In celebration of Ramadan and Hari Raya this year, Punggol West Constituency teamed up with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore (DigiPen (Singapore)) to launch a series of Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) animations featuring PenGwyn, Punggol West Constituency’s lovable mascot. Depicting PenGwyn in various at-home family settings in light of the COVID-19 Circuit Breaker, the animated GIFs were created to celebrate the spirit of Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri with the Muslim community.
The animated GIFs were designed by Pang Kai Lun, a DigiPen (Singapore) graduate from the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation (BFA) programme. Both SIT and DigiPen (Singapore) worked closely with grassroots leaders of Punggol West Constituency to brainstorm the storyboards and assess ground sentiments regarding artistic styles with cultural sensitivities in mind. The collaborators were also mindful to portray accurate depictions considering the Circuit Breaker situation.
The first GIF depicts PenGwyn joining in a family’s pre-dawn meal via video conferencing. |
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The second animated GIF saw PenGwyn and friends virtually joining a family’s breaking of fast dinner. |
The final GIF saw PenGwyn wishing the Muslim community Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. |
“I appreciate the refreshing and light-hearted greetings. Even though we are not able to physically convene for our usual communal Ramadan dinners and Hari Raya celebrations due to the Circuit Breaker, I am touched and encouraged by the community’s outreach through these heartwarming animations. Looking forward to hosting our friends when the situation gets better!” said Mr Haja Nizamudeen, a Punggol West resident.
Ms Sun Xueling, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development, and Member of Parliament for Punggol West Constituency, agreed that this year’s Ramadan and Hari Raya celebrations are like no other. “We may be far in distance but close at heart. This collaboration with SIT and DigiPen (Singapore) is our Punggol Community’s way to show that we have our Muslim residents in our hearts, and we want to send them our festive good wishes – no matter how physically far apart we are. PenGwyn represents a kind, generous and loving young child of Punggol. He enjoys going around the neighbourhood to wish our residents well, while learning more about them and caring for them. I am grateful to SIT and DigiPen (Singapore) for investing their creative and artistic talents in this collaboration, and I look forward to working together on more projects in the future,” she said.
Kai Lun shared that the project has helped him gain a deeper understanding of different cultural practices and nuances, while allowing him to exercise his creative skills. “I cherish the insights and learning experiences gained. As we live in a multi-racial and multi-religious society, it’s important to ensure that PenGwyn is portrayed as sociable, friendly and inclusive. It’s been great to be part of the meaningful collaboration that SIT and DigiPen (Singapore) have with Punggol West Constituency,” shared Kai Lun, who is currently imparting his design and interactive media skills as a part-time educator.
It is the second time such a project has been rolled out by SIT and DigiPen (Singapore) with Punggol West Constituency. As part of a year-long project consisting of collaterals and design work for various festivities, SIT and DigiPen (Singapore) had previously assisted in the creation of the PenGwyn mascot, as well as its launch at the Punggol West Spring Lantern Festival (Yuan Xiao Jie). Kai Lun, along with fellow DigiPen (Singapore) BFA alumnus Lee Wee Tat, had designed the mascot and worked on the community video for the festival.
The mascot will continue to be featured in various collaterals for the Punggol West Constituency Office, with the most recent roll-out being a Sticker Pack specially made for this COVID-19 situation. Each sticker features a reminder on hygiene and safe distancing measures. The Sticker Packs for Android and iOS users are available for download here:
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