Through the Lens: Gagandeep Singh

Exploring Sikhism and queerness through film
By Sharrona Valezka

‘Through the Lens’ is a series that explores in detail images from fashion image-makers in Southeast Asia, shining a light on their creative and technical processes.

Gagandeep Singh In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 7 Face to Face with the Scheherazade — Gagandeep Singh, ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 7.0: Face to Face with the Scheherazade’, 2021. Image courtesy of the photographer.

Gagandeep Singh is a Singapore-based visual artist whose body of works consist of still-life images and films that explore conceptual and maximalist themes. Known for wearing multiple hats in the industry, his practice is not confined to image-making, but extends to the roles of creative director, set designer and stylist. In this interview, Gandeep delves into the creative process of ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky’, a short film created in 2021 that was inspired by his own personal belief and identity, and how his project was chosen as a part of SHOWstudio’s Fashion Film Showcase back in February.

Gagandeep Singh In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 1 War Peace and Improvisation — Gagandeep Singh, ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 1.0: War, Peace and Improvisation’, 2021. Image courtesy of the photographer.

Could you describe your film ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky’ and the resulting photo publication? What is the concept behind it and how did you come up with it?

‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky’ is a reflection of the pervasive influence of Sikhism and queerness in my personal life. The film largely follows the outlines of the works of seminal poets Richard Siken and Avtar Singh Pash that specifically address themes of struggle, war, loss, and grief. When writing the sequence of the film, I studied, dismantled, and reassembled these texts through the seven sins of memory in order to establish a fictional setting that challenges the socially constructed beliefs surrounding the acceptance of homosexuality in Sikhism.

Throughout the pre-production and preparation, I studied various methods to refine the visuals so the film could be presented as something that was emotionally intense, yet delicate from the viewer’s perspective. There were several challenges that presented themselves along the way. How was I to visually transcribe acts of grief or lust? Do I shoot a single subject from a single, biased point of view? How many set builds do I have to plan for? These were some of the questions I asked. To address them, I worked closely with my team to develop a series of visual cues that would act as signifiers across the entirety of the film and publications, using visions that were more suggestive rather than flamboyant.

What would you like to communicate through this project and how is this reflected in your film?

The film presents a fictional world within which the themes of Sikhism and homosexuality co-exist. Stemming from the idea that homosexuality is generally a “western” ideology/belief or a “lifestyle choice”, most of the visual cues took place in the form of styling. The whole idea of “east meets west” was shown more accurately through the placement of decorative fabrics, made from my family’s scarves and grandmother’s shawls, over what can be classified as more western clothing. Through the project, I was trying to communicate the root of Sikhism as a religion — one that believes in the protection of all humans regardless of identity, sexual orientation, or cultural differences.

“Through the project, I was trying to communicate the root of Sikhism as a religion — one that believes in the protection of all humans regardless of identity, sexual orientation, or cultural differences.”

Gagandeep Singh In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 2 Jeff Doesn’t Have the Propensity to Dream — Gagandeep Singh, ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 2.0: Jeff Doesn’t Have the Propensity to Dream’, 2021. Image courtesy of the photographer.

Could you tell us more about the film-making process?

I began setting the timelines of the project early on and surprisingly managed to stick to most, if not all of them. The concept and ideation were the ones I developed first. It took me two to three months to solidify and explore all aspects of the topic, carve out different angles for the narrative, and decide on the best approach for the project.

What would be different about the filmmaking process is the fact that I never had a fully fleshed-out storyboard. This is because I knew that the way the film would be cut and presented did not require a running storyline but rather a clear differentiation within themes and what was happening within each scene. During the production of the film, we also did not have a fully functional production crew on set so the team worked on all roles together, utilising each of our strengths to try and achieve the best possible result.

What worked smoothly in the making of the film? Were there any parts of the film that turned out differently from what you initially planned?

To be completely honest, a lot of it was pretty organic. I worked on strengthening the base idea, went as in-depth as I could in the pre-production research and planning, which included pulling references for set design, fashion, completing pose, and scene boards down to the very second of each scene. For the rest of it, thanks to the amazing team behind the project, we just went with the flow in terms of reconfiguring scenes and their direction whenever it was needed.

You were also credited as the stylist of the photo series. How did the styling concept take part in delivering the narrative of the images? How did you bring the aspects of styling and photography together?

The styling reinforced the idea of space and volume manipulation. For example, in one of the images, the pants were stepped on as the model stood on a stool, creating an illusion of a taller subject that reached the height of the hallway.

In another shot, the coat with a checkered pattern that the model wore is reminiscent of a grid area, which is a calculated space. In general, the styling is a medium to fit the model’s body as a fixed volume into the different space around her.

Gagandeep Singh In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 3 The Wound of the Valentine — Gagandeep Singh, ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 3.0: The Wound of the Valentine’, 2021. Image courtesy of the photographer.

