christography

I’ve been asked about the curator’s writeup for an exhibition I curated for the Arts House. Here I go.

The many different permutations of the ideal meaning of doubt.

The many different permutations of the interpretation of doubt.

The many different doubts.

The process started earnestly by exploring the meaning of doubt. The photographers came up with the word. We explored the possibilities of how it can be shown. Whether high art was the way to go, or street photography was the way to go. And every-time, we end up with more doubts and gladly, also with more ideas and ways to go about.

Some wanted to explore the meaning of the world through their lives. Some chose to explore it with the genre of photography. Some chose to explore it even in the type of prints being put up. All embraced the fact that this word allowed them the space to explore.

By walking through the exhibition, choices have to be made, as one must in a doubtful situation. The images don’t come easily, or flow easily. By placing them in all direction, the title is yet again placed in the spotlight.

Enjoy.

Ok, finished with ALL the Biennale show.. the one at South Bridge definitely takes the cake. It was actually quite good! There’s a sense of the art sitting in with the environment, and the curation had a much better flow than the one at City Hall, or the one at Marina.. the one at Marine.. really, only the snow scene one is really awesome, too bad it’s too hot, which takes away from that one good exhibit.

South Bridge had Hemen’s work, which had a lot of coverage in the press over his ‘cursing and swearing’. I never knew Hemen to be such a person, but that was a long time ago, maybe he’s changed, or maybe situation has made him what he is. Having said that, I think the works really makes people think and feel. If some people just cannot think and feel, then maybe the works are really not ready for that person. Loved all his 5 (?) works.

The idea of how an artist is to be responsible to the audience, especially in a show as such as the Singapore Biennale came up when I was having a really late lunch with some friends.

“There has to be at least a hook for the audience to hold and get to understand the works better, right?” 

“Maybe his response IS the hook?!”

“I’m in the education side, and I feel that an artist needs to explain their works.”

“People just want to understand the works”

“Yeah, but if by explaining the works makes the works less experiential, then how?”

“There must be some way of allowing the audience to learn about this, wan.”

“Yes, by speaking to the right people. There are artists who refuses to explain their works, allowing the audience to come to their own conclusion, and there are artists who must explain their works. For whatever reason, some because the works are too personal, some because it’s too obscure, or some because the blatantness hides the bigger truths behind the works. Whatever, but don’t give up just because you can’t find the answers, but rather, strive to find out through another person. And of course, any other person would not be able to access the kind of clarity that the artists will have, but it is nonetheless, an interpretation that will allow the mind to wander and perhaps see another side to the works, right?”

There is much more.. but well, just to give myself a reminder of how a conversation can go in a different direction that can cement my own thoughts about how art should be viewed and understood. :P 

Anyways… my fav, has to be the one of the swing made up of light tubes.. wah lau.. deep and pretty all at once. kewl. Even the drooning sound was implicit! I wan one!

“Chris, I don’t know lah, last time, everyone is like always easy to help one another, but now a days, people just looking after themselves. Very selfish one, you know? I think I want to quit lah, not happy working anymore. You know, I’ve been working here for more than 20 years already, you know? But, aiya.. not happy anymore. They promise this, promise that, say only, nothing is true wan lah. They only want to make things simple for themselves, when they need you, they darling this, dear that, and then after it is done, they dump you like that, lah. you know, Chris. You know, not that I want people to thank me, but at least don’t be selfish, lah.. *sigh* It is like only think for themselves. Last time people much better lah. Easy to help. Like kampong life, you know? Aiya.. sad lah, Chris. I don’t know how lah, Chris. “

i’ve often heard how Singaporeans would wait at shopping center’s entrances to shop especially during the Great Singapore Sale.. i wonder if the same would happen at a local art fair? even for an affordable art fair? 

i hear in London’s frieze art fair (not cheap stuff here, people), passionate collectors actually rush in to their favorite galleries to get their hands at the choice works. are our galleries doing enough to promote this? can things change through the galleries? rather than the spottish bursts of excellence, coupled with the usual drone of the ’same as everyone else’, could a gallery be consistently fantabulous here in Singapore?

Last night.. i had a really strange dream about a frog that wouldn’t keep off me! It was all dark, shiny with colorful iridescent sporty sides. Looks almost poisonous. Very energetic! I had to chase it around with a book (?) to try to get it out of a weird old room filled with books.. Oh wait! Haha.. frog in shiny armour! haha.. didn’t realize it before now.. but that is SO farny!

I just got back from the National Museum of Singapore to catch the Season of Photography show. Mainly to see Chien-Chi’s works. 

I’ve spoken to him when he came to conduct at course at objectifs. It was, as far as I could remember, a very quiet conversation. He is, just that way. 

I’ve seen the images countless times in magazines and books, and online. But nothing prepared me for this show. 

Well executed, in terms of layout. Very subtle touches here and there. Prints were the right size.. (not very well printed, but that’s just me, of course).. It was just perfect.

I sat down to watch the video.. and I was reminded of my foreign worker friends. who came here, missing their families. trying their best. putting emotions aside. and i cried. To know, and to be reminded on such a level. 

the power of photography.

you should go see it. It’s on till 4th Jan. Again, don’t wait till the very last minute. 

I think I’ll bring my foreign worker friends along the next time.

The more I read about the masters in photography, and the things they’ve done during their time I feel as if I’ve only done so little. Besides bringing photography appreciation to a different level, promoting Singaporean photography to the world, writing about the need for a different language for photography in Asia, etc. It still seems like nothing when I read about Szarkowski’s work at NY’s Museum of Modern Art. He curated a public showcase where 3 famous photographers who did something different from their predecessors, were put together and would soon propel photography into yet another new direction. It must be a very different world there and then.

Within a 100 ft radius round where I stay, there are 3 funerals happening at once, and just a few days ago, there were 2 more.

Was having a drink with a few photographers and a few young guns came and sat by the next table. They were just talking amongst themselves while I was just having my glass of champaign. 

“I think I want to work in the real world lah. Don’t think photography is for me.”

Huh? Since when was photography work not real? 

If by real means that one has to face the economic grind, we face it, alright. 

If by real means that you get down and dirty with the people, who but us, really? 

Real? Man… They have NO idea what real is.

… i am not.