plussixfive | Online Magazine for Fashion, Lifestyle, Art, and Culture Within The +65 State » Photography

Feature Interview: Marcel Heijnen

Mae Chong — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:21:23 +0000

Visual artist, designer and musician, Marcel Heijnen’s strong desire to understand life and its significance, has driven his passion and creativity in photography. Originally from the Netherlands, Marcel has made in home in Asia for the past 19 years, examining and exploring life’s many boundaries in search of beauty and expression that goes far beyond realism. Forcing us to reflect on the human condition, Marcel has developed a unique method of capturing a screenshot of the old against the new.

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m an artist, designer and musician. I’d say that graphic design is my profession, and art and music are my passions; although the lines are becoming increasingly blur. At different periods of my life, one of these three ‘identities’ will take centre stage, pushing the other two into the background. In the past year or so, the photographic art has been a major focus and Residue at Vue Privée is one of the results of that.

What is message that you are hoping to convey with Residue?

For the viewer to reflect on impermanence. Its the idea of everything being in a constant flux and all there is is continuous change; that every beginning contains its own ending; and that ultimately, there is beauty and comfort in the acceptance of that. Although my subjects are buildings, my intention is for the viewer to reflect on the human condition. We are the only species that is aware of our own inevitable demise, and yet we are fighting the notion of death, finding all ways to conquer it. I want to challenge the viewer to see and experience impermanence for what it is, which can be both liberating and meaningful.

What’s your thought process before deciding on the location and object of reflection?

I rely on what is actually before me. I always look for areas where I can find weathered walls and new high-rise buildings. In Jakarta, where most of the works in this exhibition were shot, locations like these are fairly easy to find because new buildings are usually built right on top of slums; which provides the visual clash and tension that I’m looking for.

What methods do you use in creating your work?

I developed a simple but unique method to portray buildings with an almost painting-like subjectivity, by capturing reflections of the dwellings against the backdrop of weathered wall by just using a clear glass panel. There’s no digital trickery or double exposure but just single shots. Leaving much to chance the work seems more emotive and less objective than the usual results of photography.

Name one image in this exhibition is close to your heart.

Scorch (depicted above) is one of my favourites because of its richness in layers and colour.

What is it about these weathered buildings that appeal to you?

I do like old buildings as they carry links to the past and the heritage of a place. But in Residue, I concentrated more on the new new, (con)temporary urban architecture.

What are your future plans for your Residue series?

I’d love to do more work in China, go to massive urban centres like Chongqing. I’m also keen to explore and push the technique further; perhaps for it to become more emotive and abstract.

How do your three identities/professions influence your work?

Art, design and music are all fairly related, where aspects like harmony, contrast, rhythm, emotion and meaning can be found in these disciplines; and there always seems to be a nice spill over effect between the three. For example, I released an album titled Residue last year that dealt with impermanence too, but on a more personal level. All three disciplines were involved in the process of my songwriting and my cover design, where I used my Residue artworks.

With the central theme of impermanence in your work, what is the one thing that you wish could last forever?

Peace.

If there was something that you could photograph, whether still existent or not, what would it be and why?

The Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong, which was a densely populated ‘illegal’ settlement that grew over almost a century and was eventually torn down in 1993. This city had 33,000 residents at one point and as it was built fairly organically and it actually looked like one of my Residue works, in real life. Fascinating.

November AOTM: Marcel Heijnen | Vue Privée

Mae Chong — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:06:35 +0000

Life, as we know it, is all about change; and yet we constantly attempt to immortalize everything that comes our way. Marcel Heijnen embraces this impermanence by capturing the perpetual dance of degeneration and renewal beyond Singapore’s borders. Aptly titled Residue, the series of work attempts to uncover modern city life and the beauty of constancy, or the lack of it. Visibly challenging the notion of the reality of the camera by capturing stills of our own illusions, Marcel has created images are distinctly subjective and highly emotive. Old weathering walls are mixed with new, sprouting buildings; revealing striking reflections of one reality into another.

Vue Privée is pleased to invite you to the opening reception of Residue on 12 November, from 3pm – 6pm.

