Category: Design

Singapore Photography: Me, Myself and I

The element of introspection seems to be a common thread amongst Singaporean photographers here. Specific examples fail to come off my head now, but a lot of the work I have seen from emerging photographers in the past year always circle around their personal memories or subjects. A chair at home, a family portrait… it seems like most Singaporean photographers when allowed to pursue their own body of work prefer “self-expression” as compared to something like documenting the society around them.

How often is this element found in Singapore photography, and could such an element in our visual language say something about the country? 

I think it may reflect the kind of environment the photographers are in. When trying to take photographs in the public, they get unfriendly stares, hands-covered faces or stern-looking security guards questioning their right to take photographs. Why go through so much hassle to take photos? Why not just turn the lens at yourself?

A society of “mind-your-own-business” further discourages photographers from being pesky and getting themselves out of their comfort zones. So they turn to what is easily available and comment on themselves.

It may also be due to the need to express themselves because of how small one feels in Singapore. Unable to express themselves freely in the presence of larger voices like the state, documenting personal artifacts and lives becomes a way of contesting the domination and assuring their existence as individuals.

These also lead to photography that is often conceptual and abstract. So what they cannot say or document, they hide behind photography that allows them to say something but not say it, all at the same time.

Formula for the language of Singapore Photography:

Introspection + Abstract = A form of self-censorship

 

What do you think?

 

Criticism: Please Be Frank

People who create always want to feel like their work matters and one way is to seek comments from others. While friends and family are probably the easier to turn to, I find that I learn most when I receive frank comments from the perfect stranger. 

The problem I usually face with feedback from friends and close ones is also highlighted by NYTimes.com’s Design Director Khoi Vinh: eliciting honest and critical comments. After all, the point when sharing a work is not  to receive a ego massage, but pointers to improve on the work.

But as I have written elsewhere, it is so easy to criticise but so darn hard to be critical, so maybe that is why people don’t want to fall into the trap of saying things they can’t really explain and end up hurting friendships.

A Distracted City

“In a city, you are distracted by everything around… that you forgot about the people.” she said.

Indeed, a city is built to be seen, a visual showcase of wealth and power such that when you live in one you find yourselves more often than not looking up. Towering above you are skyscrapers, office towers, shopping malls, statues — the scale of things make you feel small.

If the vertical compression is not enough, you find yourself surrounded by crowds, cars, advertisements all around. You wish you had that little bit more elbow room to move, to think, but you are distracted by the sights around you. Should you move, or stay still? Either way, the barrage of the city weighs on all your senses and that is when you cave in.

But that is also when you learn its language and you find ways to ignore it. You build your own walls of resistance — listening to your iPod, taking short-cuts, ignoring what is around… and you forget the person next to you is doing the same as you.

The city squeezes more of us into the same space, but in doing so, puts just as much distance between you and I.