A Budding Singapore Photographer Tackles Intimacy During The Time Of Isolation In Her Photos
How does one gather her dearest friends in a time of social distancing? Budding Singapore artist/photographer Kimberly Kiong tries to connect the dots.
By FEMALE STAFF,
Photography Kimberly Kiong Styling Farah Sudiro Models/Friends Nina Loh, Bridgitt Wan, Jessica Fong & Chloe Lee
This article first appeared in the Sept 2020 Not-Your-Usual September Issue of FEMALE.
Jessica wears denim cardigan, Fendi, and acetate glasses with metal chain, Gentle Monster
Bridgitt wears wool turtleneck, Longchamp, cotton-blend kaftan, Tory Burch, and leather flats, Gucci
“I’ve become extra conscious about my physical proximity to others during this pandemic, but that’s also made intimacy within social circles more difficult. Capturing my close friends (from far left) Chloe, Bridgitt, Jessica, and Nina individually at ease or as they go about their every day is my way of connecting with them.
Meanwhile stitching together solo shots of them caught in the same and usually comforting act of having a meal – they’re all acquaintances to one another, making this a semi-fictitious gathering of friends – reflects the sense of fragmentation I can’t help but feel even with communal spaces opening up. You can say that juxtaposing the collage with the portraits reflects my attempt at reconciling with the shifting regulations that govern our dearest relationships during this period.”
– Kimberly Kiong