Our Gurkhas: Singapore Through Their Eyes
- Description
- About the Photographer
-
Selected by The Business Times as one of the Top 10 iconic artworks of the past 50 years
Gurkhas. The word evokes images of an elite force dedicated to protect and serve. Loyal and impartial, these men from Nepal have undergirded the security of Singapore through turbulent times—like the Indonesian Confrontation, Hock Lee Bus Riots and Maria Hertogh Riots—as well as stood guard over historic events, like the first General Election of Singapore in 1959.Through this poignant anthology of portraits and anecdotes, experience first-hand accounts of key milestones in Singapore’s history, and marvel at the contribution of the silent sentinels who have dedicated their lives to this nation.
-
Zakaria Zainal makes meaning of the world through his photographs. Enticed by the visceral changes of a former monarchy's transition to a federal republic in Nepal, he first picked up his camera. His first monograph, Our Gurkhas: Singapore Through Their Eyes, is an anthology of portraits and anecdotes of the retired Singapore Gurkhas as they reminisce about life in the Lion City, from the 1950s till today. His latest work, Riot Recollections, is a collaboration with Prabhu Silvam, interviewing voices from the ground at Little India regarding the Little India Riot in 2013. His photographs and stories have appeared in various publications both in Singapore and Asia. He graduated from the NTU's School of Communication, where he also teaches campus journalism. While he continues making pictures, Zakaria has been moving away from traditional documentary work to photographing closer to home—or even closer to his heart.
Cover Type: Hardcover
Page Count: 96
Year Published: 2012
Size: 125mm x 175mm