At the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Eunice Yeo’s ‘Wings’ installation, a transfigurable piece symbolising infinite possibilities, shimmered and shifted in the light. Crafted from upcycled and reclaimed glass fragments framed in steel, it reflected and captured a spectrum of colours—blue, green, yellow, pink, orange, and silver.
After designing four independent insect-inspired wings, the Singaporean artist arranged them into various configurations for this work. It debuted at Singapore Art Week in January and was on display at the convention centre until 1 March.
In ‘Horizon’, ‘Wings’ was arranged in a fan-like pattern with dimensions of 350cm x 280cm x 40cm. ‘Ascension’, another configuration with the four wings, conveyed ambition and spirit. Unlike ‘Horizon’, this rose vertically (230cm x 320cm x 45cm). ‘Wings’ can also be displayed in pairs, like ‘Tendril’ or ‘Sanctuary’, which measure 260cm x 150cm x 40cm each.
Sustainability is a way of life for Yeo, whose works often incorporate remnants of wood, ocean waste, and shattered glass. “Growing up, I didn’t have much. When I was in school, I often had to choose between buying chicken rice for 60 cents or noodles for 50 cents to save the 10 cents. Reuse, in this sense, was not a philosophy but simply how I lived.”
With that as a starting point, she developed ‘Wings’, drawing inspiration from insects’ metamorphoses, emergences, and transformations. The fact that she allowed it to “exist in different configurations, be reassembled over time, and respond to different spaces” also infused relevance and open-endedness.
Yeo’s commitment to transformation extends to her community-based practice as well. Through Peace of Art SG‘s art-led initiatives, she raised over $1 million for needy kids around the world.
Also, during 60 Lights, One Future, an event she led last November, over $468,000 was raised for the Singapore Red Cross Young Hearts programme by 60 people and organisations.
Young Hearts, which supports children in public rental housing through educational, enrichment, and excursion programmes, will also receive all proceeds from the auction of this new installation through online platform Annexe.
‘Wings’ was built with purpose from the earliest stage of its collective phase, says Yeo. “It expresses my belief that education and mentorship are fragile yet essential structures that support dreams taking flight, inspired by the design of wing venation in the work.”