Gallery Hours:
Thurs – Sun; 12pm – 8pm

Residue runs from 5 – 30 November at Vue Privée
Vue Privée is located at 20 Cairnhill Road

Casio x Ron Herman x Mastermind Japan | Digital Imaging Project

Nick Chong — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:43:02 +0000

The ‘Digital Imaging Project’ is a collaborative project between Casio and Ron Herman to create the brand new Casio Exilim TR100 pocket camera. This exciting project not only provides a brand new design for the camera, but also offers a new way to manipulate a digital camera through photographs and movies captured in various styles.

Ron Herman has been offering the “California Style of Life” through the fashion industry for over 35 years. “The Fashion has to be stimulating, fun, free and full of love”, is the Ron Herman’s philosophy. The project has been started by crossing over this philosophy with Casio’s new digital camera that offers a free and fun photographic experience.

The Ron Herman version comes in white while the an exclusive mastermind Japan version comes in all black. This 21mm lens pocket friendly camera features a 3-inch touch screen LCD display that rotates 360 degrees horizontally and 270 degrees vertically and shoots HD-Video and captures images at a 12-megapixel resolution. This one-of-a-kind collaborative camera will be available in October 2011.

Click here for the official website of the “Digital Imaging Project” for photos and videos shot using the Casio Exilim TR100.

HTC “Set Your Music Free” | Sup

Nick Chong — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:13:12 +0000

It’s been quite awhile since Sup has thrown a street party and trust us, these boys know how to throw down a proper street party. We’re getting all excited in anticipation of their upcoming “Set Your Music Free” Street Party held in conjunction with HTC Singapore this Saturday, 1 Oct 2011. A street party right on Haji Lane with DJ KoFlow on decks pumping the volume with his beats, a photo exhibition in Sup and a video screening at K.I.N. by BUMARIFFIN. What’s special about the photo exhibition is that everything was captured using the new HTC Sensation Phone. Stand a chance to win the HTC Sensation Phone + TheKillerGerbil for HTC Tee simply by spending SGD$200 at Sup from now till the day of the event. This exclusive HTC x KGB x SUP Tee is not for sale so if you want to get your hands on it, you have to be the first 20 customers. Catch you guys on Saturday from 8pm till late!

Sup is located at 34 Haji Lane

September AOTM: Burton Machen | Vue Privée

Mae Chong — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:00:43 +0000

This month at Vue Privée, American photographer and artist Burton Machen presents his unique artistic representation of a portrait. Through history, the subject is predominantly the artist’s expression of a person, but with Urban Evolution PORTRAITS PROJECT, Burton Machen allows the world to tell him how his portrait should look like. Photographing the evolution of portraits that he posts on the streets in cities like New York, Paris, New Orleans, London, Miami. San Francisco and Los Angeles, Burton Machen observes this open discourse until he feels that the exchange has accomplished maturity before deciding that the image is complete. Spontaneous and dynamic Urban Evolution PORTRAITS PROJECTS is nothing short of an honest depiction of the artist’s chosen subjects. Burton Machen will be giving a talk at the gallery on 10th September at 3pm. Kindly RSVP to info@vueprivee.com.

Urban Evolution PORTRAITS PROJECT is a personal brand of street art conceptualized by Burton Machen

Gallery Hours:
Thurs – Sun; 12pm – 8pm

Urban Evolution PORTRAITS PROJECT runs till 30 September
Vue Privée is located at 20 Cairnhill Road

Sean Lee: Winner of ICON de Martell Corden Bleu 2011 Award

Mae Chong — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:00:47 +0000

Last Friday, the world’s oldest cognac house announced Sean Lee as of the ICON de Martell Corden Bleu 2011 Award. As the youngest of the eight nominated photographers this year, the 25 year old has proven that age is by no means an obstacle. On his seven year journey with photography, Sean Lee has learnt that the artform allows him to confront his reality in a way that hopefully allows him to return to life with a little more tenderness and a little more passion. ICON de Martell Corden Bleu is the catalyst to helping him realize this as it continues to be the pivotal force behind the celebration of Singapore’s top photographers. This year, you will have the honour of viewing of the work of the three most celebrated photographers – John Clang, Sean Lee and Zhao Renhui, in an exhibition held at Helutrans Artspace Gallery 3 for the very first time. After all, art is subjective and only you can be the judge of what you see.

…One is that photographer is a medium that forces us to confront our immediate reality. It may sound strange, but at the very least, you have to be absolutely present to photograph whatever it is that you are trying to make an image of. The same cannot be said of painting, which has often been compared at length to photography…On a personal level, one aim of my work in photography is so that, beyond just my making images, I can have my images make me. There’s a wish to be changed by what I do – for the better, I hope.

