‘Dioramas of Industry’ by Shen Jiaqi: Tributes to Singapore’s Unsung Women of Industry

Rising star Singaporean painter Shen Jiaqi, who received the Highly Commended Award in the 40th UOB Painting of the Year, is back with yet another thought-provoking series of works. Exhibited at Cuturi Gallery, Singapore, under the title Dioramas of Industry, the series of paintings depict the tumultuous life of blue-collar women workers during Singapore’s Industrialization Era (1960s-1970s). They were made based on archival photographs from the Singapore National Archives to contemplate everything from the gender norms these workers are defying to how the very landscape of Singapore was changing along with their roles. 

The pieces tell stories of perseverance, adaptability and the undying strength of these women workers, who were balancing a home life with a career—paving the way for working Singaporean women today. This is why the Dioramas of Industry by Shen Jiaqi is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Decent Work And Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and Gender Equality.

There are two types of pieces exhibited in Dioramas of Industry. First are colourful large-scale paintings that depict women in their workplaces, inspired by similar historical photographs, to create artistic documentation. One such painting is Rhythm of Compliance, which shows seated women with their backs to the viewers as if they were sitting on a factory assembly line. This painting draws the viewer’s attention towards the women’s hair, showcasing their stylish up-dos that were typical for their time. These women would have had to spend a significant amount of time creating these elaborate hairstyles before going to work, making them a testament to how, as a working woman, a person is not just judged by their work performance but also by the way they appear at work. This is ultimately a sentiment that does not ring true for men at work, creating an issue that persists still in 2024.

The second type of painting on display is enlarged local newspaper headlines which covered working women from the 1960s to the 1970s. These headlines have been put in a frame with a feminine lace-like pattern as their background, emphasizing how they are significant historical evidence of how working women were perceived by society at large during the time. In one piece, titled Sentiments (2), the headline reads out in Malay, “Boleh-kah ibu2 di-rumah membantu,” which translates to “Can the mothers at home help?” 

This headline was published on the 3 May 1966 edition of Berita Harian (Daily News), reflecting the double standards that working women faced. When talking about the Singapore Industrialization Era and women’s role in it, the article failed to even refer to women as simply women. It instead chose to refer to all women as “mothers,” specifically stay-at-home mothers, subjecting them to a gender role and creating a double standard for women where they must automatically be great mothers and great workers at the same time. Again, this is a problem that women across the world face today, almost 60 years after the headline was published.

Shen Jiaqi's Dioramas of Industry is a powerful tribute to the women who played a crucial role in Singapore's Industrialization Era. Through her vivid and carefully constructed paintings, Jiaqi captures the physical labour of these women and the societal pressures and gender norms they navigated during a transformative period in Singapore's history. The series emphasizes the resilience, adaptability and strength of these women, who balanced home and work demands while paving the way for future generations of working women. By juxtaposing historical imagery with contemporary artistic expression, Jiaqi highlights enduring issues of gender inequality and societal expectations that persist even today. This series invites reflection on the progress made and the challenges that remain in the ongoing struggle for gender equality in the workplace.

Find out more about Dioramas of Industry and other pieces by Shen Jiaqi on her website www.sjqart.com or Instagram @s_jq.