From the perspective of a special education instructor with the inclusive A Little RAW programme, Matthew Goh reflects upon and explores how different modes of communication can strengthen human connections. Stemming from the earnest interest to embody empathetic sensitivity - to sense, “listen”, absorb and respond to his students’ emotions in manners that they can best appreciate - Matthew worked closely with Shawn Tan (living with Down syndrome). This was in itself an evolving relationship where from being an instructor to a co-dancer, this project saw both Matthew and Shawn tuning their collaborative rhythm.

In these films, audiences bear witness to the collaborators Matthew Goh and Shawn Tan as they weave through conversations, shared experiences and art-making. What does this new connection mean for the sense of camaraderie? And for forging connections? And an enduring brotherhood? Over the 3 month period, both Matthew and Shawn navigate the labyrinth of digital and physical interactions. Audience see most of this process in both films.

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The collaborators first began with the quaint practice of letter writing. Each letter, a time capsule of thoughts and feelings, became a tangible record of their connection. Yet, it was also clear to Matthew that Shawn’s dexterity with digital modes of communication was a significantly more comforting medium to him. Moving to instant messaging allowed for real-time conversation. Moreover, with Shawn travelling to Japan during the creative process, the use of video calls helped to cement the subtleties that words alone cannot capture. Here the gestures and body language become an intimate ritual, with the tender ability to bridge physical distance with emotional closeness. As such, even in the absence of physical proximity, the simple act of eating together via a video call creates a shared experience, binding them in a moment that cuts across physical distances. Behind each digital screen lies a human being with thoughts and emotions that are not always immediately visible nor always coherently verbal. This tempo - between the texting (of the sender) and waiting (by the receiver) - finds a movement connection in GOODBYE.  

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As an educator, Matthew’s films are testament to the power of fragmented yet meaningful exchanges. Fragmentation here is not a barrier but becomes a unique language - one where the nonverbal can take precedence. The world-building, especially in HELLO, offers the audience disjointed elements that come together to form an enduring image. It is in the collaborative drawing that Shawn expresses how the intention of any movement is the body speaking from the heart - an honest conversation between two performers that we are privy to. Even the food exchanges where audiences travel vicariously through the mobile phones at different pacing, also highlights Matthew and Shawn’s interdependent and enduring brotherhood as movement collaborators. Body movements, intentional and meaningful, become movement motifs that convey care and connection. Each fragment—whether a gesture, a text, or a shared silence—contributes to the tapestry of connection.