Fake Authentic a landscape photography project
by Belynda Wong
In such a fast paced country as Singapore, gentrification is inevitable. As of 2017, Singapore has attracted over 17 million tourists from all around the world. In an attempt to give tourists an authentic experience, Singapore has taken the very essence of our heritage and modernised it. Chinatown is Singapore’s largest historic district. With the abundance of heritage it held, the Urban Renewal Authority declared Chinatown as a site of conservation. Shophouses were torn down and rebuilt in the same style but with new, compatible trades like gift shops and convenience stores. We try to give tourists the most authentic feel of Chinatown with the lanterns and shophouses but did we lose the significance of these items in the process?
Special thanks Thank you to my friends, my family, my lecturers and everyone else involved. To those visiting, thank you for embracing our heritage and culture in all its entirety.