Nicola Anthony

Revealing the inner worlds of people from different walks of life, this series explores the human condition and threads of commonalities despite our differences.

Gold, aluminium, mixed media. Variable dimensions.  Commissioned by Singapore Art Museum, 2017.

Human Archive Project is a series of 8 text-based artworks exhibited as part of the Human Archive Project exhibition at Singapore Art Museum.

Revealing the inner worlds of people from different walks of life, this series explores the human condition and threads of commonalities despite our differences. These 8 sculptures were commissioned by Singapore Art Museum and formed one half of Nicola’s solo show at Singapore Art Museum in late 2017.

To make these pieces Nicola worked with disenfranchised communities to understand and share their stories in a personal interview. These groups included inmates of Changi Women’s Prison, children managing chronic and terminal illness, families dealing with addiction, and the elderly community. Nicola also included members of the general public by inviting story contributions at www.humanarchiveproject.com (ongoing).

This series of 8 artworks contains 8 anonymous life stories including: 1) An inmate at Changi Women’s Prison, 2) A lupus patient, 3) A recovered obesity patient, 4) The wife of an alcoholic, 5) A homeschooling mother, 6) A daughter from a trauma-based family, 7) A migrant worker, 8) A Singaporean taxi driver. To read the stories in full, please visit the Human Archive. 

Artist Statement

“Throughout my practice I have been fascinated by people’s stories, social memory and oral history. Many individuals and communities in Singapore have added their multilayered human fragments and previously unspoken words to the archive. The Human Archive Project maps different types of human experience via an anonymous online portal as well as more in depth interviews.

When asking people to respond as part of an artwork, there is often a very honest, open, unrestrained sharing. This process can feel like a catharsis, a difficult admission or secret shared. It is an honour to be able to work with these shared testimonies.

From this archive of human voices, I have created one body of works which focuses on confessional voices and unheard stories within the local community. The resulting text artworks are not clearly or immediately readable; as with a human being we need to work hard to read beneath the surface - taking time, patience and understanding to reveal the inner layers.”

Press Coverage: 

The Straits times, October 2017

Video of the exhibition at Singapore Art Museum, featuring Human Archive Project and Clockwork Moons, two series by Nicola Anthony:

You can add your story or see the archive online here:

The Human Archive Project is also an ongoing story collecting project.

Partners and supporters

Commissioned by:

With the kind support of sponsors and partners: