“A Story in Camera” is a double channel video installation. The idea behind this artwork is to portray real-life experiences and imagined scenes of people using an antique camera. Screen A is projected through the lens of the camera onto the wall in black and white, while Screen B is shown through a panel installed in place of the camera’s viewfinder in colour. Video A depicts how two young researchers, in the field of natural science and humanities, spiritually travel out of the highly civilized urban living environment with their imagination, and into the jungles in search of a token of their ideals. They camped in the jungles, venture through dreamlike scenarios such as the olden days and in the natural world, and after an accident, eventually found a peculiar fruit. Having concluded their spiritual trip, they returned to the reality to carry on with their lives.
Video B represents the state of the reality for the two young researchers where they lead highly socialised lives in the modern civilization. While doing research work in university, they discovered information shared by both natural sciences and the humanities that enhanced their imagination in the spiritual world, instigating their desire to explore further.
The idea of this work originated from the artists’ travel experiences while undertaking the Southeast Asia residency programme in Singapore in January 2018. Having gained a deeper understanding of the state of Singapore and its history, the artist was able to observe how the highly developed urban city coexists with the natural environment. Living in such an environment, one can easily call forth the different aspects of our minds. The sight of a deep-rooted old tree next to a highly modernised architecture suggests the remove of gap between civilization and the rich history of nature. These surreal visuals invite us to traverse across different time and space using our imagination, and the two protagonists of the film are the spokespersons of such phenomenon.
Detail pictures:
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