Gallery hours:
Mon – Fri | 11am – 7pm
Sat | 11am – 5pm

The ICON de Martell Corden Bleu Exhibition runs till 25 July
Helutrans Artspace Gallery 3 is located at Tanjong Pagar Distripark

Feature Interview: Vue Privée AOTM Stefen Chow

Mae Chong — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:25:45 +0000

Currently residing in Beijing, Vue Privée Artist of the Month Stefen Chow gives us ten minutes of his time, telling us more about his discoveries as the 38th generation of Song Dynasty Emperor, Zhao Kuangyin. A self taught photographer, this connection has opened up his curiosity to explore the relations between imperial China and modern day China. Stefen Chow been awarded by PDN, International Photo Awards, PX3 and his works have been exhibited in other cities including Los Angeles, Paris, Milan, Beijing and Singapore. Click here for the full article on Stefen Chow‘s exhibition, Imperial Awakening.

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m a professional photographer currently based in Beijing. I was raised in Singapore, so I spent a lot of time there; and later on in New York. The body of work that I’m presenting at Vue Privee titled Imperial Awakening revolves around a fun art piece that connects a past left behind by imperial China, to the present in today’s China.

What inspires you?

It’s always about the essence of the picture. It can be a story, a spirit; something that says so much more than just the picture itself. So that’s what really attracts me. History and its impact in today’s world and our view on how things are is another thing that inspires me.

Let’s talk about your work in Imperial Awakening. What’s spurred you on to embark on this exploration, and why China in particular?

Well, I was born in Malaysia, raised in Singapore and I grew up in South East Asia; and I’m Chinese. But somehow, it never really dawned on me to find out about my past, and the history of China. It wasn’t even in our school books. I mean I think we all have a scattered and brief overview of what China was, but I think as you get older, you start to get curious about the link between yourself and your ancestors, even thug this might date back to more than 1000 years ago. When I was young, I was told that I am descendent of an emperor in China, Zhao Kuangyin, the creator the Song Dynasty back in the 900s. So this made me want to move to China; and I did that two years ago.

When I first got here, I realized that there’s so much of China’s history; that it is all intertwined with its imperial past. If you look at a snapshot of the country’s history, a large majority of it is based on its 4000 years of imperial past molding China into what it is today. And modern China has only existed for 50 years. I remember in my first week here, I could really feel this spirit of the past calling out to me and that’s what started me off on researching on my ancestors. I have since traced them back to more than 120 years ago, when they left China for Malaysia; and I’ve also managed to go to the site where the Song Dynasty was. So I wanted to create a body of work along this thread, to talk about my own reflections during this self discovery and at the same time observe how China is reawakening itself as a nation that was once powerful 200 years ago, and at its peak of civilization. The country laid low for a bit, but now we can all see that it is reviving itself. So my work also captures the differences instances of this awakening – over various periods of time.

What were some of the things you observed or came to realize creating this body of work?

This whole thing started very modest. I just wanted to go into Beijing to see how a place that used to be a secret ground for 24 emperors of a few hundred years suddenly became a tourist haven with many pubs and shops. Today, you can pay 10 SGD to stand inside, gawk at rooms where concubines and emperors lived in; and in some ways I found this relationship absurd. Its funny that in modern times, we behave as if everything is going to stay put and be there forever. But in actual fact, what’s present today, will be history tomorrow. That was one thing I realized.

Also when I started photographing places like that, people who were well versed with the history of China, or even those who were vaguely familiar with the imperial past saw me and pointed me many resources that revealed to me the many links between what is now and what was, a few hundreds or thousands of years ago. So this exploration was definitely one that widened my scope of work as well as deepening my understanding of the many layers of history.

Were there obstacles during the shooting of these photographs?

Well I guess one challenge was of course clarity of thought. Meaning to say that I had to be clear with what I wanted to bring across and if there were views that I wanted to change, I had to keep reminding myself what they were. For me, this work is very personal, and on the other hand, it is a documentation of an area that has never really been revisited. This is because China is now under a different political system and imperialism is a direct contradiction what the present political model. It is fascinating to see how all these things work hand in hand and coexist to play a part in the reputation of China today. But I mean I wouldn’t say my work is controversial because it does bring people back to the past, to understand a little bit more about the history; and we are constantly creating history anyway. This exploration of history showed how capable humans from way back were and how they managed to fully utilize whatever they had. This in itself was incredible. So I had all these things to consider and I had to decide what information to keep and what to leave out, and at the same time keep going back to the reason why I started doing this; and that was a bit tricky at times.

