Author: Alvin Ng

My photography journey started as a hobby back in early 2008 and it’s forte is in documentary photography. My view towards design is that its a powerful set of skills that can enhance and mature creatve compositon towards photography and the portrayal of project outcomes. In the context of photography, I believes that the humanity of the moment, and being able to capture it, is to me, the most organic form of communicaton between another person

Sex workers form one of the most marginalised and discriminated communities in Singapore. They are criminalised by the law and stigmatised by society, becoming vulnerable to both physical and verbal abuse from people of all walks of life and face a lack of access to justice. Being in a community that has more or less been cast aside by many, it is difficult to find anyone willing to assist them and/or to turn to for matters ranging from civil to social and health-related issues. Project X, a community-based organisation, was founded in 2008 to bridge that gap. Consisting of staff and…

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The bell rang thrice, a signal that the match had officially begun, and the crowd roared with great fervour in exhilaration as their favourite wrestlers clashed against one another in a match of muscles, aerobatic moves and dynamic style — all in the name of entertainment. Such is the scene of Singapore’s wrestling world, an ever-increasing close-knitted community of wrestling fans and local wrestlers, bonded together in their shared love for the sport. But the world of wrestling is not just an ‘entertainment sport’ or a ‘hobby’; within it lies a classic storytelling of good versus evil, supervillains versus superheroes. A…

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I don’t really have a distinct memory of a particular moment in a barbershop during my childhood. I can only vividly remember the low buzzing sound of the shavers, the smell of baby powder mixed with an old musky smell. Along with the radio playing the latest Malay hits, and the queues of young and old customers waiting for their turn. As I grew up, my times with barbers lessened, like a toy that a kid is no longer interested in. I can’t really explain my declining interest back then, but I guess you could say that all things come…

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It’s quiet. The old housing estates loom silently under an overcast sky, their corridors devoid of movement and activity. The wind, channelled by the estates howled into my ears; unwelcoming and chilling. Nestled in the central part of Singapore close to three upscale hotels is Jalan Minyak, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Singapore with a violent criminal history. In this old neighbourhood, the only sign of activity that’s most notable is a small coffee shop and an old shop beside it — its yellowed walls and furniture stand as a testament to its age. Just by the entrance lay stacked…

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What a world we live in today. We wake up to a brand new day only to rush off to work, where deadlines are met with more deadlines, and then it’s another mad rush to go back home — the cycle then repeats itself on and on. It feels like we are just machines, a minuscule part of a big monotonous culture. “Hi, Do You Need A Haircut?” Then one fine day, I chose to disconnect from all of it. I somehow ended up in a barbershop of all places. A place that a friend of mine posted a story…

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Learn the beautiful art of photographing and developing your very own film roll with a step-by-step workshop on Shooting and Developing Film Negatives at DECK on 24 February 2018! Last year was a time when the old world of analog photography achieved a renaissance, and there is now an ever-increasing number of photo hobbyists and photographers embracing analog film. Analog photography has a great deal of complexity, ranging from the various processes to techniques in developing and photographing through film. These are hard to understand without the help of an experienced film developer, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to hone your skills!…

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You might have seen this installation at the top of National Gallery Singapore and may have thought to yourself that it’s some kind of ongoing construction, but it’s not. In fact, what you see is an artwork created by 57-year-old Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, called ‘Untitled 2018 (The infinite dimensions of smallness)’. Untitled 2018 is a participatory work that seeks to blur the line between art and its audiences by making them pause for a moment, to make time and space to experience something new. As quoted by Rirkrit, “I like to make work where I don’t have to tell people…

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Did you know that you can actually use soil from almost anywhere — even the one from the patch of grass outside your house — to create ceramic art? Join local ceramicist Chloe Tan in her workshop, Ceramic Workshop: Exploring Singapore Soil on 10 February 2018 where she will teach you the art of making ceramics from locally-dug clay. In addition to creating your own ceramic piece, Chloe will share with participants about her working process behind her work, The Supermarket Experience, featuring pieces shaped like local household items. For those who are attending the workshop, do collect a small sample of clay (a…

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Have you seen uncles around the neighbourhood with songbirds in intricate birdcages? Well, what about an uncle who has a collection of over a thousand bird cups? Probably not. 60-year-old Mr Steven Tan, like all other bird collectors in Singapore, hangs out with his friends during his free time with their birds. Anyone who walks past him will probably just see him as another collector. But his greatest treasures are kept within his home, and he warmly invited me over to have a look at them. Love At First Sight When I first stepped into his bedroom, I felt as…

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Relive the 1996 romantic drama adaption of William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo + Juliet’, retold by director Baz Luhrmann starring a young Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, at Canvas Singapore with screenings on 12 February and 5 March 2018. The 1996 version of Romeo + Juliet retains the original Shakespearean dialogue, but it is told with a modern (90s era) twist! The families of Romeo and Juliet are now mafia empires fighting each other with guns, beach shirts and vintage cars. In this version, Romeo meets Juliet after gate-crashing a party in an upscale mansion when he was admiring an aquarium. Also worth…

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Once every two years, the Singapore International Photography Festival returns with an Open Call for photographers, curators and publishers from all kinds of genres, and all nationalities to be a part of the festival. In its 10-year milestone, the festival aims to expand the reach of art photography and uncover new talents in the photography world; this time with an even greater diversity in photography from Southeast Asia and the World. The 2018 edition consists of three categories: Portfolio, Curatorial Projects, and Photobooks (the newest edition). 1. Portfolio (Photo Works) The Portfolio category has no theme. Instead, it looks into the preoccupations of the…

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As I began my quest to search for and celebrate unsung workers in lesser-known industries, I was drawn towards the fishing industry in Singapore. In the wee hours of the morning, you’ll find a sense of camaraderie unlike any other; amongst the fishermen, the fish merchants and the buyers. Nestled on the far fringes of the Southwestern region of Singapore, the Jurong Fishery Port has been the centrepiece of the fishing industry since 1967. It is here where supplies of seafood are exchanged from the fishermen to the fish merchants, and then on to buyers ranging from supermarket chains and…

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This year’s edition of the Light to Night Festival is a massive expansion of an anniversary event by National Gallery Singapore, and arty installations are spread out across the entire Civic District from now until 28 January 2018. With this year’s theme centered on ‘Colour Sensations’, visitors can enjoy an array of dazzling, immersive installations ranging from the massive and the intriguing, to some musically moving performances. With so many things happening, it can be rather confusing on where to begin your journey into this celebration of visual arts. So to help those who are not familiar, here are eight installations…

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Enjoy Christopher Nolan’s epic blockbuster movie Dunkirk once again, as Pop Up Cinema continues into 2018 with screenings on 29 January and 19 March at Canvas Singapore. Each ticket will include either a beer, house pour spirits, or a soft drink. You may also purchase more drinks at special happy hour prices! The movie starts at 7.30pm, and what better way to end the day than with great suspense, music and cinematography of the Dunkirk evacuation during World War II. Do note that tickets are only sold online, so make sure you get yours before they sell out! Date &…

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Discover how dirty our oceans really are in this adventure documentary titled ‘A Plastic Ocean’, directed by journalist Craig Leeson, at The Projector on 25 January 2018. A Plastic Ocean follows Craig and his team of scientists and researchers, as they travel all around the globe in a span of four years, uncovering alarming truths of plastic pollution and exploring the fragile state of the oceans, while highlighting working solutions that can be put into immediate effect to mitigate plastic waste. With climate change affecting everyone around the world, come and be a part of the global discussion on how to…

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