Year: 2015

Coney Island, Singapore: 7 Stunning Insta-Worthy Spots

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Coney Island? Isn’t that in New York City? Formally known as Pulau Serangoon, the 50 ha (size of about 70 football fields) island originally shared its nickname with another island called Pulau Satumu (and reportedly several others), where Raffles Lighthouse is located, as our colonial masters couldn’t seem to make up their minds. Hugging the north-east coast of Singapore facing Pulau Ubin, the island was bought over by the Haw Par brothers in the 1930s, who then proceeded to build a beach villa there. World War II came, and it fell into disrepair, but Indian businessman Ghulam Mahmood swooped in and purchased the place with the intention of turning it into a resort. However, plans to imitate Brooklyn’s world-renowned tourist destination failed spectacularly, and the place was, once again, left to rot. Before it was slated for redevelopment in recent times, Coney Island was a popular destination for activities such as boating, water skiing, fishing, and family picnics. A sucker for (relatively) unknown places, I first went to explore the island back in April during my stay in Little …

I Do Not Stand With Ahmed

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Photo by: Associated Press / LM Otero When news broke out that 14-year-old Ahmed Mohammed got arrested for bringing a homemade clock to school, social media lit up in #Kony2012-sque proportions. Support for him has come thick and fast – as evidenced by the numerous #IStandWithAhmed hashtags – with messages of support streaming in from highly distinguished individuals and organisations; Mark Zuckerberg, Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, Twitter, Microsoft and MIT to name a few. I’m not going to lie, I was one of those rooting for him, albeit silently. It does sound stupid after all, getting booked for a science project he’s passionate about. Besides, it’s never nice seeing a young kid in cuffs. However, after digging a little deeper and glossing over the case a few more times, I can safely say my attitude towards the incident has completely changed, and here’s why. Just about race? Islamophobia is the word that this incident has been associated with the most. Cries of discrimination and unjust prejudice have been at an all-time high, with many claiming …

No, You’re Not Beautiful

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I am going to tell you something, and you are not going to like it. You’re not beautiful. And constantly lying to yourself is a disempowering waste of your time. Heck, not even all of us are beautiful on the inside. Now, before you start drafting any hate mail, get off your high horse and hear me out. T he way I see it, the truth if simple. If you’re ugly, you’re ugly. If you’re fat, you’re fat. Is it supposed to be a cathartic thing to lie to others in a feeble attempt to be politically correct? Because I certainly didn’t get the memo.

I’m Holding My Debut Solo Photo Exhibition “Facade: The Back Alley Collective”

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I am very thrilled to announce that I’ll be holding my debut solo photo exhibition from the 7th of August to the 5th of November 2015. Facade: The Back Alley Collective is a series of 13 photographs that aims to unwrap the all-is-well but superficial facade of contemporary Singapore, presenting a multi-layered examination that complicates the world’s perception of the city-state. As the images explore local issues within a local context, I can’t think of a better place to exhibit than a hostel, where global audiences intersect, exchange stories, and explore our city-state. It will be held at Atelier@5footway.inn Project Bugis (10 Aliwal Street 199903, Nearest MRTs are Nicoll Highway & Bugis), and it’ll be open 24/7 for viewing. ARTIST’S STATEMENT In a global city where most things lack singularity, the back alleys of Singapore are distinct. Often overlooked, these neighborhood microcosms each possess unique personalities and features; the iconic green bins, the worn-down exteriors, and the people who use the alleys for a myriad of reasons. This hidden world alternates  between the dense, chaotic activity of …

Little Texas, Singapore

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After such a heavy post the last time round, I figured it’ll only be right if I blogged about something more positive this time round. I’m also frustrated with myself for being unable to write an article that doesn’t exceed the word limit I set for myself everytime. It bothers me a lot, so this time round, I’m going to try a more informal type of writing, let the pictures do the talking and see if it helps with the word count issue. I recently (at the point of the first draft, which was two months ago) discovered this absolute gem nestled near the northern borders of Singapore. While Punggol Ranch isn’t exactly a downright doppelgänger of Texas, it does have many things in common, at least on a stereotypical level. With my ten-week semester break coming to an end, I got a bunch of friends (Imran, Aaron and ODS) together and stayed over at this gorgeous settlement for a night.

Social Media Didn’t Connect Me With People, It Ruined My Life

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// Photo by Thong Vo I always wondered if people realise the irony when they call out advertising agencies and the oh-so-convenient “mainstream media” for their excessive use of Photoshop. We’re always talking about how unethical it is, how manipulative it is, how misleading it is. Perfect facial composition and fair skin encourage unrealistic comparison and pursuits of beauty, they say. Slim cover girls promote unhealthy body standards, they say. Topless models and scantily-clad clad ladies degrade women to being objects of sexual desire, they say. But the truth is, with the advent of social networking, almost everything around us has been Photoshopped, and it’s unsettling that many of us have not realised that. I‘m not a heavy consumer of social networks. I mainly use them to promote my works and share major moments with my followers and potential clients. I do, of course, scroll through my various feeds to see what the world and my friends are up to. The Pet Society and Restaurant City days are over, and it has been quite some time …