An Interview with Tiffany Singh of Fly Me Up To Where You Are

Tiffany Singh
What was the most significant moment of your travels
through Nepal and Tibet for you?
Seeing the Dalai Lama speak in Ladakh to the Tibetan people.
Hearing in his words the importance of truth, compassion, and
forgiveness was a truly amazing thing. Given the hardship his
people have faced in the hands of the Chinese Government. The Dalai
Lama explained the plight of the Tibetan people as an opportunity
to practice the tenets of Buddhism.
When did you come up with the concept
of Fly Me Up To Where You Are?
When I was traveling over the Khardung La pass in the Himalayas
and all the prayer flags amass in a frenzy of colour and movement
it's a beautiful spectacle against the backdrop of the mountains.
The air is also very thin so it's quite a powerful liberating
experience. I imagined all of the prayers released in the breeze
and wondered what messages from Aotearoa would be and whether it
would be possible to create so much positive energy for the world
in NZ.
What do you hope to achieve from your
exhibit?
- Generate community awareness and ownership of political issues
and ownership for the future of Aotearoa.
- Empower youth to think about, discuss and find solutions in a
positive way for political issues and social biases that they may
face everyday living in Aotearoa
- Facilitate discussion around our vision for Aotearoa.
- Identify pathways and goals to facilitate change; both local
and global.
- Install a sense of ownership for future self-improvement.
- To facilitate cross pollination between different sectors of
the artistic community - students, artists and
institutions.
What is the best part about running the workshops with
the children?
Being given a chance to empower the local community to
facilitate and be the change they want to see in the world around
them. By giving voice to the youth of the community and enabling
them too create their own narrative through storytelling and the
journey of process. I think seeing them go through the cognitive
shift of taking responsibility of the way the want things to be and
recognising that they have the power to affect that is also a big
thing for me.
Have you had an experience during these workshops that
has stunned you?
Yes many. One 8 year old boy asking me what 'hope' was the other
a 7 year old girl who told me it had been the best day of her life.
Both totally heart wrenching.
What is the most important lesson you've learnt through
this experience?
To really value our younger generations and teach them to
identity their hopes and dreams. Also by giving them the
encouragement that they can fulfill their wildest imaginations is
critical to us to grow and develop as a nation.
In what ways do you think Christchurch will benefit
from Fly Me Up To Where You Are?
The project is a space to set your dreams free. To share them
and encourage a positive space where anything is possible. The
project seeds manifestation and gives the entire community an
opportunity to see what is important to our children. By seeing
this and spending time with other peoples hopes and dreams I
believe our tolerance, respect and compassion can all benefit. With
the knowledge of knowing that we are sharing all that positive
energy with the Aotearoa and out into the world.
What has been the biggest inspiration for your
artwork?
Buddhism and the collective spirit.
How would you describe your work to someone who hasn't
heard about it before?
A practice that priortises the use of art as a tool for
education, empowerment and communication. Using art as a means to
generate and affect change. With a focus on sustainable community
outreach and focusing on participatory works that have community
building themes as their primary objective.
What would be on your flag?
A peace sign, a big heart and a bee.