brigette teo

狮头鱼 (sai-tao-hê)

2025Wire crochet sculpture

狮头鱼 (sai-tao-hê) is entirely crocheted by hand with wire. Inspired by Teochew culture and Catholicism, she merges and embodies visual elements of both, representing the communal identity that is unique to the history of the northeastern region of Singapore.

The first time I heard the Teochew version of the Hail Mary prayer was at my grandfather's funeral, and what struck me was how especially mesmerising, meditative and melodic it was. A Teochew Catholic myself, this project was a means to explore this niche Singaporean identity that seemed absurd to me at first but exists anyway. The line between cultural traditions and religion is sometimes blurred and I find myself confused but also intrigued to understand more about this heritage and community that is slowly fading with time as we lose our ability to speak our own dialects.

Timed for SG60, Shorelines (2025) is a roving public art exhibition that invites reflection on national identity through the symbol of the Merlion. Led by Ang Song Nian, the exhibition features 60 Merlions—30 from his earlier work Your Blank Stare Left Me at Sea (2013), and 30 original interpretations contributed by artists, creatives, and community collaborators in Your Silence Welcomed Me Home (2025). Together, these works challenge the static symbolism of the Merlion, reframing it as a vessel of evolving collective memory.

📍CQ @ Clarke Quay: 28 Jul–3 Aug 2025
📍Raffles City Shopping Centre: 4–14 Aug 2025
📍Plaza Singapura: 15–22 Aug 2025

Presented by National Gallery Singapore
Supported by CapitaLand Malls