Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has collaborated with National Geographic CreativeWorks to unveil Unseen/Singapore, a campaign that showcases Singapore as a travel destination from the perspective of intrepid photographers from Southeast Asia.
The virtual exhibition brings together award-winning Filipino conservation photographer, Gab Mejia, with five photographers from across Southeast Asia.
Through photography, the campaign includes a virtual exhibition which encourages travellers to explore the city-state’s cultural diversity and hidden spots, by taking a moment to observe the unseen beauty of destination Singapore.
Running this February, Unseen/Singapore showcases a collection of photographic works through a virtual exhibition, captured and curated by six photographers. Unseen/Singapore features the works of Gab Mejia (Philippines), Amani Azlin (Malaysia), Tino Renato (Indonesia), Chanipol Kusolcharttum, better known as “Rockkhound” (Thailand), Phạm Gia Tùng (Vietnam), and Jayaprakash Bojan (Singapore).
In curating the Unseen/Singapore collection, each photographer visited Singapore in mid-2022, covering areas in Singapore that showcase nature, heritage buildings, cultural sites, and art. Each presented their vision of an Unseen/Singapore through ways that resonate with their passions and personal experiences.
The photographers ventured across Singapore, going beyond its famous attractions and iconic skyline, to discover spots equally captivating – from charming neighborhoods, to lush and thriving offshore wetlands and a lighthouse at the island’s edge.
“We aim to inspire travellers to Singapore to rediscover the joy of travel once again. One way is to portray our destination in a different light, by helping visitors to see it afresh through another person’s eyes. Unseen/Singapore set out to do this, through the lens of talented photographers from Southeast Asia, who tell their journey of discovery through photography. We hope they will inspire a new wave of visitors to discover a Singapore reimagined,” said John Conceicao, Executive Director, Southeast Asia, STB.
“I think the best way to experience something is to have no expectations of the places you visit. To just really be open to the many facets of Singapore and really just going out of your way to explore these unexpected, unseen places. I think that’s what truly brings out the real purpose of what travel is all about. Because nature, life, the places that you visit will surprise you all the time,” shared Mejia who is a National Geographic explorer and is passionate about wildlife photography and conservation.
In 2021, he was awarded the World Wildlife Fund For Nature International President’s Youth Award, and was also listed on the 2021 Forbes Under 30 List for The Arts in Asia for photography. His story started when his dad took him mountain climbing, sparking his interest in the natural world and the stories he could discover and capture behind it. His vision for this project is to show a different side of Singapore, capturing moments of the wild and pockets of nature.
Unseen/Singapore is part of STB’s efforts to boost travel recovery through “SingapoReimagine,” a tourism campaign that highlights new, innovative and unexpected experiences in Singapore to audiences worldwide.
Unseen/Singapore is open to the public on www.nationalgeographic.com/unseensingapore
The virtual exhibition will showcase each photographer’s ‘room’ based on their thematic-led collections. Viewers will be able to virtually visit many parts of Singapore including locations such as the Sim Kwong Ho shophouses, Pulau Ubin, Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle, Jurong Lake Gardens, Changi Chapel and Museum, and more.