Passing Time presents a slice of history through black and white photographs of Singapore from the 1960s to 1970s, captured by 81-year old self-taught photographer Lui Hock Seng.

Mr Lui’s interest in photography started in the 1950s. A car mechanic by profession and a photographer by vocation, Mr Lui was an avid participant in photography excursions organised by photo clubs and his friends. He would even take photos while cycling to work, shooting life by the Merdeka Bridge.

Like many photographers of that period, his subjects of interest ranged widely from streetscapes, to portraits, from architecture to industry. The images are exemplary of pictorial photography, the dominant photography art practice at the time, and provide insight into the beginnings of modern-day Singapore. In its emphasis on composition, light, technical skill and individual expression, pictorial photography saw many photographers exercise extensive control over the image-making process, from capturing the subject to manipulating the outcome in the darkroom.

Although Mr Lui has not pursued photography professionally, he has taken part in several photo competitions over the years, winning awards and was even accepted as an Associate of The Royal Photographic Society (ARPS) of Great Britain (1963). Most recently, he won a 3rd prize (Colour) at the Kampong Glam Community Club (2016).

He continues to take photographs to this day.