New work/ Expatriates!

I have been very busy of late producing new work, winning awards, retouching and putting images into syndication. Anyway, more about that later....

For now, here is a recent and ongoing personal project looking at the sub-culture of expatriates. The following portraits were all shot in Singapore but my intention is to take this project to other countries in which there is a large expat population.

This project will be imminently posted on my website and here is the blurb i am midway through drafting:

EXPATRIATE

“An expatriate (or expat) is a person residing in a country and culture other than that of the person’s upbringing or legal residence.

Globalisation has created an international market for skilled professionals. Private motivation is
becoming more relevant than company assignment.”

“Traditional corporate expatriates did not integrate and commonly only associated with the
elite of the country they were living in. Modern expats form a global middle class with shared work experiences in multi- national corporation. Integration is incomplete but strong cultural
influences are transmitted.” (citation: wikipedia)

Alex became interested in the expat culture after numerous visits to Singapore.
To Alex the lifestyle of the expat seems like a stand-alone culture; many expats don’t appear to fully integrate into local society (raising the question of whether is is ever possible to fully assimilate into another, very different culture, leaving behind ingrained socialisation?)
Subsequently a culture is created to meet the lifestyle needs of the expatriate, incorporating cultural aspects of their homeland into the new environment and combining this with local lifestyle.

Through portraiture, Alex explores the nature of expatriates.

This is an ongoing project....

It takes courage to be happy all the time!

I took this photo in April at a Hindu Temple in Singapore and sometimes need to remind myself so today I'm posting it.


I started an inspiration wall after meeting Larry Tee (he has one - it's quite impressive) and this was the first picture i stuck on it.
I sent it to Larry and he told me that although he liked it, sometimes you can just put things up that catch your eye and the meaning will come later, rather than being so obvious.

After that, I scoured the pages of the Observer Food Monthly for inspiration and ended up with a photo of a fish and an artichoke.
No meaning came to me, apart from that I like artichokes and I rarely come across them in the UK.

In the States, I used to eat them regularly. My friend, Zippy and I would have artichoke and wine nights which consisted of 2 (sometimes 3) steamed artichokes, some garlic and butter dip, much red wine and lots of catching up.
I miss those nights. Maybe that is the meaning behind it.

However, I had no idea what to make of the fish and having a picture of a fish and an artichoke on my wall was freaking me out so eventually i took them down.

Clearly I need more inspiration in my life!

The Private View....

Me finishing off putting the show up, the Private View (which was super busy) and me with the parents and my work......

Exhibition Preview....

One more day left to see my exhibition up at The Truman Brewery.

I've had a good response to my work and it looks quite striking on the wall.

Below are some pictures (although they don't quite do it justice - you must come down tomorrow to see it properly - and if that isn't enough to tempt you, how about the fact that I'll be there too?!)

OK, here is the blurb:

The selected images are derived from two projects brought together to make a single piece of work.

This exhibit examines modern day living across the world. It explores the spaces we create and inhabit, and alludes to issues of isolation prevalent in contemporary society.

The portraits were shot in London and San Francisco and the landscapes in Paris and Singapore. This is an ongoing body of work and Alex continues to shoot for this project.

All work is for sale, please inquire about pricing

Abstract Singapore

I've been meaning to go through the landscapes I shot when I was in Singapore earlier this year and finally got around to having a look at them.

Earlier (back in April) I posted my inspiration shots. The earlier shots were taken from a moving bus as I was trying to figure out what kind of project I wanted to shoot in Singapore. This meant they were more like snapshots. Below are my more considered shots.

My interest lies in abstracting the landscape and making it appear more graphic through my photography.
The buildings and landscape of Singapore held a certain beauty for me although it took me a while to find it. This is due to Singapore being so 'created' and commercial, which is not typically inspiring for me.

Now of course I want to go back and shoot more!

Street Mirrors in Singapore

Sometimes I see something out and about and i get quite obsessive about shooting it from millions of slightly different angles. This happened with these street mirrors in Singapore. I was out with my camera and feeling slightly uninspired until I came across these mirrors. I ended up spending a good 50 minutes on this street corner taking random shots of the reflections and what looking at what happened when different cars, buses and bikes drove past.......I think the street is called Koon Seng Road, just off Joo Chiat Road.

And yes, there I am, looking quite ridiculous in my very short shorts. Boy, was it hot though!

Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Hindu Temple @ Ceylon Road

I came across a beautiful Hindu Temple on Ceylon Road in Katong, Singapore. I loved the signs decorating the temple with little motto's on how to best live and appreciate life. Below are some shots: