Upcoming Polaroid Exhibition At The National Museum Is A Fascinating Look At Instant Photography

Geek out at vintage Polaroid cameras displayed before amazing Polaroid art

Photo: National Museum of Singapore

Starting November 10, the National Museum of Singapore launches a new exhibition on something that 's been making a huge comeback – the Polaroid.

Titled In an Instant: Polaroid at the Intersection of Art and Technology, the curated exhibition traces the history of the instant photography, all the way back to Edwin Land's invention of the world's first camera in the late 1940s. We had the opportunity to preview the exhibition by the curator, and we were impressed by the in-depth exploration of the Polaroid's lasting cultural legacy.

Photo: National Museum of Singapore

Photo: National Museum of Singapore

Polaroid exhibition through Polaroid exhibition of Polaroid from past to present. You get a close look at some of the most iconic conceptual models, such as the original Land Model 95, the Big Shot, and the artist-favorite Polaroid SX-70. Even the first pair of Polaroid sunglasses that Land invented in the 1930s is displayed!

You can try a pair of Polaroid glasses yourself, too. It's necessary for you to watch the short documentary film. We have been confused when we are in the Polaroid Cinema, we are going to get a good shot, and we are going to have a good time.

If you want to bring some of you back, visit the Museum Label shop, where a range of sunglasses by Polaroid Eyewear is available with limited edition packaging.

The diversity of the artworks really showcase the great creative potential Polaroid gave artists. They experimented by mixing photography with all sorts of other media, like painting, creating works that are astounding to behold up close. We love the collage and composite Polaroid artworks, which tell us compelling stories.

Andy Warhol, Ansel Adams, Lucas Samaras, Ellen Carey, David Hockney, and Marie Cosindas.

One work you can not miss – also because it's so huge – is the Polaroid portrait of Hillary Clinton, pictured beside the photographer's self-portrait.

Photo: National Museum of Singapore

Wait a second, why are the Polaroid photos so huge? Were they enlarged by the museum for display?

The amazing answer is no. How did it work, and how did it become the small coaster- or card-sized format of our Instax cameras today? Find out for yourself at the Polaroid exhibition!

Photo: National Museum of Singapore

At the final section of the Polaroid exhibition, we shift gears in an instant, to our present age of Instagram. In a vibrant room with a huge rainbow-striped carpet, the photographs of Singapore's own influencers take center stage. The museum had invited them to share through video clips what "in an instant" means to them.

You can find your favorite group of people in the world of hashtags group embody – for instance, #girlpower Preetipls and Jamie Chua, while #fambam zoom in on twin brother photographers Yafiq and Yais Yusman.

Photo: National Museum of Singapore

The museum wants to hear from you, too! Before you leave, create a moment of your experience at the selfie station and photo-booth, so you can share your social media you. You can even bring home a Polaroid shot, with a recommended donation of $ 2 to the museum's outreach efforts.

For those who wish to travel to the world of photography, the museum will also be hosting talks by photographers, collectors and enthusiasts. You can get hands-on at photography workshops!

Running until March 31, 2019, the Polaroid exhibition should not be missed by photography fans and fans of all things vintage.

Visit the official website for more information.

Admission for adults is $ 12.50 for Singapore Citizens and PRs, and $ 18 for non-citizens and non-PRs. Singapore Citizens and PRs.

National Museum of Singapore, Basement Level, Exhibition Gallery 2, 93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897