Tom’s Day Out
23 July – 7 August 2022
Book Launch / Exhibition at Temporary Unit, Singapore
Tom’s Day Out is the title of a children’s book by Lai Yu Tong. It is a story about Tom, a boy born after the end of the world who develops a liking for cars. He learns about them through his uncle as they journey through the post-apocalyptic landscape.
The exhibition features an ongoing series of Car Drawings that are also presented in the book. The series of colour pencil drawings began in 2020, as Lai was learning to draw like children. He noticed that childrens’ drawings can sometimes appear violent and angry because of the harshness of their strokes. He found that this technique was appropriate for the depiction of cars, as these machines that children seem to love, will eventually destroy their future.
Accompanying the set of 24 drawings are four children’s chairs that are handmade by the artist himself. The chairs exist as both sculpture and furniture, looking like store-bought children chairs, but bearing violent marks and textures that resemble the Car Drawings.
Tom’s Day Out is the first book published by Lai’s newly founded press, Thumb Books. The press makes children’s books for both children and adults.