Has photography lost its value in an age of advanced technology and social media? Seven contemporary photography artists explore the impact of the Internet and technology on the medium in “Why are we doing what we are doing?” at Mizuma Gallery in Singapore. The exhibition runs through October 9.In the age of Instagram and social media, photography has become fun and easy. What used to be an expensive and painstaking practice has turned into a fast and inexpensive process due to the masses embracing smartphones with an attached camera. A debate thus arises, questioning whether anyone can be a photographer without the required knowledge of the artistic practices involved, including the now seemingly dispensable skills of grasping technical aspects like exposure, composition, and focusing. Some go as far as to ask whether Snapchat challenges professional photography.Mizuma Gallery’s branch in Singapore has assembled several Southeast and East Asian contemporary artists to interrogate the basic principles of photography, from the process of creation to the method of identifying subject matter. The artists participating in this group exhibition are Agan Harahap, Angki Purbandono, Iswanto Soerjanto, RongRong & Inri, Usami Masahiro, Yamamoto Masao, and Robert Zhao Renhui.Each of their methodologies highlights the philosophy and ideology behind their artistic practices. Multi-award-winning Singaporean artist Robert Zhao Renhui, for instance, is known for constructing layers, creating an interplay of the real and the fictional, leaving an essence of doubt in the viewer’s eyes. “World Goldfish Queen,” 2013, depicts a goldfish against a light pink background, through which the artist investigates the different ways that people view animals – a trademark subject for Renhui, who often works with animals and insect species.“Why are we doing what we are doing?” runs through October 9 at Mizuma Gallery, Singapore.
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