A new contemporary fine art photography gallery has recently opened its doors in Singapore’s most iconic heritage building, The Raffles Hotel. The Lalin Gallery showcases the impressive work of gallery owner and photographer Lalin Jinasena, captured over 25 years during his travels all over the globe – images that include wildlife, landscapes, portraits, people and culture, botany, and architecture.
Lalin Jinasena is an award-winning designer and hotelier, and an avid photographer. Originally from Sri Lanka, Singapore is Lalin’s adopted home, and he sees it as the perfect location for his flagship gallery. According to Lalin, photography, which has long enjoyed the status of an art form in the United States and Europe, is currently seeing a similar emergence in Asia. He observes a growing appreciation for fine art photography in Singapore, on par with painting and sculpture, and intends to support and enhance this through the gallery.
Lalin was first handed a camera at the age of 8, and was instantly and enduringly captivated by the medium. He is largely self-taught, and growing up in Sri Lanka he found a source of constant inspiration in its dramatic landscapes of dense forests, coastlines, mountains, and tea plantations, as well as its abundant wildlife. Wildlife photography is Lalin’s greatest love, and he has made frequent visits to wildlife sanctuaries in Sri Lanka and elsewhere, sometimes spending months at a time patiently observing and waiting for the perfect shot. Indeed, in keeping with his personal focus on wildlife conservation, he contributes a share of the gallery’s proceeds to its adopted baby elephant, Anuradha, at the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe, Sri Lanka.
Lalin’s oeuvre encompasses a diverse range of subjects, from wildlife to landscapes, and macros to architecture. For potential buyers, the gallery curators are available to assist and advise on a range of custom print and framing options. The Lalin Gallery in the Raffles Hotel Arcade is open to the general public.
Written by Zoe Goldstein
Venue: Lalin Gallery, Raffles Hotel Singapore, 1 Beach Road, #01-24, (Seah Street Entrance), Singapore 189673
Info: www.lalingallery.com
