Nice Aunties

Anyone of any age, of any culture, can be labeled an auntie.

It is not something you really want to be associated with.

as it could mean you're old-fashioned, rigid in your thinking, or naggy.

So it is rather negative to be called one.

Women of my generation live in fear of being labeled an auntie.

But what if you could change this perception, turning it from dread to something fun and positive?

I'm a designer from Singapore, and in the last year, also an artist.

I came across some intriguing and beautiful images on social media and then found out they were made with AI.

Curious about what AI could do, I found a program, I signed up, I keyed in some words, and within seconds, images appeared.

I was amazed and mesmerized.

Never before have I found a medium that felt like the shortest path between my ideas and the visual.

It became addictive.

Rather than just making images, I wanted to do more with this tool to tell stories about anti-culture.

My mother engages many social activities.

She is very active, a result of her mother's immobility and limited life.

She dances and performs just like the aunties do in Singapore's parks every day.

This was a huge inspiration for me.

So, Nice Aunties was born, a project about freedom, exuberance, self-expression and fun.

It is a lighthearted perspective on the joyful side of auntie life, also a surreal narrative loosely based on the women in my family, their social lives, their relationships, their quirks, humor and, of course, food.

In the last 20 years, I worked in architecture, a profession of discipline, rules and clients.