Visual Curation: Audrey Kwok
Brief summary: Our group is interested in representing the changing physical landscape of Singapore. We plan to contrast the aesthetic of historically important landmarks with grim modern architecture to convey a displacement and urge greater appreciation of Singapore’s heritage.
Visual Research: the Urban
Transparent City 20 — Edition of 9 by Michael Wolf
http://www.bau-xiphoto.com/dynamic/artwork_display_photo.asp?ArtworkID=21962
This photograph was shot by artist and photographer Michael Wolf in his 2006 series, Transparent City. It depicts a downtown Chicago office building. Some dark windows indexically signify the end of a work day.
Wolf took this series from rooftops using a long lens. The increased focal length of the lens minimizes distortion and achieves perfectly straight vertical lines.
Although this was shot in the evening, there is great depth of field and little noise. Hence, it was likely taken with low shutter speed and high aperture, along with a tripod for stability such that Wolf could avoid bumping up his ISO.
Layers of lit rectangular windows and intersecting orthogonal lines on a single plane show little depth and convey repetition. The image deliberately captures no sky, prompting the viewer to imagine the monumental uniformity of the building beyond its borders.
The photograph is desaturated and edited to a cooler shade. The greenish tinge of office lights recall the lonely paintings of Edward Hopper and establish a sense of distance and unease.
These techniques are useful in helping our group select and shoot modern buildings with a touch of austerity, so as to contrast more inviting traditional architectural forms.
Visual Research: the Traditional
Untitled still from her “Singapore” series, 2012 by Joy Wong
http://www.joy-wong.com/portfolio_page/singapore/
This photograph was taken by Singaporean-born and London-based developmental photographer Joy Wong.
It depicts the gopuram of the Sri Mariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore.
The gopuram is the highest part of any Hindu temple because it is directly above the temple entrance and has historically served as a guiding post for travelling devotees. Wong’s shot is symbolic because it captures only the gopuram, a metaphor for hope and religious worship.
Taken from a lower angle and slightly off the photographic rule of thirds, the gopuram is angled towards the centre to achieve a balanced composition.
Adorned with colourful sculptures of Hindu gods, the gopuram is set against a plain blue sky, immediately rendering it the point of visual interest.
The dark shadows of the sculptures show certain depth and their organic, sensuous forms stand out against the cloudless sky. The sky is similar to the blue clothes and skin of some gods, like Lord Krishna on the third tier, implying a coherence between temple architecture and its natural surroundings.
We may employ these methods in conveying the rustic charm, fluid form and historical symbolism of older buildings through our project.
