Zhu Hong
Portraits of Singapore
Painterly Expressions of the Lion City
Chapter 1
Geylang Sipaku Geylang
Geylang Road is a three-kilometre road that begins around Paya Lebar Road and ends at Kallang Road.
The long way road cuts, east to west, across 41 Lorongs- even numbered lorong’s on the left, odd-numbered lorong’s on the right. Singapore’s infamous red-light district is concentrated in the even-numbered lorong’s west of Aljunied Road, an area that is also dotted with numerous food stalls, martial art clubs, Chinese Associations, churches, temples and budget hotels. Especially on weekend nights, the streets are thronged by people who come to eat supper, or to engage in some of the less savoury trades of the night.
In recent years, an influx of Chinese immigrants have taken up jobs in various industries in the neighbourhood, such as construction, F&B and retail. The signboards and Chinese characters are evidence of this increase in immigrants. Overtime I am here, it reminds me of where I came from. I would sit down, order a few Northeastern Chinese dishes like meat dumplings, drink some Sorghum wine.
This is Geylang.
狮城肖像
第一章
芽笼 芽笼
芽笼路，单行，始于巴耶利峇路，止于加冷路，长约三公里，自东向西，渐近市区。芽笼有巷四十一条，双数在左，单数靠右。大路两边店铺食肆林立，巷内，佛堂，道场，会馆，教堂及住宅相邻。
芽笼被阿裕尼路分成东西部分，过了阿裕尼，路南便是著名的红灯区，每到周末夜晚，巷内便挤满客人，吃宵夜的、站街的、看风景的、卖春药的、走私的、稽查的。。。龙蛇混杂，一切都融入在夜幕中。
近年来，大量的中国移民涌入此区，做建筑的，开餐馆的，半超市。。。，从招牌的汉语拼音及简体字便可知。每次经过，总会让我想起家的味道。坐下，点个东北菜，叫上几个饺子，喝口二锅头。
这就是芽笼。
The above paragraphs are from Zhu Hong’s art catalogue titled Portraits of Singapore Painterly Impressions of the Lion City published in 2013-2014.
Reproduced Courtesy of Zhu Hong.