Eating, sleeping and storage spaces are squeezed into a double-deck bed space for a group of migrant labourers from China in this dormitory in Geylang, Singapore’s red-light district.
Samuel He teaches photojournalism at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. His images and films have been published and screened by The Straits Times, Channel NewsAsia and International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam. He is a founding investor in Our Grandfather Story, Singapore’s most well-loved micro-documentary content publisher. He still serves on the company’s board of directors. He is currently working on Migrants NFT, a community initiative to build a digital museum and artistic representation for migrant artists.
Quick links to POY Asia 2022 Judges: Nyimas Laula / Liang-Pin Tsao / Anush Babajanyan / Ikuru Kuwajima / Tanvi Mishra / Samuel He / Jean Chung / Sanjit Das / Maika Elan / Oded Wagenstein
A migrant worker maintains a grass patch in a public housing estate. His team is also in-charge of pruning trees along expressways and maintaining gardens in a local university.
"At this very moment, the value of images is being challenged, corrupted and changed. What I hope remains through this fire is the value placed on a honest story told beautifully."
Samuel He
Migrant workers jostle at a booth where volunteers were giving out secondhand clothes at an event organised by non-profit groups.
A group of migrant labourers from Shandong, China, gather for a celebratory Chinese New Year meal in their dormitory in western Singapore.
A migrant worker takes a break on the upper floors of a skyscraper. Seen in the distance are the triple towers of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands — home to a sprawling casino owned by the Las Vegas Sands corporation.
Little India, a cultural precinct – with remittance services and grocery stores – is the go-to place for many South Asian workers on their days-off.
