongside their research. Their artwork is exhibited as part of a group exhibition of the larger, annual, college-wide LASALLE Show. The cohort traditionally invite the teaching staff to compose a written foreword for their exhibition catalogue and to include an artwork to complement the theme and text. The cohort came up with The CuriOs Collective for their exhibition title this year, explaining that it was “…an exhibition of artworks representing an inclusive harmony and strong individual identities” (LASALLE College of the Arts, 2020, p.7). Integrated within their exhibition logo is a series of words in Chinese, Sanskrit, Vietnamese, Zulu, Hebrew and Jawi. The graduating cohort state, “These collective meanings symbolize the ethos of the artists who have created these artworks in a nurturing and safe place, in parallel to their professional training and practice in art psychotherapy” (LASALLE College of the Arts, 2020, p.7).

After one student’s remark that my laptop screensaver image reminded her of the coronavirus, I decided that perhaps that was the most appropriate image befitting their theme and everything that we had been through over the semester. Figure 1 is a digital photograph that I had taken in my neighbourhood in 2015. The shapes, the contrasts of colour and texture, and the way the objects were nestled within their frame were somehow comforting, and I was compelled to take a photograph. Making the link to the cohort’s theme and to the pandemic I wrote, “Given the current circumstances instigated by Covid-19 over the past several months, I full-heartedly acknowledge and appreciate the courage, the compassion and the continuity of care necessitated at this time across a range of contexts, close to home and abroad,” and then followed this proclamation with, “Postgraduate art psychotherapy training, in the best of times and in optimal conditions, is fraught with incredible challenges, exploration, discovery, transformation and of course, triumphs” (LASALLE College of the Arts, 2020, p.8).

The intention of using this image was to honour the graduating cohort’s significant contribution to the discipline of art therapy within local contexts, and to celebrate the significant academic milestone of completing their training. In addition, this image serves to acknowledge that even though the final stage of their training was undeniably disrupted, they were able to admirably complete all aspects of their training through an unrelenting collective spirit. As their exhibition title, theme and logo suggest, the successful completion of their training was primarily achieved through deliberate containment, collaboration and community. As the exhibition date drew nearer, it was decided that all aspects of the exhibition would be shifted online. There is much more here to reflect on, and I am confident that as time passes more images and metaphors will surface.

Throughout the semester I was rather impressed and in awe of how our students were managing and navigating the situation overall. Just as inspirational was the teaching team’s sophisticated level of commitment, as evidenced by their constant support of the students and of their own expedited learning curve of online platforms and technologies. International best practices and ethics remained a priority through ongoing discussion and consultation, and through the sharing of professional resources and expertise (Potash et al., 2020). In addition to taking everything in their stride, and through the mentorship, guidance and supervision of the teaching team, students initiated online projects aimed at providing art and art-making to a range of populations and communities. Many of these online projects targeted underserved groups of people; some projects responded to the emerging mental health and wellness needs of the community; some provided a weekly online presence, encouraging others through images that the students created; and some of these online projects were extensions of the services that the students were providing through their clinical placements.

Where possible, the MA Art Therapy programme promoted student-initiated projects, including recognition on a range of online and social platforms, and students were encouraged to write about their projects and experiences. Figures 2 and 3 are examples of my own artwork, which I created as a participant in response to two of the student-initiated projects. Outbreak Art was a two-part project developed by Year 2 students Lee Rui Ping Marian and Sarvatmika Rajeev. They explained that “Part 1 was an open art studio session and Part 2 consisted of independent submissions. These two parts invited participants to contain, express and explore their emotions and thoughts on Covid-19 through creative means” (Lee and Rajeev, personal communication, 26 June 2020).

Figure 1. Ronald P.M.H. Lay, Intriguing but not sure…definitely contained, 2020, digital photograph.

Figure 2. Ronald P.M.H. Lay, Contemplative: Centering the chaos of Covid-19 in 2020, 2020, mixed media, dimensions variable.

I readily accepted the invitation to contribute an artwork to Lee and Rajeev’s project. At the time, I seemed glued to my makeshift office-at-home chair for days and so I took great pleasure in searching my home for readymade objects that I could assemble and then photo-document (Figure 2). I was pleased with the outcome and found it interesting how the culmination of these objects being placed on my dining room table and photographed could also be read as a painting. The further I reflected on this image, the more I liked this effect: the interplay of what is and what may be, perceived through illusion and distortion. The blended and altered lighting, distorted from the overhead lights in my space, added hue and value to the way the other parts of the image came together. It was at the stage of the pandemic when I was coming to terms with mandated restrictions and how, at the same time, there were also emerging opportunities for new ways of working and perceiving the world.

