Musings of Home: Marie Toh and the Lomo'Instant

Living between two countries may sound fun but it isn't as easy as it seems. This is what Singaporean Amigo Marie Toh tackles as she customizes the Lomo'Instant and shares with us her photos of home.

Marie shares with us what it's like living in between two cultures and how it greatly influences her craft.

Please introduce yourself to the Lomography Community.

Hi! I’m Marie, an illustrator from Singapore currently based in London.

What is your origin story as an artist?

Like many others, I've always enjoyed drawing as a child. Art (be it paintings or anything visual) always captivated me and made me curious about how could a person create these works and evoke such emotions. I guess this was the small catalyst that started my whole journey as an artist.

Can you tell us more about your art style and your vision as an artist?

I find my style constantly changing as I’m inspired by so many different things; such as film, photography and personal experiences. But the one connecting factor would be that I try to find the beauty in everything and anything; be it in the mundane or the horror.

What's it like being an international artist?

I guess in this day and age everyone is, in some sense, an international artist. Living in the internet age, artists are not restricted to their geographical location and are able to work and collaborate with artists and companies all around the world. It’s amazing to see how your work is able to transcend cultural differences and connect with people from miles away; quite a special thing I treasure and remember not to take for granted.

May you share to us your Lomo'Instant first impressions?

It was a lot larger than expected, but lightweight, which makes it easy to bring around. I like how it's compact and simple and the instructions were really easy to follow.

Tell us more about how you designed the Lomo'Instant. How did you conceptualize? What medium did you use?

I went around the theme of "Home", since I've been living in two different countries the past year. An essential element of what creates a "Home" is our memories, which mirrors how an instant camera is able to capture that moment and turn it into a memory. I decided to go with the terrazzo pattern, a floor pattern that my childhood home used to have which to me represented where I belong and came from. For the medium, I used acrylic paint.

Any upcoming/ongoing projects you would like to tell the community about?

I am in the midst of doing a graphic novella for my masters, am rather excited about it since I have never done one before.

Know more about Marie's work through her Instagram.

written by crissyrobles on 2019-02-25 in