Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve, or rather, chest, as the case may be with this vibrant new collection of t-shirts.
Entitled "A Kaleidoscopic View of the World", the collaboration between Uniqlo's UTme! app (which lets you customise your own t-shirt deisgn) and the Community Chest sees the contribution of artworks by creative individuals from four of the non-profit organisation's social service agencies:
- AWWA (which provides early intervention for pre-schoolers; education and disability support for children and adults with additional needs; assistance to low income families, caregivers, and health; and social assistance for vulnerable seniors);
- Bizlink Centre (which helps disadvantaged individuals in Singapore, in particular persons with disabilities, through training and employment);
- SPD (a local charity helping people of all ages with disabilities to maximise their potential and integrate them into mainstream society);
- VSA Singapore (Very Special Arts Singapore, which provides opportunities for people with disabilities to be involved in the arts)
Customise a t-shirt with one of these designs using the UTme! app, and you'll be contributing to a great cause this festive season of giving. Part of the proceeds (70 per cent, in fact) from sales of this collection will go towards charitable causes supported by Community Chest.
Here are some interesting facts behind each of the 8 designs:
"Colourful String Art"
This one by Wei Yan who lives with intellectual disability is created using paint and strings, and captures the colourful world around her. The budding 16-year-old artist is from AWWA.
"Metamorphosis"
"Fighter"
Living with bipolar disorder hasn't stopped 20-year-old Wayne from Bizlink Centre from unleashing his creative prowess in the form of a butterfly (a metaphor for the metamorphosis of overcoming the trials and difficulties of living with bipolar disorder and emerging stronger), and a martial artist (which represents Wayne's practice of martial arts as a way of maintaining physical and mental wellbeing).
"Little Creatures"
Cute, coloiurful critters in the form of paper cut-outs make up Bill Austin Utama's creation. The 19-year-old with autism spectrum disorder is from SPD.
"Live By Your Own Rules"
Self-taught graphic designer Jamirul Syafiq from SPD was involved in a traffic accident that caused a spinal cord injury which took away the functionality of his arms and legs. This piece by the 24-year-old is entitled "Live By Your Own Rules".
"Raindrops"
SPD's Wong Choong Peng is testament to the fact that suffering a stroke doesn't necessarily impede one's creativity and potential in excelling in the arts. This design entitled "Raindrops" is the submission by the 55-year-old.
"Beautiful World of Colours and Shapes"
"Happy Fish"
Rounding up the multicoloured collection are these two creations by VSA's Noah Tan Kai, who is living with autism. The first, an abtract pastiche of fluid forms and vivid hues symbolises his bright personality and love for life.
The second, entitled "Happy Fish", is a depiction of the joy he feels observing, feeding and caring for his pet fish.
ALSO READ: These quirky t-shirt designs perfectly illustrate Singapore's new normal
This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.