Mamashop is part of the series, “Everything You Ever Wanted is Right Here” by Singaporean artist Dawn Ng. This series of hand-crafted, large scale photo collages presents a cheeky look at present-day Singapore, highlighting its unique characteristics and traits; obsessions, insecurities and ambitions through the composition of text set against familiar, everyday landscapes.The title of the work, Mamashop, is a local reference to provision shops in Singapore that serve the needs of residents living in the Housing Development Board (HDB) estates. The term “mamashop” is derived from the Tamil word Mama, referring to Uncle or Elder, as these provision shops have been traditionally operated and owned by Indians. Selling a wide gamut of items ranging from perishables and snacks to household items and daily necessities, the mamashop is a convenient, one-stop location for local Singaporeans, forming an integral part of their everyday routine. Although physically small in size, the mamashop does not lack in its ability to cater to the daily needs of Singaporeans because everything they need or want is conveniently located right where they live.This idea is demonstrated visually with Dawn Ng's choice of words, “Everything you ever wanted is right here” emblazoned across a photograph of the entrance to a mamashop. The text serves as an invitation to viewers to enter and explore the emporium of goods displayed neatly in the shop, but also reminds viewers of the idea that sometimes, one does not need to look too far for what they need. Perhaps it also suggests the fallacy of the idea that the grass is always greener on the other side, and that one should appreciate the value of what is right in front of them, instead of thinking that what is beyond is always better. At the same time, the bold, cut-out text juxtaposed against the image of the shop acts as a counter-question as well, challenging the viewer to think if everything they ever wanted is really located right where they are. In Mamashop, a nostalgic, familiar and recognisable feature of the Singaporean landscape is documented and presented as an invitation to reflect on the current state of a fast changing city-country.
