Singapore: Inside Out in London

This is an exhibition of Singaporean arts in London.

Singapore: Inside Out is a showcase of Singaporean art in Beijing, London and New York City. More info here.

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There were lots of announcements like this on the walls at Brick Lane.

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See – it’s here.

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The cyclist got in the way.

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Another cyclist.

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Yet another cyclist.

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That’s the Old Truman Brewery, converted into an arts and creative enterprises venue.

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The neighbourhood is so arty that even unadorned walls have character.

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At a café while waiting for the exhibition to open.

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Performance art – I confess I don’t really get it. Red and white are the colours of Singapore’s flag.

He’s leaving smoke trails on the window … is this an ironic commentary on the ephemeral nature of Singapore’s national culture at an exhibition of Singaporean art?

The overall mood, partly because of the candles, is rather funereal.

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That’s an installation on which the public is invited to scrawl/doodle.

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The installation is still clean … the exhibition had just opened, after all.

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Info panels.

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There’s a … grass lawn exhibit.

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This I understand – books on a shelf.

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Fortunate placement of people.

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That’s the Actors’ Tour, during which the monologues of various featured artists were performed.

There’s the mention of Singapore’s arts and culture policy, and a hint of self-conscious deprecation concerning state-sponsored art.

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I fired off a few shots before realizing my DSLR might be a little bit loud and distracting… I switched to my more discreet Olympus XA2 (more in another post).

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The performance art again – check out the funereal-looking candles.

Thanks for reading!

Camera: Canon 600D

Lens: Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM

Shoreditch, London

Took this from a London Overground station.

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It’s a bird! It’s a plane!

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The Hatman at Old Spitafields Market.

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The Beltman.

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Wonderful-looking shop.

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Nice architecture.

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What’s there not to like? The area is walking distance from Brick Lane, has a business district, is where the Spitalfields Market is located.

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The shop, again.

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Nice building façade.

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Another time, another life – I would choose to live in the area.

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Nice colours too.

Thanks for reading!

Camera: Canon 600D

Lens: Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM

Brick Lane, London

Brick Lane!
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This was where I was really inspired.

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The arty and grungy environment gets one in the mood for street photography.

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Everything seems to fit.

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The people and the walls go well together.

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A fantastic indie label.

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A self-portrait.

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He was cutting grass.

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Cool dude.

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The colours are simply wonderful.

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They saw me and waved.

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Beautiful people, beautiful wall art.

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The kids were enjoying the art too.

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Lots of cyclists.

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A smile and a frown.

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Hard at work.

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Another cyclist.

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Cool name for a shop.

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Taking a break.

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Nice juxtaposition.

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Another cyclist.

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Mischievous dino – I thought the colours went well together.

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The street art is gorgeous.

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Street art is meant to be seen with and by people.

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They had those in Paris too.

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Just another day for her.

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A reminder that I need to get closer.

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At Brick Lane, the street photographs present themselves one after another.

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I can’t click fast enough.

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This place is a visual cornucopia.

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And I saw this – an exhibition of Singaporean art at Brick Lane.

As it turned out, I bumped into Randy Chan, the curator of the exhibition. I recognized him from a photo in a newspaper report on the exhibition.

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More on Singapore: Inside Out in another post.

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Funny.

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I couldn’t resist a final shot at the entrance of this excellent place.

Thanks for reading!

Camera: Canon 600D

Lens: Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM

London’s Chinatown, Hamleys and Oxford Street

Again, in London.

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The Hong Kong MTR in London.

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Ooh.

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Aah.

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Kowloon is in London.

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Heroic-looking man. There’re 5 people here but the eyes are drawn to a specific person.

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The folks at Hamleys.

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Along Oxford Street.

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Waiting man.

Thanks for reading!

Camera: Canon 600D

Lens: Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM

London Street Photography

There’s no method to this madness called street photography.

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At Trafalgar Square: a straightforward shot.

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We’re all distracted people.

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Admiring Cezanne at the National Gallery.

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Consuming Monet.

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Blurry man against blurry painting.

