Mister Lui passed away. This is a sad day for me, and for Singapore photography.
A simple man, Lui Hock Seng quietly documented Singapore through decades of transformation. His work, mainly the black and white photos takein in the 1960’s and 70’s, was marked by well-composed frames and a stunning sensitivity to available light. A true craftsman. Yet he remained humble, returning each day to his job as a mechanic, with his passion for photography burning silently inside.
He lived a dedicated life: raising three children, working hard, providing for his family. In his later years, he worked as a cleaner. The kind of person that remains unseen by society. But fate had something else in store.
He happened to be cleaner at Singapore Press Holdings (SPH Media), where Venessa Lee, a journalist at The Straits Times, noticed him, and wrote an article about his hidden talent. I came across that article by chance. It moved me deeply, and that’s how a beautiful friendship began.
I reached out to purchase one of his photographs. He had never sold anything before, didn’t know how to price his work, or even if he could sell it. We met, I bought what I believe is his masterpiece, and I decided to help him get the recognition he quietly deserved.
His fortunes shifted when Ryan Chua of Objectifs Photography responded to me, and the rest is history, as told by Venessa in his obituary. Mister Lui got an exhibition at age 81, and eventually, a book was published “Passing Time”. His life remained simple, but his work was praised, preserved and will live on.
Mister Lui fell ill and has now passed. This is a sad day.
