As part of a series to highlight youth activism, TODAY speaks to young people in Singapore who are not only passionate and vocal about social issues, but are driving positive change through their actions. In this instalment, artist Dorcas Tang talks about how she uses Instagram to spread awareness about issues ranging from climate change to racism.

SINGAPORE — For emerging artist Dorcas Tang Wen Yu, her creativity is an important way to get people to think about issues that matter to her — such as the environment and mental wellbeing — in a non-confrontational manner.

She told TODAY that the fantasy-style artworks she creates get people to connect to the issues she cares about deeply “without it being overly intimidating or aggressive, which people usually find talking about social issues to be”.

It’s all about building what she calls her utopia — a world where human beings coexist peacefully and environmental needs are respected.

“I am a very idealistic person, I always like to imagine the best possible outcome!” she declared.

At the age of 20, Ms Tang is already making her mark by using her Instagram platform @earthtodorcas, which has over 3,400 followers, as a form of art advocacy to spread awareness of these social issues, which also include sustainability, mental health and racism.

Ms Tang’s entry into the world of art was somewhat unplanned.

At 17, she started a watercolour art business by “accident”. “I was doing fundraising for a children’s home and I did watercolour painting for them,” she said.

“Slowly, people were asking for classes and my business cards. So I thought, okay, maybe I will just try to make it into a real thing,” she said.

From then on, Ms Tang was inspired to use watercolour art to raise money for different causes, such as wildlife injured in the Australian bushfires.

Now, she has transitioned to digital illustrations in efforts to be more environmentally sustainable.

Ms Tang developed an interest in issues such as sustainability when she was studying at Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Design and Environment, Sustainable Urban Design and Engineering (Architecture), which opened her eyes to the social implications of the building process.

She recalled that she was asked to design an eco-tourism hotel, which was to be built in a quarry, a project that would involve felling many trees.

“After that project, I thought, ‘Are we clearing land... that supports functional ecosystems, in order to build eco-friendly buildings?’”

The project increased Ms Tang’s passion for environmental issues and inspired her to research issues that could be translated into design.

Her biggest role model? Ms Mizah Rahman, who died in May this year. She was the co-founder of non-profit planning and educational outfit P!D (Participate in Design) and Ms Tang’s lecturer in her first year.

“Ms Mizah showed me good design doesn’t come from… building something that is very impressive,” she said.

“Rather, it’s about letting the community have a stake in what you are building, and letting the community have their voices heard.

“It’s not about what design is, but about what design can do for the larger community… It’s really about designing with a heart.”

While Covid-19 has upended Ms Tang’s plans to explore physical community art installations, her passion for spreading social awareness has continued to burn bright.

Noting that the crisis has exacerbated many issues, she has utilised this pandemic-ridden time to make the most of opportunities to explore issues deeply “since we are on Instagram so much”.

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Looking ahead, Ms Tang wants to develop her personal artistic style and delve deeper into specific social issues.

But, for now, this changemaker is keeping busy.

She recently completed an internship with the Singapore Association of Mental Health (SAMH), and has her hands full running her art advocacy page and engaging in various ideas for side projects to make a social impact, the details of which she said she was unable to disclose yet.

Ms Tang said that the SAMH internship was “right up (her) alley” because it involved the use of art to allow people to focus on the way that they process their emotions.

That sums up the way she feels about the value of art.

“At the end of the day, I want people to take away a sense of hope and wholesomeness, a sense of community (from my art),” Ms Tang said. “I want people to know that there is a brighter future ahead.”

When asked why youths should get more involved in advocacy, Ms Tang said that while it is important for every voice to be heard, youths have a larger stake in making positive change for the future.

“Advocacy is about having more than a desire for change, it is about acting on the change we want to see.

“It doesn't have to be a grand gesture, it starts small and is a culmination of these actions across time and people that drives change,” she said, adding that youths can start by speaking up on social media, or during conversations at home.