Singaporean Couples Reflect on Love and Commitment in “Knots of Time” Exhibition

What does it truly mean to stay together through years of change? Knots of Time: Marriage Then and Now explores this question through 41 intimate portraits and personal stories of married Singaporean couples, captured over two years by veteran photographer Leong Ka Tai.

In each portrait, couples are photographed holding a wedding photograph or meaningful memento from their special day, anchoring their present lives to a moment of promise from the past. Together, the images trace how love endures as time reshapes faces, bodies and life circumstances, offering a quiet yet powerful reflection on commitment.

The exhibition opens on 15 January 2026 at the National Library Building, Level 1 Plaza, as part of Singapore Art Week. The opening evening will feature remarks by Leong Ka Tai and exhibition curator Gwen Lee, Co-Founder of DECK Photography Art Centre. Guests of Honour include participating couple Sylvia Lim, Chairwoman of the Workers’ Party, and Quah Kim Song, former national football star, alongside other couples featured in the exhibition.

Spanning both public figures and everyday Singaporeans, Knots of Time brings together hawkers, nurses, national athletes, politicians and individuals from diverse walks of life. Across differences in background and status, Leong’s portraits reveal the enduring bonds that quietly hold two people together over time.

An Enduring Commitment in a Rapidly Changing City

Set against Singapore’s ever-evolving urban landscape, the exhibition highlights marriage as a stabilising force amid constant social and physical transformation. Over the past six decades, neighbourhoods and landmarks have shifted rapidly, yet the institution of marriage remains a source of continuity and meaning.

Through the pairing of present-day portraits with wedding images from the past, Knots of Time situates intimate relationships within a broader national narrative. The exhibition reflects how traditions from earlier generations coexist with contemporary realities, offering insight into the social and cultural forces shaping Singapore today.

Across Cultures, Generations and Circumstance

The project builds on a body of work Leong previously developed for the Setouchi Triennale in Japan in 2019, where he photographed elderly islanders holding their wedding photographs, some widowed, bearing visible traces of time, loss and memory.

Returning to Singapore after years abroad, Leong was inspired by the country’s rich mix of cultures, faiths and lived experiences. This diversity is reflected in Knots of Time, which features couples whose relationships cross racial, religious and social boundaries.

Among the stories is that of Elizabeth and former national sprinter C. Kunalan, who fell in love at a time when interracial relationships were widely frowned upon. Married for more than 60 years, their story stands as a testament to resilience and love sustained across race, culture and circumstance.

Sharing Stories of Love

In conjunction with the exhibition, a digital Instagram competition will run throughout the exhibition period, inviting members of the public to share a photograph and memory that reflects their own relationship. Selected participants stand a chance to win an INSTAX instant camera, with further details and behind-the-scenes previews shared on Instagram (@knots.of.time).