"Diane & Arbus" by Chow Chee Yong was exhibited at The Substation gallery in 1997 as part of the m2photosynthesis exhibition. It belongs to a series of 30 prints collectively entitled ‘Photosynthesis’. This exhibition was the first time in Singapore that a photographer presented work made via alternative processes – the pictures are photograms, made in the darkroom without the use of a camera or an enlarger. ‘Photosynthesis’ is one of the earliest examples of photography in Singapore that set aside subject matter to focus on pure form. Prior to this, exhibitions typically featured genre photography such as landscapes, nature and portraits. As a black and white print, it emphasises the shapes and patterns of the leaves. The artist has also experimented with the photogram technique, creating prints that are sharp in some sections and blur in others, adding to the abstract quality of the image.
