Stepped into Objectifs to view architectural photographer extraordinaire Darren Soh's works. It's his solo photo exhibition titled 'Before It All Goes: Architecture From Singapore’s Early Independence Years'. Over the last decade, Darren has tirelessly photographed many buildings. It's nice to retrieve a few and put them together as a tribute to heritage, the architects, and the photographer's passion.
This exhibition focuses on eight sites that were built in the early years of Singapore's independence, and are being demolished or slated for demolition. These sites are, Pearl Bank Apartments, People’s Park Complex, Golden Mile Complex, Golden Mile Tower, Bedok and Buona Vista Swimming Complexes, Queenstown Cinema, Tanglin Halt Estate and Rochor Centre.
There's an accompanying monograph to the exhibition too. At the same time, Darren has put out a 19-minute documentary about these buildings, interviewing some of the residents and hearing them out. The residents shared what these buildings meant to them. The exhibition runs till 29 September at Objectifs. Admission is free. Have a look yourselves and if these sites mean something to you, stroll down the memory lane.
[Topics related to SERS and collective en bloc sales belong to a separate discussion.]
While I appreciate the photography, effort and skills to create these images, and I'm interested in knowing the history, background and such, I care less about the buildings per se. To be honest, I don't have many memories of these buildings. I don't hold nostalgia for those places I remember from my childhood or frequent as a teenager. It's just, the way things are in Singapore. Buildings go up and down, old buildings have huge problems with water leaks, sewage clearance, plumbing and such, and feeling nostalgic about them isn't something innate in my psyche. Nature and the natural green environment are something I love and am fond of, but I'm not sentimental about buildings. I've long accepted that if I want to see old buildings and gorgeous nature, I get out of the rather sanitary and sterile Singapore to do so.
In the documentary, Darren said, "All we have left of these buildings are memories and photographs."
I think I'm okay with that. It's beautiful to hold these memories in photographs too.
This exhibition focuses on eight sites that were built in the early years of Singapore's independence, and are being demolished or slated for demolition. These sites are, Pearl Bank Apartments, People’s Park Complex, Golden Mile Complex, Golden Mile Tower, Bedok and Buona Vista Swimming Complexes, Queenstown Cinema, Tanglin Halt Estate and Rochor Centre.
There's an accompanying monograph to the exhibition too. At the same time, Darren has put out a 19-minute documentary about these buildings, interviewing some of the residents and hearing them out. The residents shared what these buildings meant to them. The exhibition runs till 29 September at Objectifs. Admission is free. Have a look yourselves and if these sites mean something to you, stroll down the memory lane.
[Topics related to SERS and collective en bloc sales belong to a separate discussion.]
While I appreciate the photography, effort and skills to create these images, and I'm interested in knowing the history, background and such, I care less about the buildings per se. To be honest, I don't have many memories of these buildings. I don't hold nostalgia for those places I remember from my childhood or frequent as a teenager. It's just, the way things are in Singapore. Buildings go up and down, old buildings have huge problems with water leaks, sewage clearance, plumbing and such, and feeling nostalgic about them isn't something innate in my psyche. Nature and the natural green environment are something I love and am fond of, but I'm not sentimental about buildings. I've long accepted that if I want to see old buildings and gorgeous nature, I get out of the rather sanitary and sterile Singapore to do so.
In the documentary, Darren said, "All we have left of these buildings are memories and photographs."
I think I'm okay with that. It's beautiful to hold these memories in photographs too.
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