Spurred by a “personal search for quiet,” photographer Hui
of the region, she says: “I was led to contemplate questions
Hsien Ng obtained a one-month artist residency in Iceland
related to the relationships between oneself and the envi-
to create her series “The Weight of Air.” Trained in sociolo-
ronment, and how one lives and loves.”
gy, with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the National University of Singapore, Ng turned to photography
Using a medium-format film camera and both a digital com-
just a few years ago to fill a void that she felt existed in her life.
pact and film compact camera, Ng says she created “The Weight of Air” to uncover what “arises in moments of solitude
During her residency in Iceland, Ng took the time to be truly
when one is simply present.” Ng is self-publishing a book
alone with nature, absorbing the various sights and sounds
of the project, and hopes to foster an intimate relationship
in solitude. “While I was walking through parts of Iceland,
between reader and images through “the tactility of a physi-
estranged from family and friends at the other side of the
cal book and the personal act of reading.”
world, geologically active landscapes revealed themselves to constitute a living, breathing ecosystem with its own set
– Amy Touchette
of rules,” she explains. Experiencing the “hostility” of Icelandic snowstorms, the “magic” of the Northern Lights and the
Photo © Hui Hsien Ng
bright skies that linger in the long summer daylight hours
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