Sino Group (the ‘Group’), together with Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation (‘NTFCF’), and supported by the Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore in Hong Kong, jointly present the exhibition Photographs from the 1950s: Marjorie Doggett’s Singapore, Lee Fook Chee’s Hong Kong curated by the Photographic Heritage Foundation (‘TPHF’). The public exhibition at Sino Plaza ran from Thursday, 1 April 2021 until Sunday, 30 May 2021.
Ms Foo Teow Lee, Consul-General, Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore in Hong Kong remarked: ‘This exhibition was significant for two reasons. First, it allowed us to bring a slice of Singapore and its history to our friends in Hong Kong, even as we eagerly awaited the launch of our Air Travel Bubble and the resumption of physical travel. I was grateful that art and photography enabled us to transcend time and geography. On that note, it was a meaningful experience to see Hong Kong through the eyes of a Singaporean son – Lee Fook Chee. Second, Singapore and Hong Kong have always shared close and warm relations. Hong Kong is home to one of the largest groups of overseas Singaporeans in the world. We have strong economic and people-to-people ties. This exhibition highlighted the cultural aspects of our exchanges. Through photography that defined both cities in the 1950s, we hoped to showcase what we shared in our art, cultures, and storied histories. My hope was that the exhibition would spark more opportunities for education and cultural exchanges, bringing our two cities even closer together.’
Ms Nikki Ng, Group General Manager of Sino Group and Director of Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation shared: ‘This heritage photo exhibition carried deep meaning for Sino Group and the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation. Our family business began in Singapore in the 1960s, founded by our late grandfather and the founder of Sino Group, Mr Ng Teng Fong, before he moved to Hong Kong and incorporated our first company here 50 years ago.
The exhibition celebrated the shared history and heritage between these two great Asian cities, and we were delighted to present an enriching and educational event for the community and public to enjoy. This collection of beautiful historic photos took us on a journey through time—where East met West, where modernity met tradition—and reminded us of the passion for travel between Hong Kong and Singapore.’
The exhibition presented works by Marjorie Doggett, a pioneering female photographer who captured the cityscapes and architecture of Singapore between 1954 and 1957, alongside works by Lee Fook Chee, a self-taught photographer who focused on the streetscapes and automotive scenes of Hong Kong during the same period. This ‘time capsule’ exhibition showcased the parallel timeline of the 1950s in Hong Kong and Singapore, and the rich shared history between the two cities.
For viewers, Doggett’s and Lee’s photographs—taken over half a century ago—offered vivid portraits of Singapore and Hong Kong during the defining 1950s, a pivotal time of transformation for both cities. The exhibition featured photographs in their historical and architectural context, including images of 1950s Des Voeux Road, Central District, Hennessy Road, Cheung Chau Waterfront, rice fields in the western alluvial plain, and a Hakka village in the New Territories. These appeared alongside photos of 1950s Singapore, such as The Fullerton Building viewed from Clifford Pier’s archways, the Raffles Institution, godowns along the Singapore River, and 19th-century buildings at Collyer Quay. Many of these memorable landmarks captured the glory of the times, making their works an invaluable historical record.
The exhibition was curated by photographer and photographic historian Mr Edward Stokes, who specialises in presenting mid-20th-century Asian photography with accompanying texts that reflect each photographer’s life and times. In 2019, Mr Stokes, NTFCF, and NUS Press Singapore published Marjorie Doggett’s Singapore, featuring many of Doggett’s previously unpublished photographs. That same year, a photographic exhibition was held in collaboration with The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and The Arts House to showcase Doggett’s masterpieces.
Mr Edward Stokes, exhibition curator and Founder of TPHF, shared: ‘Following the success of the Singapore exhibition in 2019, it was an honour to bring this expanded exhibition to the people of Hong Kong, showcasing Marjorie Doggett’s works alongside Lee Fook Chee’s. The exhibition created a beautiful contrast between two of Asia’s greatest cities and celebrated the life legacies of the two photographers in a cohesive and impactful storyline.'
The exhibition was accompanied by a series of free curatorial and educational tours for visitors and schools, available upon registration. These tours introduced the history, architecture, iconic buildings, and urban transformation of the two cities. Following the exhibition at Sino Plaza, a roving exhibition with highlights from the collection took place from April to June across the city, including at The Pottinger Hong Kong in Central, Lee Tung Avenue in Wan Chai, Royal Pacific Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, Citywalk in Tsuen Wan, and Olympian City in West Kowloon.
