Malcolm Soh

打是疼,骂是爱

“ 打是疼,骂是爱 ” - translating to “to hit is to dote, to scold is to love’ - is an infamous quote that resonates among singaporeans during the discussion of childhood discipline. These words would often be backed up by ‘为了你好’, translating to ‘ it’s for your own good’. Which raises the question, is it really?

This project aims to open up discussions regarding the ethics and meaning behind the quote. Is it right to totally dismiss the idea of ‘beating your kids’, or should we embrace it instead? 

My first series involves a self performance element as the project stems from my own memories and experience. A relationship between me and objects from my past, power and control, memory and reality.

The second series involves using Two Pillows. Small, innocent and impressionable. Finding comfort and balance within one another. Relating it back to the childhood experience. 

Through the journey of this project, I realised that one should not dismiss the idea of “beating your kids” nor should we enforce it. Different children have their individual needs and upbringing. Hence we need to find a balance for each child. Childhood upbringing is an important stage in a childs life, hence, it is imperative to think and reflect upon the ways in which we raise children. 

Using Format