Gallery 44 – Jonathan & Zihan | Caterpillar Scene

Gallery 44 – Jonathan & Zihan | Caterpillar Scene

Gallery 44 – Jonathan & Zihan | Caterpillar Scene

Set in the outskirts of Singapore in sweltering heat and humidity, I set out to photograph two young men with willowy glistening bodies with no predetermined idea of what what we would do. Who would have thought that a discarded caterpillar tractor would make for an idea setting as they climbed on the machinery in naked glory. With lithe flexible muscular, they both found their way to manipulate and blend into the awkward contraption. I breathed in the grease and sweat as they entangled with each other, and made way onto the driver’s seat, obviously meant for only one occupant to sit on.

Be sure to read the background to Jonathan and Zihan in Gallery 43 if you are visiting for the first time.

Gallery 43 – Jonathan & Zihan

Gallery 43 – Jonathan & Zihan

Gallery 43 – Jonathan & Zihan

In 2009, I photographed a set of nude images of Jonathan and Zihan, two young men with willowy muscular bodies. There was no script, no clothing, no story or idea behind the shoot. The only exception was that we would be heading into a secluded forested area on the outskirts of Singapore. After reviewing the images, I felt at the time disappointed for not capturing anything of significance and archived the photographs in their raw state. It was not until 2016 that I felt compelled to give the images another chance and pulled them out of the vault. To my surprise and delight, I found a plethora of beautiful photos. How could I have not seen the beauty in the images back then? I didn’t know the answer. I eagerly wanted to let the models know about the photographs, but could only reach Zihan, not Jonathan. As it turned out, Jonathan had passed away earlier that year. It was a devastating shock; it was not the right time to publish them online. That was six years ago. So for the first time since the shoot, I now present the beauty of Jonathan and Zihan, photographed in 2009. RIP Jonathan.

Gallery 29 – Zihan | The Parking Lot [NSFW]

Gallery 29 – Zihan | The Parking Lot [NSFW]

Gallery 29 – Zihan | The Parking Lot [NSFW]

The images shown here were originally taken in 2009. Performance artist Zihan, fashion stylist Patryk Chaou and I were out one night drinking and dancing at Taboo, a local gay disco in Singapore. Suddenly from nowhere, Zihan exclaimed “I want to be photographed now”. He must be joking me. It must have been 3am by then, but he was serious. We gathered ourselves and walked over to the hotel to grab my camera and set out into the dark night street of Singapore and wandered into an operational yet deserted parking lot. There was literally no one around. While I unpacked and set up my camera, Patrick was already styling Zihan, who was already shed off his clothes. He was clearly ready to be photographed. What happened next is somewhat is a blur, as I recall the seriousness that came from the shoot. Zihan was in a zone of intense anger or internal struggle and I was just there to document the feelings he was projecting.