We’ve seen your work and we really love it. Do you have a personal a favourtie in Imperial Awakening?

Interesting. I would say one of my favorite pictures would be the one on top of the mountain, where there’s two tourists who seemingly look like ants in the giant landscape. I also like the fact that this makes the picture look a bit strange. Strange and beautiful at the same time. The mountain that you see is actually a mountain in Xi’an, which is pretty much central China and to home one of the earliest civilizations in China. For hundreds of years, this mountain was a pilgrimage point for a lot of emperors, so many of them considered you to be man if you were to ascend that mountain. So first emperor who did it told his subjects about his intention and they told him to wait because they needed time to path the entire mountain. Legend has it that it took years; more than three years for them to finish the path around the entire mountain. This very auspicious route was named Dragon Tail to Heaven and the particular one that I photographed is called the Coy’s Back. It does look like the back of the a fish. This whole event is a reflection of the human capacity and also how man feels that it can tame nature. I’m a mountaineer myself, so I can sort of understand this (the desire to tame nature), though we try to create a minimum impact on the environment. I think the psyche now and back then was very different to. A thousand years ago, people believed that if I have the power, the reputation, the ambition, I would be able to tame nature. And that’s what they did, and they did a fantastic job at it too. Think about the tools they had then, like stones as carving materials; and think about the machines and technology that we have today. If they could do something like this at that time, imagine what we can do today. That’s another point of reflection that I realized after having taken this photograph.

You do tons of background research even before shooting. How does having this knowledge help you as a photographer?

Firstly, I am very self motivated to research because I want to have an accurate documentation. That’s precisely why I wanted to do this body of work because I wanted to have a good reason to understand where my ancestors came from and also how the whole imperial system worked itself into the fabric of the culture in China.

For every spot that I want to explore, I’ll research on it, but it really isn’t as easy as it is. There’a a lot of information that is considered as insignificant history. Or sometimes, when you’re on the ground, your prior knowledge or research wouldn’t serve much of a purpose and you will have to keep your eyes and ear open to look out for other things that you might want to keep in consideration. I mean this land has an incredible amount of history, which I have since learnt before embarking on this project. So although this project has been going on for three years now – which is almost as long as I have been here for, I’m going to take forever to learn all about the country. I’ve only been to close to 30 cities in China, and that’s just a small fraction. Even within Beijing, they city limits are huge; its four times the population of Singapore. I haven’t even fully explored Beijing because there’s just so much. But with what I have gained so far, I have managed to capture this instant in time where people have the most freedom in all of China’s 5000 years of civilization. Talking about freedom of the people here, I think when you live here, you tend to see how the western media tries to portray China and how China tries to portray itself. So going back to my work, I think it really gives you a sense of the gap, a sense of these parallels and it tells you more than just about the history.

We also really like the fact that your work is very conceptual, much like your previous series, The Poverty Line.

Oh thank you. Thanks.

Do you have any upcoming projects that are similarly conceptual?

I don’t know yet. I think have many ideas but a lot of these ideas take many years to think about. Like The Poverty Line took years of thinking and discussing before it could be come a physical product. And you can almost say that Imperial Awakening took about two years. I mean I was first told that I was a descendent of an emperor, that just meant that there was something I could do about it, but how much and how far, was really dependent on many things. I think everybody who works on things that are conceptual will take years.

But I’m glad that my work is gaining acceptance. I think for the immediate future, it will be really just expanding the Imperial Awakening series, and The Poverty Line too. The Poverty Line has already travelled to different countries, so that’s good. I’m also possibly going to work on another project that deals with consumption too – on the sustainability of us humans; how everyone is getting richer, meaning that there are more people who want more meat, they will want to buy more stuff, something along those lines. Eventually something’s got to give and conceptually, I’ve been thinking about what I can do with this idea. So far there have been multiple ideas but nothing is concrete yet, but I do hope that when it is, it will be as powerful, or if not, even more than my existing projects.

