A rare glimpse into the world’s largest collection of early Peranakan photography in Singapore

With Singapore being a multi-cultural society, each community in our social fabric is rife with its own unique history and a story to tell – and the Peranakan community is no exception. Though just a sub-culture in our tiny city, the Peranakans have certainly piqued the interest of many, whether it’s through their food, cultural dressing or practices.

Peranakan Museum’s new exhibition, Amek Gambar: Peranakans and Photography, gives visitors an intimate insight to some of the rarest and earliest photos of the Peranakans. Held till 3 February 2019, visitors will get the opportunity to discover 160 years of the Peranakan culture through the earliest form of photography.

A rare glimpse into the Peranakan community & early images in Southeast Asia

Amek Gambar (translates to “take photographs” in Malay) showcases over 200 photographs and portraits presenting some of the rarest and earliest images of the Peranakans in Singapore and the region. It also reveals how the Peranakans had been first portrayed by early European photographers. Case in point: there’s a gelatin silver print of a group of Peranakan children which in fact had been wrongly sold to European travellers as a “Chinese” image instead.

This might not be known to many, but the Peranakans were one of Asia’s earliest adopters of photography. As such the exhibit provides a rich insight into how they presented and captured their personal and social lives on film. Examples from the exhibition’s highlights include the oldest photograph on paper in Singapore’s National Collection that was meant to be viewed in 3D.

The exhibition, which spans across two floors of the museum, also lets guests catch a glimpse of the vintage cameras used in the 1800s and even get a chance to see through the lens of the past. As cameras were a luxury and photographs were only taken on special occasions, these portraits reveal the rich culture and lifestyle of the community.

If you’re looking for a new museum date or a weekend family activity, bring the kids along on a family day out to the Peranakan Museum and get immersed in the exhibits and collections of one of Singapore’s (and the region’s) most vibrant cultures!

The Amek Gambar exhibition will be showcased at the Peranakan Museum from 5^th May 2018 to 3^rd February 2019. For more information, visit the website here.

Shona Menon 

READ MORE:

5 Kid-friendly museums in Singapore perfect for a weekend of family fun 

Artful Plating: Where to dine at the museums and galleries in Singapore

Odd Interests: 5 Unique museums in Penang that won’t bore you