Shortly thereafter, I heard about a project that one of my first-year students had initiated. Victoria Ng Swee Bee’s online project, Art in Aid for the Mental Health of Migrant Workers – the #art4SGMW campaign, invites the community to create artwork and then have it uploaded online as a form of solidarity in response to Covid-19. “In the midst of tightening measures and isolation for migrant workers, many of them are experiencing isolation fatigue, a sense of helplessness, heightened fear and anxiety” (Ng, personal communication, 26 June 2020).

In art therapy as art therapist and in art therapy education as educator, it is imperative that one considers how one impacts and perhaps influences one’s relationships and the therapeutic encounter, and how privilege and difference are manifested. With this ever present in my mind, and in the context of where I currently reside and work, I was compelled to create an image and to contribute this to Victoria’s project (Figure 3). Conscious of the need to remain sensitive here, my description remains surface-level. Nonetheless, I must state my gratitude to the migrant workers who have contributed much to this country and who have sacrificed a great deal to be here.

Figure 3. Ronald P.M.H. Lay, Working mechanics of reflection(s), 2020, mixed media, dimensions variable.

What I find most striking in my artwork here is the distortion in the bottom third of the image and how this has been illuminated, again by the overhead lighting. The longer I sit with this image, the more I cannot help but think of the importance and need for a solid foundation within a cityscape, and the amount of labour and attention that must go into this; oftentimes, the larger community takes this layer for granted. This pandemic has forced us to slow down, and through this particular project I further ponder the impact of industry, infrastructure and the inherent systems of society. This project is special for many reasons and I am proud of those art therapy students and art therapists that have been involved. After all, as the description of this project so eloquently proclaims:

Times like this is when art can truly heal wounded souls and minds, allowing us to surpass the current challenges creatively and collectively. It is our sincere hope that with our expertise in art and art therapy, we could contribute to play an active role in healing our nation. May this campaign offer companionship and bring comfort and hope to our migrant workers during this difficult period, especially when they are away from their family and loved ones. (Ng, personal communication, 26 June 2020)

This project has grown considerably and includes the collaboration of several local art therapists. An additional aspect of this project involves art kits that are assembled and provided to migrant workers, who in turn also engage by making art and posting this online as part of the larger community.

The final artwork in this visual exposé was created shortly after the second phase of the circuit breaker was implemented mid-way through June 2020 (Figure 4). This phase was characterised by the easing of some of the highly regimented and restrictive measures instituted during the initial phase; however, large-scale events, public gatherings and socialising with groups larger than five, for example, were still not allowed. Safety precautions such as regular hand washing, temperature taking, safe distancing, contact tracing, and the wearing of face masks while outside one’s home remained mandatory. Working from home remained the norm, limited access to public facilities was ongoing, and dining in at food and beverage establishments was allowed but these experiences were far different from those pre-Covid. After months of mandated restrictions, isolation and distancing I was now experiencing hesitation to leave my home, my space, for extended periods of time. Having survived the months-long lockdown thus far, and learning to navigate new ways of being, primarily through online means, I was now quite cautious about exposing myself to others and to the outside world. I returned to collecting objects and assembling them in a contained manner.

Figure 4. Ronald P.M.H. Lay, The brunt of the circuit breaker, 2020, mixed media, dimensions variable.

The central figure in this artwork was put through a process of soaking in tea and coffee over several months that resulted in layers of staining in and around the figure; this may speak to my need for comfort through the familiar. If you are wondering if I was consuming excessive amounts of these drinks, the answer is yes, and yes; this also played a role in the shift in sleeping patterns and daily routine as discussed in the first section of this article. Similar to the artworks in Figures 2 and 3, this artwork was placed on my dining room table and photo-documented, the table becoming a part of the image itself. Delving a bit deeper here, my intent in doing so was to suggest that I was placing my concerns, my ruminations, my thoughts, my artwork on the table to be highlighted, reflected upon and discussed. The inclusion of the other figures in the contained area, still in their manufactured sealant, is also suggestive of the inherent need for community, that I will be cautiously re-entering communal spaces, and that there are still many unknowns at this time in regard to the larger implications of the pandemic.

The repetitious use of the container, reflection and found objects within my home continues to stimulate my visual investigation into a range of thoughts, ideas and responses to my experiences. I am certain that an ongoing series will be developed and expanded upon over time. The four artworks used in this visual exposé are personal and have been purposefully used in public forums to not only contain and express myself creatively, but to also contribute to and celebrate the work of others.