A Language Still Becoming: Photography Beyond the Record

Join Dr Lydia Wong-Plain, Goh Sze Ying, Iola Lenzi & Zulkhairi Zulkiflee in this dialogue that asks what it might mean for Southeast Asian photography to be read less as a record and more as a language of its own, carrying meaning through image, gesture, and story rather than evidence alone. It starts from the region's own ways of ordering reality, distinct from Western evidentiary logic, asking what photography looks like when it draws on these rather than translating into them. Following Trinh T. Minh-ha's idea of speaking "nearby" rather than "about," it treats the making and presenting of photography as one practice, asking what that practice can hold that words cannot.

About 10th SIPF 2026 Asia Meet Symposium

Immerse yourself through a curated series of artist dialogues and panel sessions. Tailored to enrich your artistic journey, these sessions welcome practitioners at every stage of their creative development.

Drawing on the expertise of prominent industry figures and lens-based creators, participants will acquire insights and, perhaps, a spark of inspiration required to challenge the frontiers of their practice. These sessions aim to encounter fresh perspectives and elevate creative practice through these dedicated platforms for communal exchange and professional development.

Check out our Symposium Pass perks here!