Through the lens: Singapore International Photography Festival

Image courtesy sipf.sg

The Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) has always been more than just a showcase of striking images. Running this year from 18 October to 24 November 2024, the 8th edition has taken over familiar spots around town, from DECK at Prinsep Street to Gillman Barracks and the National Library Building. Now that the festival is into its second week, the city feels like it has quietly slipped into a rhythm where photographs are not just being looked at but actively discussed and felt.

At DECK, the festival’s home ground, there is a steady stream of visitors wandering through exhibitions that cover everything from deeply personal family portraits to sharp commentaries on the environment. Just across town at Gillman Barracks, large format works hang against the stark white walls of the galleries, filling the space with stories of migration, memory, and identity. The National Library has turned its common areas into unexpected showcases, where curious passersby pause in their daily routine to look up at images that speak of lives far beyond our own.

What stands out this week is how the festival draws people into conversation. During a recent panel at the National Library, photographers from Singapore, Indonesia, and Japan sat down to talk about how their cultural backgrounds shape the way they see the world. The room was packed, not just with art students but also with families and casual visitors who wanted to understand the people behind the camera. One young audience member asked how photographers decide which stories deserve to be told, sparking a thoughtful exchange about responsibility and trust. These moments make the festival feel less like an event and more like a shared classroom, where everyone is learning together.

Image courtesy sipf.sg

Outside, the city itself has become part of the exhibition. Around Bras Basah and Bugis, commuters stop in their tracks when they come across large prints displayed in public spaces. One installation on climate change drew a small group of office workers who stood quietly during lunch break, pointing out details to each other. These small encounters matter. In a city that moves quickly, SIPF gives us permission to slow down, even for just a few minutes, to see and think differently.

For Singapore photographers, this second week has been a milestone. Several first timers are showing their work alongside established international names. One local participant shared that seeing her photographs printed and hanging in DECK felt surreal compared to posting them on social media. The chance to receive direct feedback from curators and fellow photographers has given many the encouragement to keep pushing their craft.

What also lingers from this week is the pace. Unlike scrolling through endless feeds on a phone, these exhibitions ask visitors to take their time. Some images only reveal their weight after a longer look, while others leave questions that follow you out of the gallery. It is not unusual to overhear visitors debating interpretations over coffee nearby, which adds to the sense that the festival is alive beyond the walls of the exhibition spaces.

As week two wraps up, the festival feels like a gathering of different communities rather than just a string of exhibitions. Families with children, students sketching in notebooks, hobby photographers with cameras slung over their shoulders, everyone seems to find something that speaks to them. With more weeks still ahead, SIPF promises plenty of discoveries, but this second week has already shown what makes the festival special. Through the lens of so many voices, it reminds us that photographs are not only about seeing but also about listening, questioning, and connecting.

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