Women in Film & Photography 2023 Exhibition
Dear Lisa | LISA PEH

Dear Lisa, is an open letter to my past, present, and future self. Built upon my experiences in Singapore’s education system, I revisit its role in promoting individuality within the constraints of a collective identity. I relook at how I navigated themes of conformity, obedience and self within these confines. Through the process, I gained newfound insights and learnt what it means to break away from the mould of fulfilling external expectations.

Inspired by the strictly enforced rule of hair braiding in my primary and secondary schools, I use my hair in this project to represent the calculated structures I was placed in to achieve excellence. My work features 72 ways to tie a braid in 24 different hairstyles that are deemed acceptable in school. However, while there are multitudinous methods to braid hair, a braid is ultimately still a braid.

About Lisa Peh
Lisa Peh (b. 1999) is a visual artist intrigued by the relationship people have with their immediate surroundings. She primarily uses photography and the moving image to articulate this stream of interactions. Her work is often inspired by daily occurrences and simple observations of the world around her.

Lisa graduated from Nanyang Technological University, School of Art, Design and Media, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Media Art (Photography). She was a selected participant in DECK’s Undescribed #8 (2023) for emerging artists and Objectifs’ Shooting Home Youth Awards 2020 for young photographers. Her accolades include the CDL Singapore Young Photographer Award 2020 and the NTU International Photography Award 2017.

For the rest of our Women in Film and Photography 2023 programme, visit here.