Building Blocks: A Portfolio of Architectural Photographs by Darren Soh

11 Jan – 10 Feb 2007

Kay Ngee Tan Architects Gallery is pleased to present Building Blocks: A Portfolio of Architectural Photographs, an exhibition showcasing the architectural images of photographer Darren Soh.

A commercial and editorial photographer by day, Darren was one of two photographers commissioned by Design Singapore Council to produce images showcasing Singapore at the 10th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale 2006. Darren is perhaps better known for his nocturnal urban landscapes of Singapore exhibited at the Esplanade Tunnel in 2005. Titled “While You Were Sleeping,” these images showed familiar yet often overlooked vistas of Singapore, bathed in the mysterious light of night.

Shifting the focus of his lens onto urban structures, Darren once again has chosen to elevate a subject that is commonplace and therefore disregarded by most people: high-rise residences.

The idea of photographing residential buildings took root when Darren was commissioned to contribute images to Canvas, an anthology of photographic works by Singaporean photographers. This anthology was presented to delegates at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Board of Governors Annual Meetings 2006 held in Singapore. While working on this project, Darren realised how varied and graphically interesting these seemingly homogeneous HDB residences could be when they were observed in greater detail. On another level, Darren wanted to debunk the myth that high-rise residential structures in Singapore de-individualize their inhabitants.

Photographed with a large format camera in and around HDB estates in Singapore, the images from Building Blocks come together as a formal study of shapes and textures which exalt the vernacular. At the same time, identities of individual residents living in these housing units have been reasserted in Darren’s images. Details in these homes that might be easily overlooked are now made apparent by the photographer’s deliberate photographic framing and inclusion.

A Different Perspective
Click to read this independent review.