My Ten Favourite Photos from i Light Marina Bay 2012

Over the past few weeks I indulged in several days of photography safari at the 2012 i Light Marina Bay – an outdoor light art festival held at Marina Bay Singapore. During this period, I experimented with different photography techniques, camera settings and not to mention a few tricks on the latest version of Picasa (3.9.7.585 Mac) which came with new photo effects too. Here is a selection of my favourite pictures (in no particular preference order) from this experience.

1. Ghost from the Gate - A translucent lady’s image on the right appeared like a floating ghost emerging from Li Hui’s The Gate

2. The Palm – I love how a passing breeze moved the electro-luminous wires to create this unintended palm leaves leaf-liked effect captured on my camera.

3. The Laser Lights Beams from the Marina Bay Sands and the ArtScience Museum – The additional laser beams from the Marina Bay Sands and the ArtScience Museum added to the festival’s illuminations.

4. Key Frames - Photography is often an exercise of patience and a sense of timing. This fast-moving installation took me several shots to capture all the lighted figures on the first three rows as I had to anticipate the precise moment when I can get a clear shot. This other similar picture has the entire figures captured.

5. Crystallised- This colours captured in this picture offered a glimpse of the depth of a colour in an otherwise multi-colour installation.

6. Parmendies-I-Solar-System – This image was created by merging several carefully curated photos to form a solar system-liked image in order to capture  different iterations of this changing installation. It is just like how our solar system – the Milky Way is also not stationary but ever-expanding and changing.

7. Woman walking in the white rain – This image reinterpreted Takahiro Matsuo’s White Rain depicting a woman walking in the rain while looking into a dark wet cold forest.

8. The 8 Lamp - By merging two images from Uno Lai’s The Light Dam, I tried to use the two different tones of the installation to form the number 8. After all, we Chinese people like the number 8.

9. Mind the Gap – This installation is made of umbrella shelters used by Thai monks. In urban Singapore, Art has brought direct and indirect economic benefits to the country such as a growing art market and the development of an environment attractive to global capital (Art Stage 2012). In a different perspective, Art, here represented by the monk’s umbrella shelters also plays a therapeutic role to lift the viewer’s spirit up to a world of possibilities or at the bare minimum provides a mental shelter, a moment of respite from a hard crushing concrete urban environment, an opportunity to regain one’s humanity.

10. Bibigloo - Will the fate of the igloo, the Eskimo’s traditional home, also depict the same fate of our own homes as the world warms up with the increased consumption of carbon based fuel?

Bonus – LV Island Maison, Singapore

“Welcome” to the 2011 Singapore Haze Season

Haze and dust particles enveloped the Singapore city skyline. This marked the start of the annual haze season. The haze came from the burning of Sumatran forest and plantation fields to make way for new plantations.

Armchair Critique of Channel NewsAsia’s Living Cities Documentary Episode 1: Singapore

I just caught 20mins of the first episode of Living Cities “documentary” (shown on Channel NewsAsia) about my home – Singapore. It was so bad that it spurred me to write this post.

This show was a brain numbing and shallow boring brochureware. Maybe useful to numb the audience before going for the investment sales pitch. My introduction may sounded harsh. Maybe, but it is necessary to be critical in order to start a conversation to uncover Singapore’s distinctive contribution to the living cities discussion.. Not rehashing the familiar formula of Dubai/ Doha but Singapore – an Asian global business city.

Comment 1: Lack of diversity amongst its panel commentators/ experts

Throughout the show, almost all commentators/ experts are Caucasians (I could only bear to watch the first 20mins before I turned off my TV) constantly heaping praises on Singapore. The Singapore I know certainly does not suffer a dearth of locals/ Asians experts living in this country that are capable to comment on the development of this Asian city. Having commentators mainly from a particular ethnic group meant that the content would only engage and connect audience of similar heritage. Furthermore, by having a wide range of commentators from different parts of the world which are able to make critical assessments, it adds to the credibility to the overall theme of the show that Singapore is a truly open global city that welcomes people and business from all over the world.

Comment 2: Lack of focus on the city’s Asian character

Singapore is a special place in the world because it is a developed city-state with an Asian identity. This quality enables it to be an effective bridge between the West and the rest of the developing Asia. It is silly to play down our inherent character. Singapore is relevent to the world because we are an easy Asian proxy for the other parts of the world. Therefore we should focus on how Asian characteristics can be adopted to address modern city living.

To respond to the show’s theme of”Living Cities”, it should have gone deeper into the challenges of urban living  and how Singapore overcame them. Instead, the show went on into a litany of clichés – young professionals in a CBD, yuppie life, fast moving cars, shopping malls,  gentrified heritage buildings that turned into cafe + galleries, frequent showing of foreign workforce and labelling it as progress. What is Singapore’s unique contribution in the living cities discussion?
Does the existence of such clichés actually resembles a living city? No. Our modern world is now searching for a new model of development. A new model of a living city where economic opportunities are plentiful through its connection with to the world. In the same breathe, its domestic residents must also feel a sense of connection, a belonging to the environment in which they live in. A model city is where its residents feel responsible and desire to make the society a better place, occasionally with the authorities’ involvement.

