Blue Park Wall Art
Installation Artwork
To complement the blue walls of the buildings that were part of the Blue Park I developed digitally created artwork inspired by cyanotypes in two categories: Blue Park Flora and Blue Park Gallery
Blue Park Flora
Four posters of botanical art with descriptions of the the connection between urban green space/nature and wellness in particular mental wellness. Artwork was created in photoshop to resemble sun exposure cyanotype prints.
Text on artwork:
"Mental and behavioral disorders account for approximately 7.4% of the global burden of disease, with depression now the world’s leading cause of disability. One in four people in the world will suffer from a mental health problem at some point in their life.
Increasingly urban green space is recognized as an important social determinant of health, with the potential to protect mental health, by buffering against life stressors - as well as relieving the symptom severity of specific psychiatric disorders.
Pathways linking urban green space with mental wellbeing include the ability of natural stimuli – trees, water, light patterns – to promote ‘involuntary attention’ allowing the brain to disengage and recover from cognitive fatigue. "Wall artwork describing benefits of Nature in the city...
Blue Park Photo Gallery
Old photos collected from neighbourhood store owners from whom we collected some stories about their history on this street. Photos were also purchased from a local photo business on Jalan Ibrahim of the area particularly waterside. Some older photos were found on the internet. All photos were digitally process to look like old cyanotype photographic prints.
Cheong Wan Tuck came to Johore Baharu when he was 16 to work in a family member's Goldsmith business on Jalan Trus (where Sai Baba is now). In his 20's he opened his own goldsmith business at 17 Jalan Trus - the 1st building on the left side of photo. His grandson who grew up above that shop still carries on the business, across the street.
Whilst some shop merchants on the street grew up in the upper floors of their businesses, they now no longer live in the shophouses of Jalan trus. The five foot ways are jammed with merchandise and the street packed with automobiles. Nearby, on Jalan Ibrahim the tree lined path alongside the straits is now replaced with a car park.