2021 - ongoing
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the future is hyperreal
To create tension in blurring the lines between natural and unnatural, to arrive somewhere neither real nor unreal through the juxtaposition of nature as subject and its distortion through digital process – this series is a response to hyperreality.
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From Baudrillard's 'Simulacra and Simulations'
"These would be the successive phases of the image:
1 It is the reflection of a basic reality.
2 It masks and perverts a basic reality.
3 It masks the absence of a basic reality.
4 It bears no relation to any reality whatever: it is its own pure simulacrum.
In the first case, the image is a good appearance: the representation is of the order of sacrament. In the second, it is an evil appearance: of the order of malefice. In the third, it plays at being an appearance: it is of the order of sorcery. In the fourth, it is no longer in the order of appearance at all, but of simulation."
venice beach, california | 2017
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between salt blue and concrete
In Singapore, men aged typically between 18-23 are conscripted for two years.
Having been invited to present my film at a festival during my service,
I attained permission to travel to Los Angeles. By that time, I had served a little over
a year in the military which took a tremendous toll on my mental health – I needed to get away.
On the last day of the trip, with my impending return,
I drove out to Venice Beach for respite and to ease myself into the transition.
The sights and sounds of the ocean, the beach’s iconic skate park and its characters
stood in stark contrast to the grim reality I was returning to. With my camera on hand,
I set out to capture my last sensations of freedom, inner peace and a longing for youth lost.
chengdu, china | 2016
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hibiscus
'hibiscus' was shot on my first trip to China, which is of particular significance to me – despite being born and raised in Singapore, I am of Chinese ancestry.
In Singapore, English is the main language, dialects are banned from mainstream media and I grew up largely consuming Western media. Much of China's cultures and customs are foreign to me, and over the course of two months I found myself constantly challenged by the tensions formed between my identity and ethnicity.
During this time I captured moments which resonated, unconsciously constructing a narrative of the city. In doing so I began to discover a Chinese experience that grew increasingly personal – through my encounters, visual motifs and metaphor.
