The exhibition features 11 paintings, three ceramic sculptures and three installations of life-size human-shaped pillows (Photo: Tan Kien Eng)
“Early to bed, early to rise” but the reality is, we are deliberately delaying bedtime as we fixate on our gadgets. Realising how much our sleeping habits have suffered with the increased use of mobile devices, ad industry veteran Tan Kien Eng has put together the Blue Light, Sleep Deprived exhibition.
He did some research and found four out of five Malaysians suffered from some form of sleep deprivation. “The consequences of which include a surge in mental and physical health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, impaired judgement and cognition, and memory loss. Over time, the lack of good sleep can lead to degenerative diseases and trigger various chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, depression and immunity-related illnesses,” he says.
Sleep deprivation has far-reaching economic consequences, resulting in billions of ringgit lost due to reduced productivity and costly human errors, Tan observes. “I recently left the corporate world to focus on meaningful projects around people and the planet. I know this is a worthwhile project because when I am asked what I am up to, and I mention the theme of the art collection I’m working on, nine out of 10 people will admit they are also guilty of prolonged nocturnal screen time.
“Through this art exhibition — featuring 11 paintings, three ceramic sculptures and three installations of life-size human-shaped pillows — I aim to spark deep conversation and action to urgently address the issue of the prolonged nocturnal screen time and the negative impact of sleep deprivation. I hope this will lead to a behavioural change in how we manage our screen time.”
Part of the proceeds from the sale of the art will go to four charities — Hospis Malaysia, HumanKind for mental health, Women’s Aid Organisation and Girl Guides Association Malaysia.
'Blue Light, Sleep Deprived' by Tan Kien Eng will run from July 27 to 31 at Level M, Menara Ken TTDI, KL.
This article first appeared on Jul 22, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
