Behind the scenes of a JOURNEY product
What does a gift represent? For some, it could be a reinforcement of love or friendship. For others, it could express our congratulations, sympathy, or gratitude.
But for the artists at JOURNEY, it is a symbol of independence.
According to Singapore’s 3rd Enabling Master Plan 2017-2021, persons with disabilities form only 0.1% of the private sector workforce. Those with complex or more severe needs struggle to find or sustain employment.
“We believe that every person is valuable. Thus, our vision for JOURNEY is to enable people with intellectual disabilities to be financially independent. This improves their standards of living and enables them to pursue their dreams and live lives with dignity,” says June Sim, Assistant Director, Special Needs Group.
Walking the JOURNEY together
Two years ago, JOURNEY set out to support persons with intellectual disabilities by providing them opportunities to showcase their talent and tenacity.
Since then, JOURNEY has gone on to make its international debut at the recent Milano Design Week with products from the JOURNEY x Supermama Social Wares Collection.
The JOURNEY x Supermama Social Wares Collection
The Supermama Social Wares collection marries the unique creations of 12 special needs artists and the exquisite craftsmanship of Arita porcelain ware, a classic blue and white motif in Japanese porcelain. Nature gets re-imagined in this collective masterpiece, christened ‘A New Beginning’ – a tasteful mélange of abstract brushstrokes and an interpretation of silhouettes inspired by Singapore’s lush gardens.
Bringing the collection to life
The JOURNEY x Supermama collaboration is just one of the many collections that the JOURNEY team has embarked on to date. Other products that the team has produced include lifestyle items, ceramic handicrafts, as well as paintings.
“Our special artists create their artwork according to themes. Once the artwork is ready, the team starts conceptualising it for the various products. The whole thinking behind the creative process is fluid and dynamic. There is no one standard method or way,” shares Vanessa Lam, Head of JOURNEY.
Our special artists creating their artwork for JOURNEY.
Vanessa is one of the orchestrators of the JOURNEY products. She helps to collage the different artworks and translate them into the product rendition which is then sold. Throughout this process, she needs to maintain an eye for beauty and detail. Whether a piece of artwork needs colour coordination or if the shapes and strokes blend well for the final design.
She is also in charge of the quality inspection of every piece of JOURNEY product.
Continuing the JOURNEY
Joyce Ang, Assistant Director, Partnership & Volunteer Management, and Transformation Office shares, “JOURNEY first set out to support people with intellectual disabilities financially by providing them with an outlet for employment. Today, the JOURNEY platform is a sustainable business where we can celebrate inclusivity and Singapore art.”
Vanessa adds, “We want to sell a gift that is both functional and purposeful. By doing so, we can encourage more awareness of the inclusivity gift market and better support people with intellectual disabilities.” You can be a part of this journey too. Visit https://journeyspecial.com/portfolio_page/supermama/ to find out more.