In Between Spaces: Part 1
Two Cities, Introduction
In Between Spaces Part 1: Two Cities presents a contemplative journey through urban life, seen through the subtle, evocative lens of black-and-white film photography. The photos draw viewers into a world suspended between presence and absence, where intimacy and distance intertwine in the silent yet resonant pulse of Sydney and Singapore.
With an aesthetic grounded in monochromatic film textures, Pigar introduces a timeless quality to each piece, inviting audiences into a reflective space where shadows and light linger, hovering in the frame as though they were alive. Influenced by Max Dupain and Daido Moriyama, the photos build upon the tradition of capturing the decisive moment while threading in personal, meditative reflection. In these frames, soft focus and diffused light transform the mundane into something more mysterious, even as we reside with the familiar.
At the core of this exploration lies the act of observation itself. The camera captures not only places and structures but also those who traverse them, each paused in their own fragment of a story. In Between Spaces extends an invitation to slow down, to rest in the understated textures and tones of city life. It offers a quiet space for introspection, encouraging us to dwell on what emerges in those moments between. Between person and place, light and shadow, now and what inevitably follows.
#1 Three Generations
Three Generations captures an intimate moment that resonates with both personal significance and universal themes. The photograph features the artist's older sister in quiet contemplation as she navigates the city streets, bathed in natural light. This interplay of light and shadow not only highlights her physical form but also symbolizes the multifaceted roles she embodies—teacher, sibling, guide on the way to their next destination.
The title, Three Generations, reflects a layered narrative within a single frame. While the image portrays just the artist and his sister inside the car, they are en route to pick up her eldest daughter. This journey brings together three generations of their family, symbolically uniting past, present, and future. A microcosm of familial connection and the passage of roles from one generation to the next.
Both the artist and his sister are experiencing transitions—she grapples with a sense of staleness and co-dependency in her career, while he navigates new commitments in his personal life. These personal evolutions come to the frame amid the broader context of urban living, where the rising cost of living adds another layer of complexity to daily existence.
The use of chiaroscuro enhances the thematic depth of the piece. Natural light selectively illuminates parts of the composition, enveloping the subject and symbolising how roles and responsibilities expand to fill our lives. Shadows act as a visual metaphor for the burdens we quietly bear and the unspoken aspects of our experiences. This technique, rooted in classical painting, adds emotional contour and invites viewers to explore the dualities of light versus shadow, presence versus absence.
#2 Heartland Neighbourhood, Bukit Panjang
In Heartland Neighbourhood, Bukit Panjang, Pigar captures a restrained view of a Singaporean neighbourhood, framing a cluster of landed properties through balcony grills. The contrast of light and shadow conveys a quiet introspection, inviting viewers to consider the tension between everyday life in the heartlands and the hidden affluence within. You can barely see the blurry public housing apartments, with more clarity and focus given to the landed property housing downstairs.
The title juxtaposes the idea of a heartland with the exclusivity of landed homes, subtly critiquing the social and economic divides often obscured in public narratives of community and prosperity. The obstructed view, shaped by grills that physically restrict the line of sight, serves as a metaphor for the contrasting public perceptions of community against the reality of wealth segregation, inequality, and privileged access.
Through this piece, Pigar invites viewers to reflect on their own notions of wealth, identity, and the concealed layers that shape our environments. The work offers a moment of pause to consider what lies beyond the boundaries we are often unaware of yet shaped by.
#3 School Zone, Holsworthy
The photograph presents a quiet intersection in a Sydney suburb here with School Zone, Holsworthy. The scene’s emptiness, illuminated by bright sunlight, evokes a sense of isolation despite the clear markers of daily life; a school zone sign, residential homes, and a few parked cars hinting at human presence. This absence creates a feeling of solitude, a stillness that speaks to the quiet moments of suburban life often overlooked.
Through perspective and composition, Pigar leads the viewer’s gaze along the road towards an indeterminate horizon. Vertical lines, power poles, road signs, and trees, structure the image, emphasising its emptiness and contemplation. Light and shadow play subtly across the landscape, creating pockets of brightness on the road while the dark ground contrasts with the vast, pale sky, giving the photograph a somber yet reflective tone.
The setting in Holsworthy, a suburb on the fringes of Sydney, speaks to the wider phenomenon of urban sprawl, as rising costs push residents further and further away from the city center. This isolated school zone, typically bustling, stands empty here, prompting us to consider the spaces in our own towns. The photograph asks us to reflect on suburban migration and the quiet resilience required to adapt to life on the city’s periphery.
#4 Drying Laundry, Looking Out
Dirty Laundry features a rather dark image of an intimate domestic scene quietly bathed in soft, afternoon light. A balcony with drying clothes stands in stark contrast to the darkened interior, while scattered household items are subtly illuminated. The sunlight seems to be both subject and setting here, threading through the room and casting shadows that emphasise the quiet, lived-in space.
You can’t help but follow the path of light across the scene, allowing the ordinary act of hanging laundry to represent broader themes of class and domestic life. In Singapore, the act of hanging your own laundry suggests a middle-class existence; wealthy enough for convenience, yet modest in resources. It captures both the beauty and quiet resilience of routine, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own spaces and the meaning found in the mundane.
The title invites a dual interpretation: the literal act of drying laundry and the metaphor of “looking out” from a safe distance. This separation implies a subtle reluctance to engage fully with the light, reflecting a tension between comfort and exposure. The routine act of drying clothes here becomes emblematic of an everyday existence, where the simplest tasks never stops us from feeling grounded.
#5 Coffee at Hyde Park
Coffee at Hyde Park depicts a fleeting moment in the everyday lives of residents and tourists at an outdoor café in Sydney’s iconic outdoor area. The photograph blurs distinctions between people, blending locals and visitors into a unified space of quiet activity. While there’s a sense of connection in the shared setting, subtle distances and individual poses hint at isolation, particularly with the lone, contemplative figure in the foreground. Pockets of intimacy, couples conversing or embracing, offer contrast and balance, suggesting moments of closeness within the public sprawl.
The use of light and framing brings depth to this layered scene. The bright background illuminates the bustling café and draws attention to the architectural beauty of St. Mary’s Cathedral and the park’s open spaces, which frame the photograph’s subjects. The composition highlights a central theme of In Between Spaces by capturing a transient moment of the coffee ritual, often overlooked yet integral to city life.
Beyond the simple act of enjoying coffee, the image explores cultural nuances and economic realities. The café scene resonates with the role of tourism in Sydney and, by extension, Singapore, hinting at shared dependencies and lifestyle costs that shape these cities. Tourism and immigration continues to be a focal point for policy and economic growth for both countries, and they’re displayed here with a kind of uniformity, a chance for both groups to hide themselves in view.