Photography started off as a curious experiment for designer Zinkie Aw, but it has since evolved into a mainstay that helps define who she is.

Camera in hand, the 26-year-old packs more courage than she normally would in her approach to life. The camera is her best excuse to dwell deeper and relate to the world a little more.

“I like to document social trends (and changes). Underlying themes of her works include modernisation and abandonment, changing ways of lives of people in Singapore, and issues of mobile technology. My photo series work to critique upon a society’s change in this modernised world. Thus not only is photography a way for me to spend time with myself, but through my observations of life via photography, I hope to help people log a visual diary of their lives and culture.”

Cat-lovers like Zinkie often say: Curiosity killed the cat.  Zinkie believes, passion brought it back.

Wong Jing Wei, Queenstown Cinema & Bowling Centre.
From the series, Temporary States (2012).

Geraldine Kang, in collaboration with Benjamin Cheah.
Film still from Chemical Head (2012).

Tan Peiling, Soundtracks for an unknown landscape (2012).
Videostills from Multimedia Installation.

A Crisis of Confidence features new work produced by three recipients of the Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Still Photography. Graduates of NTU ADM, they have each been engaged in efforts to expand their individual practices beyond conventions of the printed image. Between these artists is a shared uncertainty towards their understanding of prevailing cultural constructs that are often left unnoticed or unquestioned. The following describes their attempts at probing deeper and deconstructing three areas of interest:

In “Temporary States”, Jing Wei expresses a condition of detachment and loss in the fast changing local landscape and reflects on our sense of belonging to these increasingly temporary landscapes. Inspired by her anxiety condition, Geraldine’s “Black As Waves, Half As Light” is a collaborative project with individuals suffering from mental illness. She hopes that the project will lead people to consider varying perceptions of mental illness and what they may entail. Peiling’s interest centers on visual media and the way it informs our perceptions of ideas and environments. “Soundtracks for an unknown landscape” draws from accumulated archives of film footage to examine how visual and aural contents construct an understanding of reality.

The show opens today at 2902 Gallery, and runs through 26 May. The Artists will be present on week-ends.

Johannah Fong is a final-year photography major at Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design and Media. She believes in depicting contemporary issues of our present world in ways that encourage creativity and nostalgia. “Albeit the rapid advances in digital technology, I prefer to express personal thoughts and concepts through raw, experimental photography and the amalgamation of various mediums.”

Inspired by a recent separation, Standstill is a photographic series that describes and focuses on three major aspects: the technique of the multiple exposure in relation to the idea of chaos in reminiscence, the lapse in time when revisiting familiar memories, and the human condition when faced with a lack of full control over what happens in the camera and in destiny.

“In the course of creating this work, I have examined the intricate relation between photography and memory, the interplay and juxtaposition of symbols when placed and presented on a single plane, and have also created meaningful imagery in an abstract and poetic way.”

Sit Weng San is a visual artist from Singapore who is currently residing in New York. She is a graduate from the General Studies Program at the International Center of Photography, holds an Economics degree, and was previously employed by a Chemical Company.

Using photography as her medium, Weng San’s work is prompted by questions, which do not necessarily bring about neat answers. “As I attempt to find answers through my work, I hope to bring about clarity of what I am probing to the audience. I am engaged with themes such as cultural identity and representation, and its politics.”

An Ongoing Project started when a newspaper in New York published an article about the ethnic occupational niche in response to a bus crash in the Bronx, which killed 15 Chinese passengers on their way back from an upstate casino. “A sociologist interviewed in the article said, with regards to gambling, “It has to do with people who feel out of luck, poor people who want to become rich.” He added, “When you work 11 hours a day as a waiter, the hardships are dry and depriving, and they need relief.” Although this was only a small portion of the article, it led to the question, how is the community actually doing? I began by photographing in Chinatown in New York City. This has evolved into a collaborative project with seniors from the Cityhall Senior Cente.”

Benjamin Cheah is a final year student pursuing a BFA in Interactive Media at the School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University. His work explores the formal and expressive properties of game, video and other new media. He seeks to push the boundaries of the game medium and explore its applications outside of its conventional role as entertainment.

“My thesis project, “The Wake”, is a conceptual game with a stream-of-consciousness style of narrative. It follows a man and his thoughts as he passes through a series of surreal and fragmented cityscapes. The player is invited to explore the character’s thoughts and reflect likewise –– Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? The soundtrack and audio are produced by SAE Institute student, Lim Mei Yin.”

Benjamin’s project will be showcased at the NTU ADM Show this Friday, 27 April, 6:30pm—10:30pm at Old School.

“My first encounter with photography was five years ago when I had the chance to take up a class in the traditional photography darkroom. I began shooting with film and I still do, partly because I enjoy having control over the development of my own films. Also, the process helps me appreciate the photographic medium more over the comfort of digital photography.”

Lim Hui Xian is a Year 3 at NTU – School of Art, Design and Media, majoring in Photography and Digital Imaging. She is fascinated by human interventions in urban spaces, and enjoys venturing out with friends for a fix of urbex adventure. Her latest photo project, “Second Life“, was shot in Bandung, Indonesia, during the Photo Project Workshop by Zhuang Wubin (2011). “The documentary series was developed over a span of five days, and it is also one of the projects which represents my concern with human intervention on the landscape, and the juxtaposition of it.”

Hui Xian’s series was presented at the Plug & Play 3 Slideshow Night at the IPA Gallery (Invisible Photographer Asia) earlier this year.

Sebastian Mary Tay Jiun Lin graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts with a Diploma in Fine Art (Photography) in 2009. His work was selected for Nanyang’s “Fine Art Award” in both 2008 and 2009, where he picked up the ‘Wood’ award and was exhibited in the academy’s gallery.

Shortly after graduation, he participated in the “Crowbar Awards 2009” and was awarded Gold in the “Nature, Still Life and Landscape Photography” category.  In the following year, he participated in a group exhibition titled “Imprints”,  themed ‘nostalgia, memories, sentiments’, curated by the National Heritage Board of Singapore. In 2010, his works “Generare – To Generate” were selected by Alliance Française de Singapour to partake in the 2nd France + Singapore New Generation Artists (FSNGA) Exhibition. In 2011, Sebastian showcased his artwork as a representative graduate from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in the “2nd Flagship Genius 2011” exhibition.

“This year, I had the privilege of holding my first solo exhibition, hosted by Galerie Sogan & Art, featuring a new body of artwork titled “The Absence of Flesh” (featured). This April, I will be holding my second solo exhibition, showcasing a new series of photographs titled “A Metaphorical Study: Flesh” at The Cell in Glasgow.”

Sebastian Mary is based in Glasgow where he is furthering his education at The Glasgow School of Art.

Tristan Cai is an artist whose work is produced based on research, particularly in the areas of existentialism and religion. He is interested in how contemporary culture has shaped our perceptions on these subjects. Through re-appropriating and fabricating imagery and documents, Cai provides a critical discourse on the construct of our belief systems.

“I see my work as redefining or even recounciling the ridiculous and the rational.”

Cai’s works have just completed traveling through three museums in Korea, as part of the “Cross+Scape” exhibition. His next show in August is closer to home, at 2902 Gallery. So watch out for that!