Fruits of Her Labour
2023
Paper cut
47 x 60 cm (framed)

Inspired by Giuseppe Arcimboldo's Vertumnus, this portrait pays homage to a Singaporean icon—the Samsui Woman. Fruits of Her Labour celebrates the community of female immigrants who came to Singapore in the mid-1930s and worked as general labourers in the construction industry, helping to build the nation as we know it today. In contrast to the original painting, this paper collage also seeks to embrace our South East Asian identity by deliberately featuring a handful of tropical fruits and vegetables that we often see and consume in the region, which can sometimes be deemed too "exotic" to the uninitiated.

This piece is created as part of GOFY’s For Art’s Sake 2023 exhibition, presenting 80 new artworks reimagining famous and iconic Western art, with a twist. Prints of this artwork can be purchased here.