The Light Beyond: A photographic pilgrimage by Melisa Teo

In 1907, the Lumière brothers unveiled the autochrome, a less complex and improved method of colour photography. Autochrome was a tedious process as the long exposure required the subjects to stay still, and the failure to do so often led to a blurred image. This contributed to the distinctive aesthetic and painterly effects of autochrome pictures.

This is not unlike the unique aesthetics of Melisa Teo’s photographic images presented in “The Light Beyond”. In 2008, Melisa established herself as a globetrotting photographer with her camera as a constant companion; it is also a medium to document her journey and discoveries. Light is vital to the photographer; her imaginative interpretation of light results in unexpected and strange tableaux of the familiar. Her images are never absolute renderings of life or the environment. They challenge viewers to perceive beyond the conventions.

Melisa considers the camera her third eye, and she moves as her subject moves. These movements, choreographed by her raw intuition, coax the mundane into a glowing mosaic of symbols and colours. The energy and narrative lives on in each captured moment. While the pictures evoke several varied emotions and questions, they also answer some of the photographer’s questions on life.