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Around the Bloomsbury area – the lines “made sense” to me.

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A busy shot at the Covent Garden Market.

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T-shirts!

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Time for a sip.

Thanks for reading!

Camera: Canon 600D

Lens: Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM

London’s South Bank

At London’s South Bank.

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Cool dude.

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Cool dude.

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Life is a tragicomedy, of course.

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The cavernous basement at Tate Modern.

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A couple admiring Cy Twombly.

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Artist at work.

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A copy of a copy.

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A copy of a copy of many copies.

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Again, at the cavernous basement.

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Two beer or not two beer … my answer is very clear.

Why is this a question?

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Cool dudes.

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The obligatory landmark snapshot.

 

 

Camera: Canon 600D

Lens: Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM

Exhibition Road, London

I was in London for a few days for a conference and of course, I brought my cameras along.

This was taken along Exhibition Road.

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Here’re some shots in the museums along the road.

At Natural History Museum:

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Roar.

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Funny juxtaposition.

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The above was at the Science Museum.

There’s a line of tension marked by the positions of the people.

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At the Victoria and Albert Museum.

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I think it looks better in monochome.

Thanks for reading!

 

Camera: Canon 600D

Lens: Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM

 

 

A Street Photographer’s Camera

I’ve been thinking a bit about the tools we use.

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A street camera is a machine for seeing.

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Frankly, any camera will do. But I prefer film cameras.

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For me, it’s a Leica M6 most of the time, because I need the meter once in a while.

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At other times, it’s a Contax TVS II, a Canon 600D (yes, a digital camera) with legacy lenses, or an Olympus XA 2, just to switch around a bit, to refresh my vision.

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I’m not adverse to using digital. But film cameras do last a long time.

Like my (2001 model) Toyota Corolla, which in Hong Kong, seems to be a mechanic’s favourite car.

It’s forgettable, reliable and replacement parts are easy to find.

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I’ve been reading about self-drive cars and their amazing electronics.

But I wonder how long the electronics would last.

Do we have to replace them the way we replace our tablets/smartphones/laptops?

I’m suspicious of planned (compelled) obsolescence.

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Would a digital camera last more than 3-5 years?

That’s the question I ask whenever I experience that rush of gear envy.

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Thanks for reading!

Camera: Leica M6

Lens: Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 SC

Film: Ilford XP2 400

Shamshuipo

Shamshuipo, as you can see, is my other haunt.

There’s enough bustle for street photographs.

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The colours can be interesting too. The red and green combo is nice.

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He didn’t even notice me.

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In contemplation.

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I was testing out a generic rectangular lens hood on my lens to make sure there wasn’t any vignetting.

This is one of two flea market stalls selling film cameras.

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It’s a low volume high flow business. The offerings change every week.

Occasionally, you could see a few Leicas. I saw an X Pro 1 here once…

Thanks for reading!

 

Camera: Canon 600D

Legacy Lens: SMC Takumar 35mm f 3.5

Merry Christmas Occupy Central

An early Christmas for Occupy Central at Causeway Bay.

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Fare well.

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People are packing.

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Amidst Christmas sale.

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Installation with steel resolve.

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Imagine what might have been.

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Freedom under the eye of the clock.

 

At Admiralty.

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Unpoetic translation: even if there’s disappointment, one cannot lose hope.

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There’s a time to pack up.

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A time to plant fresh hope.

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A time to remember.

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Time to take stock.

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Sacrifice.

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Hope.

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Restrain.

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Hunger strike zone.

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Merry Christmas Occupy Central.

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The central government offices are overwritten with desire.

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Home is Hong Kong.

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A time to build up.

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A time to let go.

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A time for nostalgia.

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Merry Christmas Occupy Central.

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Fare well.

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Fare well.

 

Photos in previous posts have been featured in the following literary journal articles:”Whither Hong Kong?“, Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement: Four Poems” and “The Umbrellas and the Tear Gas“.

 

Camera: Canon 600D

Legacy Lens: SMC Takumar 35mm f 3.5