And our passions dashed

This image is inspired by the Chinese idiom ‘泼冷水’ (po leng shui), or to splash cold water, meaning to dampen one’s spirits or aspirations.

The teenagers at the bottom of the image symbolises career paths which are often frowned upon by parents or society as they are viewed as impractical jobs. The literal act of pouring water on them suggests the discouragement teenagers receive when they voice out their aspirations to take on these supposedly unpopular career paths. The paper texture of the teenagers suggests the fragility of their dreams against the water, which further symbolises their dashed hopes.

From a geometrical perspective, the relatively large size of the red pail as compared to the teenagers at the bottom, suggests society’s expectations are at top of the hierarchy and therefore the most important. This highlights the idea of society having the ability to suppress one’s inner desire in the name of pragmatism, which underscores the question of whether we are just another pawn in society’s game of chess. And that ultimately what we desire is not nearly as important as how we are able to contribute to society in the most profit-maximising way.