Portraiture has always been a fascinating area of photography. From images of celebrities to anonymous figure, ethnographic studies to personal mementos, the portrait has always evoked a sense of curiosity and discovery.
Portraiture Now looks at the works of six local photographers who have vastly different approaches and subjects.
The six photographers are Jason Wee, Sit Weng San, Deanna Ng, Ang Song Nian and Tay Wei Leng.
Deanna Ng and Sit Weng San take a more traditional documentary approach with their research on wet markets and the residents of Pearl Bank Apartments respectively. Their works are concerned with capturing a certain moment in time, of wanting to make sure parts of our history are not forgotten. Both series of works have a certain poignancy about them, particularly in light of Singapore’s fast paced urban development.
Deanna Ng
Sit Weng San
Tay Wei Leng and Alecia Neo offer a more personal take on documentation. Wei Leng’s portraits investigate her subject’s thoughts and identities, yet at the same time, the work is very much influenced by her own experience as a Singaporean living away from home. Alecia, too, is very interested in the lives and personalities of her subjects, re-creating old portraits in a fascinating study of the construction of memories.
Tay Wei Leng
Alecia Neo
Ang Song Nian and Jason Wee provide a conceptual approach to portraiture. Song Nian’s portrait is one without any visible subject. The scene is painstakingly assembled to offer the viewer a multitude of clues to the identity of the person inhabiting the space. Jason, on the other hand, has taken an old, anonymous photograph and used embroidery to intervene with the image, and subsequently, with history as well.
Ang Song Nian
Jason Wee
Date: 24th Feburary to 22nd March 2012
Venue: Objectifs – Centre for Photography and Filmmaking
56A Arab Street, Singapore 199753
Time: Mon-Fri (11am- 7pm), Sat (12pm – 6pm)
Closed on Sundays and all public holidays
Enquires: 6293 9782
www.objectifs.com.sg/
