Those who missed out on the much talked about photo show The Last Station, displayed at the Photographic Society of Singapore last September will be glad to know it’s made a comeback in the form of The Return—exactly one year since the station closed—at new indie café and art space Crazy World Café in Chinatown. Now that plans are underway to turn the station into a lifestyle space featuring product launches and fashion showcases, it’s only apt that we recap the original spirit of the railway station through these nostalgic images.
“Memories fade as time passes, so it is hoped that through this rerun the public will be reminded of our heritage as it has been affectionately recreated once again,” says photographer Zann Huizhen.
“Nostalgia is important because we need to reconnect with our past which plays a role in shaping our identities today.”
She adds, “In capturing the images of the trains, tracks, the KTM workers and the emotions of the visitors toward the last month before the closure of the station, I’ve managed to preserve this as collective memories for all to share.
Zann shares with us five of her favorite photographic memories:
1. A scene from a train cabin as a little boy takes the KTM train with his family for the last time during the June holidays.
2. The ever so popular chapati stall with a never-ending queue.
3. A quirky scene of a girl sitting on the tracks next to a bunch of colorful balloons as a man rides by on his bike highlights the various activities which occurred towards the closure of the railway station. It evokes a sense of yearning to reconnect with heritage knowing that it will not last forever.
4. A portrait of the KTM train captured from the bridge near the Alexandra Hospital.
5. Two sisters dressed in their best as they came to see the railway station for the last time. Many farewells, adventures, tales of friendship and romance had been forged here over the last 79 years. The sisters symbolize the shared heritage and memories of Singapore and Malaysia as they held hands.
The exhibition is on through July 31 at Crazy World Café.
