The Utopia of Rules
Curated by Kathleen Ditzig and Hera Chan
72-13, Singapore: 17–26 January 2025
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Paperwork. It’s the opposite of artwork. While a work of art opens up meaning, bureaucracy closes it. It systemises. It categorises. Art doesn’t need to prove anything, but a form does. A spreadsheet doesn’t ask for interpretation; it tells you what belongs in which box.

We live in a world that’s increasingly ruled by forms. Fill in your name. Provide proof. Tick the right box. If you don’t fit, the system doesn’t know what to do with you. It’s so much a part of daily life that we barely notice it. Whether it’s accessing healthcare, applying for a visa, logging in to an app or ordering food—we’re all victims of what David Graeber, the late anarchist anthropologist, called the “total bureaucratisation” of society.

• Tags: Hera Chan, Issue 40, Kathleen Ditzig, Naima Morelli, Singapore