In 2018 I pleaded for uniformity, collective identity and connection in the neighbourhood I grew up in, which is designed by Mecanoo in the 90’s. Throughout the years, many households decided solely to repaint the pastel façades due to weathering whilst each maintaining their own perception of the true, original colors. This resulted in palpable external differences in the lower middle class residential area.

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Three years later I reflect on my plea which recalls memories from perfecting my handwriting for Chinese Saturday school by rewriting the same characters. For this reflection I documented my neighbourhood, analyzed archival material whilst rewriting the character 人 (rén, meaning: person, human being) untill the perfect handwriting was attained.

 

In contrast to the doctrine of a totalitarian regime, I question individual identity formation by analyzing my own previous urge for uniformity on the small scale of the neighbourhood I grew up in. Who is responsible for uniformity in the neighbourhood? What is the perfect resident of my neighbourhood? What are the constraints or dangers in the neighbourhood?At what cost?
 

2021