CHARLES OSAWASINGAPOREBlack&White

CHARLES OSAWA - BOOK 3“SINGAPORE BLACK&WHITE”- All Rights Reserved - © Charles Osawa 2016www.charlesosawa.comOUTPUT: 08/14/16

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CHARLES OSAWA - BOOK 3“SINGAPORE BLACK&WHITE”- All Rights Reserved - © Charles Osawa 2016www.charlesosawa.comOUTPUT: 08/14/16

This is a documentation of Singapore.

CHARLES OSAWAb. 1983

This book is dedicated to my wife, and the people of Singapore.

Singapore has many faces. I came here with no knowledge what it is like here. Poverty and wealth blends in gap larger than census can grasp.

People say there are no homelesses in Singapore. People are supressed and controlled much like everywhere.

We all have our Singapore story. Some excel in their career.

Me, I got lost in whatever you will see here. I will leave no explanation, for picture speaks a thousand words. Please imagine you were me, the years I’ve been.

I came to Singapore partly by accident as an architectural designer. I couldn’t find a job in New York. I was young, naive and brittle. The big apple had no place for me. I had short hair, thick specs and brain no bigger than yours. My department head at Parsons School of Design, Laura Briggs, recommended me to go to Asia. That’s when I got the job in Singapore.

Within 6 months, I got fired and my life flew me back to the states. I went back to New York, only to get a phone call from Singapore. Within few weeks, I was back. I was back as a photographer working for the design industry. I was a designer, but I knew my purpose was not to design.

Years passed and I derailed myself in many directions. I was an artist for a time. A hermit at one point, and sometimes an audio visual sub-contractor assistant. I ate free noodles in exchange for my photography. I got a studio for S$164.00. My life was a drama in exchange for fun. I associated well too much in the underground.

Then my wife jumped off from 4th floor of a friend’s apartment. My time ended. I had to pack up and leave, as the best joke in this island goes like this. “What’s the best thing to do in Singapore? To get the fuck out of Singapore...”

SINGAPOREBlack&Whiteit starts like this...

A STORY BY CHARLES OSAWA

This book is dedicated to my wife, and the people of Singapore.

In order of appearance...

Rainy sky of Singapore, Two lovers, Street kids, Glass panel, Spencer and Witold, Spencer and uncle, Taxi uncle, A car, Marco and Dean, Bed matresses, HDB, Monkey, Matress and projection, Vedika, Deck B5, Tree, HDB corridor, Mama, Kids of Singapore, Man with Kite, Matt, An, An and Nuri, Arnaud, Girl with indian hat, Yanika, Boys, Reflection, Laundry, People at Thaippusam, Perumal temple, Girl at wedding, Three windows, Abandoned flat, Reinstated site, Light tube, Jason, Man at market, Plant in pot, Fallen leaves, Bird in cage, Johnny the fish, Hangers, Escalators, Ah Bengs, Signboard, Abandoned tubes, Styrofoam boxes, LPG cylinders, Back alley, Mall, Singaporeans, Vedika.

CHARLES OSAWA - BOOK 3“SINGAPORE BLACK&WHITE”- All Rights Reserved - © Charles Osawa 2016www.charlesosawa.comOUTPUT: 08/14/16

SINGAPOREBlack&WhiteCHARLES OSAWA