You started out as a Diploma in Apparel Design and Merchandising student at Temasek Polytechnic before going into LASALLE College of The Art’s BA (Hons) Fashion Media and Industries programme. Why did you eventually choose to work with the medium of film and expand it into a print publication? How have your studies impacted the way you carried out this project?

My education in apparel design and merchandising provided me with a strong foundation to understand the use of colour, texture, and the importance of technical accuracy. I bring these qualities in my approach to media as well. I am keen to see the movement of garments, along with generating ideas and possibilities for the best narrative in which the garments can be presented.

Gagandeep Singh In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 4 The Most Dangerous for the Small Weird Loves — Gagandeep Singh, ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 4.0: The Most Dangerous for the Small Weird Loves’, 2021. Image courtesy of the photographer.

Of course, ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky’ is not a fashion film per se, but I do believe that the interest to craft narratives and present stories was something that I learnt during my time at Temasek Polytechnic. This was also something that was honed and explored heavily during my time at LASALLE. We had incredible lecturers like Furqan Saini at LASALLE who constantly pushed us to explore storytelling outside of fashion, which generated my interest in film, advertising, and theatre.

Did you work with a team or collaborators in this project? What was the collaborative process like?

I worked with an incredible team of 10. They contributed in bringing their own unique perspectives on different aspects such as theatre, set design and lighting, production, styling, as well as hair and makeup. It would be impossible to list their exact roles because everyone wore multiple hats — we had the hair and makeup team building sets and painting walls, producers helping me pin and adjust models’ looks, and so on.

For this, I am eternally grateful to the whole team: Akashdeep Bal, Elsa Wong, Nidhi Balgar, Tira Latif, Sabrina Elman, Dionne Leow, Lucas Tan Sarishna Nair, Bryan Quek, and Jia Hong. As well as to the stars of my film: Atin, Mendel, Hset, Adam, Sanny, Lucas, Khairul, Elden, Erwin, Dzak, Alif, Mazri, and Dylan. Thank you for making all of this possible.

Gagandeep Singh In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 5 Dirty Rain and Flying Eagles — Gagandeep Singh, ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Chapter 5.0: Dirty Rain and Flying Eagles’, 2021. Image courtesy of the photographer.

What were the biggest challenges that you faced during the process of completing the project, and how did you solve them?

The most difficult aspect of the initial stages was to lock down a single location at which we would be able to complete the entire film. This was solved thanks to Moses Tan, the founder of starch, an artist-run space meant as a site for experimentation, conversations, and re-orientations. He provided me with a space to develop the project and the freedom to work day and night on building sets with the rest of the team.

Besides the location, I think the biggest challenge was to go forth and complete a project that we all knew was a much larger undertaking than anything we have done before. As the project was not only the film, but also extended to a 392-page publication, a lot of time was spent on scheduling, casting, sourcing, coordinating, and of course, troubleshooting a series of last-minute changes.

Which photographer and/or filmmaker’s work inspire you most generally and/or specifically for the making of ‘In Pursuit of the Temples in the Sky’?

For ‘In Pursuit of the Temples in the Sky’, I referenced the work of Greek experimental theater stage director, choreographer, and visual artist Dimitris Papaioannou. ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky’ had distinct visual themes which separated each chapter from one another, and I believed the best way to present the film as a single piece of work was to cut and pace it in a way that almost made it look like a compilation of theatre or stage acts pieced together. My research brought me to Dimitris’ work, which largely influenced the pacing of the film as well as the human interactions presented within.

“‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky’ had distinct visual themes which separated each chapter from one another, and I believed the best way to present the film as a single piece of work was to cut and pace it in a way that almost made it look like a compilation of theatre or stage acts pieced together.”

‘In Pursuit of the Temples in the Sky’ was one of the fifteen chosen films to be presented at SHOWstudio’s Fashion Film Showcase earlier this year. What does this achievement mean to you and how does it affect your creative practice?

Being one of the selected films for SHOWstudio’s showcase was an absolute honour. I have often referenced the works of Nick Knight and his team, both in image-making as well as film, and his influence on my work is evident. Some examples of his projects I have used as reference points include 'The Bridegroom Stripped Bare' (2002), 'Blade of Light' (2004), and 'Dolls I, Micky Hicks' (2016). Since I did not come from a film background and have just begun to explore film as a medium, having the project reviewed by Nick Knight and listening to his impressions has given me the confidence to push myself to create more film projects in the future.

Lastly, are there any film projects that you are currently working on? Is there a particular concept of a film that you would like to execute in the future?

Yes, there is a concept I have in mind for a film I would like to create in the near future. Similar to this project, it also has roots in Sikhism but instead of being stemmed from religious practices, I am exploring the social culture of being a Sikh individual.

Gagandeep Singh, ‘In Pursuit of Temples in the Sky Film’, 2021. Video courtesy of the photographer.

See more of Gandeep's works here or on Instagram at @gonedeeep.