You’re very grounded. You’ve won awards and people are familiar with your work. What keeps your feet to the ground?

I think if there’s one thing that I have realized, it would be that its important that you don’t change, although people’s impression of you may change. There will be those who treat you differently and I experienced that after climbing Mount Everest. Perceptions of you will change whether its accurate or not and I think that’s just societal behavior. But when I saw that, I realized how important it is to know who you are. And if people’s positive perceptions of you get to your head, you will stop being great. I have had many good opportunities and I really appreciate that. I appreciate that people’s perception of me has changed, has possibly improved, but I don’t take that for granted. It’s because of this that I stay hungry for opportunities are not always a given. I think that staying grounded and staying who I am, is a reminder that I would still be able to create work for the people. And this work will be something that I would be proud of if I were to look back in time or look forward in time and say okay those are choices that I’ve made.

If you were allowed just one shot for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I would not press the shutter. Knowing the fact that if I press the shutter, the game is over. So if I live in a world where there are no other cameras or image capturing devices, I would rather witness it with my own eyes. Knowing that my camera would be able to bring me to places, it wouldn’t capture a physical form, but it will be etched within my memory. So I think I will refuse to press the shutter. I would threaten to press it, but I would not press it.

If there was one person you could work with, whether dead or alive, who it be and why?

That’s kind of difficult. If there’s one person I could go back to, and if I had a camera with me, it would be my great grandfather. I would want to document how he moved from Southern China to Singapore. Up to this point, I have not discovered the reason why he decided to leave China and move to Malaysia. I mean it was a very common thing at that time, we hear a lot about people leaving due to political turmoil and hardship, but he’s one person whom I would be very very interested to get to know and to be there with him to document his journey. I think there’s insufficient data on things like that and if there’s any way I could go back to understand his motivations, I would really love to. Just think about it, modern explorers like myself, we take many risks, setting ourselves up, going overseas, but think about our forefathers who went to Singapore, Malaysia, and to other parts of the world on a one-way ticket. They left their families, their whole world and the psyche and the courage that they had, to me is just incredible. We’re probably too pampered or too comfortable today to fully appreciate actions like these or to even have the faith to embark on something like that. So I would say that if I had a chance, my great grandfather would be the one I would want to see, and be with.

Images courtesy of Vue Privée

The Beautiful and The Vanishing | The Pigeonhole

Edwin Lee — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:00:01 +0000

This Saturday, join our fine feline-loving friends at The Pigeonhole for the official book launch of Our Kuching : the Vanishing Street Cats of Singapore. Besides the book launch, this event also hopes to raise awareness of cat-related issues with a catless adoption drive and talks by the Cat Welfare Society and Furry Photos. Our Kuching : the Vanishing Street Cats of Singapore, a gorgeous book by Jon Boon, pays tribute to the street cats of Singapore. Endorsed by the Cat Welfare Society, this glossy tome features over a hundred pages of beautifully photographed felines. “I hope this book will go some way in debunking negative stereotypes about cats, because they are misunderstood on so many levels. Hopefully, greater exposure to street cats, even in pictorial form, will start the process for greater acceptance and understanding,” says Teoh Swee Leng, cat-lover and editor of Our Kuching. A portion of the proceeds of all books sold at the launch will be donated to the Cat Welfare Society. For those of you looking to welcome a loving feline companion, the Cat Welfare Society will also be there with images of cats currently up for adoption.

The Beautiful and The Vanishing begins 2 July, 1pm
The Pigeonhole is located at 52 & 53 Duxton Road

July AOTM: Stefen Chow with Imperial Awakening | Vue Privée

Mae Chong — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 01:00:57 +0000

Singaporean photographer Stefen Chow, currently based in Beijing explores the theme of China’s ride up after a wavelength of development in search of understanding a possible imperial rebirth in his photographic series, Imperial Awakening. Stefen Chow juxtaposes this preserved past against the country’s rapid pace and phenomenal rise in the global economic and political arena, shedding light on Chinese history dating back to 5000 years ago. In the month of July, Vue Privée presents this series of works that will bring you a different perspective not only encompassing just China’s history, but of the world’s past.

We’ve got good news for you! The lovely people at Vue Privée will be giving away a smaller sized print of your choice valued at $200 (unframed) at the end of the month. Simply snap a shot of any photograph from the exhibition, post it on our facebook wall and tell us your reaction towards the photograph in 2 – 4 sentences!
*Incomplete entries will strictly deem your submission void.