If the presenter wants to present Singapore as a model of a living city, there is a need to look and highlight such Singaporean examples. When that’s achieved, would the show give the city and its viewers a real insight into the living cities discussions.

Singapore ever changing city skyline from my bedroom – 010909

Public Talk on Obama Administration’s First 100 Days Organised by National Library Board Singapore, Singapore Institute of International Affairs and School of Thought

The Singapore Institute of International Affairs is organising a free public talk on the first 100 days on President Obama’s administration on Saturday, 23 May 2009 at The Pod, Level 16, National Library. This event is especially tailored for youths aged 13–25.

Join Dr Dawn Dekle, Dean of the Centre for Leadership at S.P. Jain Center of Management, as she explains the contexts, backgrounds and issues facing the Obama Administration.

Due to limited seating availability, registration is required.

This event is co-organised by the National Library Board Singapore and School of Thought.

For more informatiom, please visit The Obama Administration’s First 100 Days (SIIA) link.

Training for the 2009 Adidas Sundown Marathon – 35km Familiarisation Run with Team Fatbird

Last Friday, I took part in a Team Fatbird‘s Sundown Marathon Route Familiarisation Run as part of my preparation for the May Sundown Marathon. I estimated more than 60 runners turned up for this community run, which began around 9pm. This is quite an impressive turnout for an event that was promoted mainly via Facebook and the word of mouth.

The running route (linked below) started from ECP Car Park C4 and went along the parts of the Eastern Coastal Park Connector Network. It offered runners an opportunity to experience the sights and sounds of the eastern suburbs including Siglap, Tampines, Pasir Ris and Loyang.

Good thing, there were committee members from Team Fatbird dispersed among the different running packs. One’s concentration can take a serious beating during a long distance overnight run. Anthony, David and the other  Team Fatbird run pacers played an important role to lead the various running packs, chit chatting along the way and keeping motivation high among the trainees. A special mention goes out to Max for providing taking pictures of the runners along the route. The photos opportunities brought out the smiles of many.

Almost 4 hours 30mins later, drenched in perspiration and really yearning for my bed, I finally arrived at the finishing line. Ah Beng and Suan made the tiredness almost disappear with their wonderful hospitality with food and drinks donated by others.

This well attended run is a great testimony to the enthusiasm, dedication and generosity of the Singapore running community. To all who had donated resources to organise this event and participated in this run, THANK YOU!

Pictures taken by Max Ang (feetoffurry)

Related links:

• Night Hawk #8 – Sundown Familiarization #1 Post-Run Report
• 35km and 55km Routes

An Internship with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs

Good news, friends! Since last month, I joined the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) as an intern under the Eric Teo Global Citizens Internships programme. Founded in 1961, the SIIA is Singapore’s oldest think tank dedicated to the research, analysis and discussion of regional & international issues.

A unique feature of SIIA’s programmes is its commitment to public education including students and the general public population through events such as 938LIVE in NIE: What Does ASEAN Mean to You? (past) and the upcoming The Obama Administration’s First 100 Days forum (23 May 09).

During the last month with the organisation, I was introduced to the concept of “Track II diplomacy“, the various ASEAN foras, the various think tanks and special interests groups based in Singapore and the opportunity to be involved in the think tank’s flagship event – 2nd ASEAN & ASIA Forum.

I also enjoy the company I made within the organisation especially over lunch and tea discussion about philosophy and political/ economic theories. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be introduced to this environment before I return back to the university this July.

My Dusty Run 2009 Experience, Running 33km from ECP to the Eastern Suburbs

Last Friday (Good Friday), in preparation for the upcoming Sundown Marathon, more than 50 runners from Team Fatbird and other Singapore running community groups took part in the 2009 Dusty Run organised by Keonz.

The Dusty Run began at 9.20pm and the route starts from East Coast Park (ECP) to the eastern suburbs via Tanah Merah, Expo, Simei, Bedok Reservoir, Kembagan, Opera Estate and back onto the ECP.

Along the way, Max and Jane provided a much-appreciated dose of encouragement and fun as the run photographer along route. In the end, I learnt that my group ran 33km instead of the originally planned 30km because we bypassed an earlier turning point. I thought I knew the Singapore eastern suburbs inside out but this “jogging tour” took my understanding to a new level. Looking back at the run, I really treasured the opportunity to meet other running enthusiasts from all walks of life sharing one common passion – running.

Check out this link to other pictures taken during the run.

Singapore Marina Barrage in the Evening

- Taken on 040409 by Berno

The Marina Barrage located at the mouth of the Marina Channel is Singapore’s largest water catchment area. It offers a postcard-perfect vista of the Singapore Flyer and the city’s skyline.

Here is a link to my Singapore Marina Barrage collection of photos. You can also check out the Marina Barrage’s home page for more information about the structure and how to get there.

The Fullerton Hotel (浮尔顿酒店), Singapore

A picture of the Fullerton Hotel, Singapore taken on 31 Mar 2009. This picture was taken from the Asian Civilisation Museum.