Growing up in Singapore in the 1970s, one place that held a special fascination for me was Bugis Street (Bugis Junction). My late father used to take me there, and I remember being intrigued by the colorful characters that filled the street at night and day. The men in dresses and high heels, their faces painted with bold makeup, seemed like something out of a fairytale. Of course, at the time, I was too young to understand what was really going on. My father told me that these were not women, but I didn't comprehend the full meaning of that at the time.


Now, after 53 years, I find myself looking back on those memories with a sense of curiosity. What was it like to be there on Bugis Street in the 1970s, surrounded by transvestites and transsexuals? What was it like for them, living in a society that didn't always accept them? Using AI technology, I recreate those scenes from my childhood, immersing myself in the sights and sounds of Bugis Street as it was back then. It's a strange feeling, looking back on a time and a place that was so different from the world we live in today.


The reenactment through AI-generated images of those nights and days on Bugis Street, I can't help but wonder what might have become of those people right now I saw so long ago. I'm left with a sense of reverence for the memory of Bugis Street, and for the people who made it such a unique and unforgettable place.


The characters depicted in this series are entirely fictitious.

Using Format