The 2nd Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF), which opened on October 15 and has claimed its place on the contemporary arts map, has turned into an eye-opening event, enriched by a broad range of topics and inventions besides skillful technique.
Bugis Village, by Rachel Lim.: Courtesy of SIPF The festival, which provides upcoming photographers with a great opportunity to showcase their work,
and the public with a chance to view it, marks an all-encompassing effort to advance photography as something more than just a click on the shutter.
The curatorial team — Ark Fongsmut from Thailand, Bridget Tracy Tan and Chow Chee Yong from Singapore, Yasufumi Naka-mori from Japan/the US — handpicked 550 works by 48 photographers from 23 countries, including 18 participants from Southeast Asia, six from Asia, 14 from Europe, 10 from the US and two from Australia.
Many of the works are on show on the three floors of the 2902 Gallery located in the SIPF headquarters, in the Old School at Mount Sophia, and explore the themes of humans, nature, human nature, and consequently life and death.
The technically fascinating landscapes of European beaches by Massimo Vitali, in which he dwarfs human figures indulging in activities of the nothing, seem like an inherent commentary on human behavior in modern times.
While Massimo Vitali’s works explore both nature and the human society, other photographers delve into the two themes separately.
Ian van Koller, for instance, tackles the issue of inequality through pictures of domestic helpers from Africa working for white employers.
In his photos of black domestic workers garbed in their best clothes and posing in the posh interiors they work in, the figures appear as if they owned the lavish surroundings around them, revealing aspirations that remain carefully hidden during working hours.
Photography is generally considered a reflection of reality.
But photographs like the ones made by Danile Kukla, Mike Whelan, and Hyuk Jun Li are telling of the contrary.
Kukla’s amazing Captive Landscapes suggesting the utopian abodes of wild, obscure animals keeping themselves unseen to the human eye, are photographs of constructed habitats of the photographer’s imagination, commissioned to and negotiated with a painter.
Almost similarly is Ad-Site by Mike Whelan, who takes a picture of a trompe l’oeil on a wall erected to hide the iconic Battersea power station in London, a site under construction.
To evoke a feeling of wellbeing in the passers-by, the ugly construction site is “hidden” behind a billboard featuring a forest.
Slightly different is the image made by Hyuk Jun Li, which appears as a wonderful forest but is in fact a constructed illusion collaged from bits and pieces.
But surely, however clever the disguise of reality, there is no denying of the truth. Kris Vervaeke’s Fade Away of 17 images on tombstones in graveyards shows eerie images that fade away and in the end appear like an erased image, reminiscent of the life that has ended in the grave.
Tout of Mr Charlie, by Nanda Kim.: Courtesy of SIPF
Two special exhibitions within this festival are worth noting, namely the “Phenomena” and “Prophecies” by the well-known Thai artist Manit Sriwanichpoom, curated by Ark Fonsmut of the Bangkok University Gallery, at the 8Q Singapore Art Museum.
Manit is particularly known for his series The Pink Man, images commenting on social and other issues and marked by a portrait of himself in a pink suit in various urban scenes.
As fascinating is the series in black and white titled This Bloodless War.
Another special exhibition titled “Human Faces”, and curated by Oh Soon-hwa of the Nanyang Technological University is on show at the National Museum.
This joint exhibition of 10 photographers from South Korea and Singapore, explores the artists’ daily living experiences.
The festival’s main venues are at 2902 Gallery, The Gallery@Old School, SAM 8Q, Esplanade Xchange, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, The Photographic Society of Singapore, and the Management University Gallery.
Details of exhibition duration and location can be found on www.sipf.sg.
The founder and director Gwen Lee, driven by passion and her desire to create opportunities for emerging talent, also wishes to promote the art and appreciation of photography to the masses.
In addition to a wealth of excellent photographs accompanied by relevant information, the festival also includes elaborate presentations, workshops by top photographers and a program called Portfolio, where upcoming photographers are given the opportunity to show their portfolio to International photographers with longstanding experience.
The 2nd Singapore International Festival runs until November 13.
