SIPF 2024: 'In Search of Lost Time' - Unveiling Recollections and Memories Through Photography in Singapore

The 9th edition of the Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF), themed "In Search of Lost Time," invites the public to explore powerful visual narratives of recollections and memories, featuring works from global artists, on-site photography art installations, and the premiering debut of the Myanmar Photo Archive in Singapore.

SINGAPORE, Sept. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) returns for its 9th edition, reinventing the encounter with photography at Singapore's vibrant arts and heritage district – the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) precinct. As Southeast Asia's longest-running photography festival, SIPF 2024 continues to bring lens-based media art from around the world to Singapore from 18 October to 24 November across multiple iconic locations.

SIPF 2024 will commence on 18 October, with an official opening ceremony featuring artists, sponsors, and industry partners. The event will also be open to the public on the same day.

This year's theme, "In Search of Lost Time," inspired by Marcel Proust's novel, invites participants to explore how recollections and memories shape our present. By viewing the mind as a collection of photographs that capture fragments of human experiences, each image represents a moment or thought, evoking various emotions in the perceiver. The festival showcases diverse artworks from the global artist community, transforming "lost" moments into tangible visual experiences. Attendees can look forward to highlights such as guided tours, workshops, photoshoots, documentary screenings, panel discussions, and masterclasses.

A new initiative introduced for this year's festival is "Conversation With Archives," which breathes new life into historical photographs. This year's focus is on the Myanmar Photo Archive (MPA), founded by Lukas Birk and co-curated by Lukas Birk and Kirti Upadhyaya for the exhibition in Singapore. Titled Mingalaba: A Journey Through the Myanmar Photo Archive, this exhibition will showcase approximately 500 selected images from the MPA's extensive collection of over 40,000 photographs, marking the first time these works will be displayed outside Myanmar. The exhibition will be held across various locations, including Excelsior Shopping Centre, Peninsula Shopping Centre, and Peninsula Plaza, collectively known as Little Yangon.

This year's SIPF is also the first to feature commissioned works by renowned Asian artists. FX Harsono will present his new works based on his collection of archival materials pertaining to the Indonesian Chinese community. Curated by John ZW Tung, this exhibition titled Keeping the Dream examines the role of archives in shaping identity and cultural displacement, shedding light on the complex historical stigma surrounding the Chinese community in Indonesia. Harsono's work will be exhibited at the Earl Lu Gallery at LASALLE College of the Arts. 

Artist Robert Zhao Renhui, who represented Singapore at the 2024 Venice Biennale, will lead a live activation at DECK's Open Ground featuring a commissioned group exhibition, Fragments of an Unknown Space. Conceived by Robert Zhao Renhui and including contributions from artists Goh Chun Aik, Lewis Choo, Arrvinraj, and Ge Xiaocong, this project explores the transient nature of a city that has experienced rapid development since independence. What was once home to Singapore's past squatter settlements now serves as a wasteland for vagrants. The exhibition reflects on how this plot of land represents the elusive nature of memory, and the forgotten and forsaken attachments people have to specific spaces.

Additionally, SIPF 2024 will feature Garden City: Remix Edition, a collaborative project curated by Gwen Lee, the Festival Director of SIPF and Co-Founder of DECK, in partnership with ArtSpace LUMOS. This exhibition showcases artists Kim Sunik, Lee Jinkyoung, Marvin Tang, and Woong Soak Teng. As part of SIPF 2024, the Remix Edition explores the interplay between nature and urban environments at Art Outreach Singapore.

Two solo exhibitions will also be featured this year. Artist Pierfrancesco Celada will present three thought-provoking pieces at the Esplanade Tunnel as part of his exhibition titled Happy Valley, co-presented by SIPF and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. His works include: When I Feel Down I Take a Train to the Happy Valley, Instagrampier, and One a Day. Cristina De Middel, President of Magnum Photos, will showcase Pandora at DECK Open Ground, featuring her representative works The Afronauts, Party, and Gentlemen's Club, which challenge societal norms and explore the complex relationship between photography and truth.

This year marks a significant milestone for SIPF, with a record-breaking 638 submissions in the portfolio category and 220 submissions for the photobooks category from 61 and 38 countries, respectively, during its open call. The cornerstone festival exhibition, SIPF's Open Call Showcase, will feature fresh works in image-making and photography from the global arts community. 48 photo books have been shortlisted for the SIPF Photobook Showcase, which will be presented at the National Design Centre from 18 October to 27 October, while 21 portfolios have been shortlisted for the SIPF Portfolio Showcase, and will be displayed at the National Library Singapore from 18 October to 24 November.

As part of this year's festival, the book launch and exhibition of Hijack Geni by Kenji Chiga, winner of the 8th SIPF Best Dummy Book Award, will also take place. This publication is the result of a collaborative project between DECK and IANNBOOKS (Seoul, Korea). The SIPF Prize awarded to Kenji Chiga helped fund part of the book's production, making this launch a significant event as it showcases a new publication released with support from the award money.

The SIPF experience continues to emphasise photography and image-based communication as powerful tools for artistic expression and emotional connection. DECK, the non-profit organiser of SIPF, believes in photography's boundless potential to convey profound stories and is committed to bridging the works of artists with the general public. This commitment reinforces the festival's belief that photography is a dynamic medium for storytelling and shared experiences, capturing memories as if searching for lost time.

For more information, visit www.sipf.sg. To purchase tickets, please visit sipfsg.eventbrite.com.

About Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF)

SIPF, organised by DECK, is the longest-running photography festival in Southeast Asia, aiming to advance the art and appreciation of photography. SIPF functions as a key platform to discover, nurture, and propel Southeast Asian photographers onto the international stage. Through its associate programmes, the festival hopes to engage the public and raise levels of visual literacy, firmly believing that photography can be enjoyed by all.

About DECK

DECK Photography Art Centre Ltd. is a contemporary institution dedicated to bringing people together through photography arts. Built on community support and envisioned as a space for organic growth, DECK aims to be a leading platform that promotes visual literacy and champions diversity, showcasing all facets of contemporary arts and photography to the widest possible audience. As a registered charity and Institution of a Public Character in Singapore, DECK is supported by the National Arts Council Singapore under the Major Company Scheme from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025.

(Socium is the PR partner for SIPF 2024) 

SOURCE DECK