A project by Yong Li Xuan (Singapore)
Recipient of the Objectifs Documentary Award 2022, Emerging Category
Mentored by Muhammad Fadli
Ashley Poo is a 22-year-old student who was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 2019. Nearly four years on, she continues to battle her inner demons. Yong Li Xuan has been documenting Ashley’s journey since September 2021, after they met in a mental health support group online.
According to a Singapore Mental Health Study conducted in 2016, one in seven in Singapore have experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime but more than three-quarters did not seek professional help. Evidence that youths in Singapore are experiencing difficulties with their mental well-being is mounting, and there is a growing awareness that more resources are needed to tackle this issue.
Fighting Demons is an intimate portrait of Ashley’s relationships – with friends, family and herself – and how they intertwine with her mood disorders. Through this project, she lets her walls down, in the hopes that others will empathise and open up about mental health issues.
Exhibition Opening: 30 Mar 2023, 12pm – 9pm
Artist Talk with Yong Li Xuan and Muhammad Fadli | 1 Apr 2023, 1.30pm – 2.30pm
RSVP here: docuaward-fightingdemons.peatix.com
Venue: Lower Gallery, Objectifs
Hours: Tue – Sat, 12pm – 7pm
Sun, 12pm – 4pm
When: 31 Mar - 7 May 2023,