Giveaway is only open to those residing in Singapore; and ends Sunday, 31 July 2011, 8pm.
All entries after this time will be voided.
There will only be one winner and Vue Privée’s decision is final.
The winner will be notified via Facebook message.

Good luck to all!

Gallery Hours:
Thurs – Sun; 12pm – 8pm

Imperial Awakening runs till 31 July
Vue Privée is located at 20 Cairnhill Road

Images courtesy of Vue Privée

ABBAS, 45 Years in Photography | Recap

Mae Chong — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 04:10:05 +0000

We met the man behind the powerful monochrome images in his first retrospective in ABBAS, 45 Years in Photography and we were enthralled by his discerning and unconventional thoughts. Abbas brings to you 133 images and four audio-visual clips on war, conflict, faith and disillusionment, telling you his side of the story. The strongest thread of the exhibition lies in his Iranian roots and the Muslim faith, but it was the series of works, Soul Hunt (Animists) that struck a chord with us where shamans, voodoos, Dogons and the Shinto cult were suspended in time by Abbas. We have to admit that at first glance, the series was a little unnerving because of the unfamiliarity, but stay a little longer and you will be your uneasiness will be transformed into serenity. Abbas also exhibits a rare glimpse of his personal life with photographs of his lovely grandchildren in the last section; of which he says is a way of showing his love for them.

Abbas, 45 Years in Photography will be held at the Exhibition Gallery 2 and runs from 18 June – 18 September
Tickets are $5
The National Museum of Singapore is located at 93 Stamford Road

North Korea, AOTM: Inga Beckmann | Recap

Mae Chong — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 01:00:53 +0000

Vue Privée is halfway through exhibiting the works of its first Artist of the Month, Inga Beckmann; in a series of works that uncovers the uncompromising beauty of the lives of the North Koreans. In many ways, the photographs presented in North Korea capture moments of joy or celebration of the people; of which many unfamiliar with the country would think or feel otherwise towards. Inga Beckmann allows the viewer great freedom to form his/her judgements, to interpret each photograph despite the preconceptions of the subject matter; and to ponder about the issues beneath the surface of each image. Just like how listening to a song and watching your favourite band play is almost two separate entities, experiencing the exhibition in the flesh is essential to understanding Inga Beckmann’s thought process.

Giveaway ends Thursday, 30 June 2011, 8pm. All entries after this time will be voided.
There will only be one winner and Vue Privée’s decision is final.
The winner will be notified via Facebook message.

Good luck to all!

Gallery Hours:
Thurs – Sun; 12pm – 8pm

North Korea runs till 31 June
Vue Privée is located at 20 Cairnhill Road

Dialogue with Abbas | NSM

Mae Chong — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:00:53 +0000

Complementing the opening of Abbas, 45 Years in Photography is a dialogue session with the Magnum photographer himself. Following the completion of his latest work, The Children of the Lotus, A Journey Among Buddhists, Abbas will share his journey and personal reflections on his three-year journey traveling through 12 predominantly Buddhist countries. Drawing inspiration from his photo titled Unidentified Prisoner that captured a haunting image of a little girl who was about to be massacred under the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, Abbas will raise questions about the acceptance of such brutality against human life in a presumably compassionate society that we live in.

About Abbas
As a member of the prestigious photo agency Magnum since 1981, acclaimed photographer Abbas has roamed the world for 45 years, covering major political and social events, and publishing his works widely in world magazines and newspapers. Through his early photojournalistic and other major works such as the Iranian Revolution and the Islamic world (before and after the September 11 incident), Abbas has shown his dedication to the struggles within different societies in this rapidly globalising world, with an emphasis on religion defined by him as culture rather than faith.

Seats are limited on a first come, first serve basis
This session is only open to Abbas, 45 Years in Photography and Permanent Gallery ticket holders; tickets to bbas, 45 Years in Photography are $5
This session is complimentary for students who present their student passes

Dialogue Session with Abbas will be held on 18 June, from 7pm – 8.30pm only
It will take place inside Exhibition Gallery 2, in the basement of the National Museum of Singapore
National Museum of Singapore is located at 93 Stamford Road

Feature Interview: Vue Privée AOTM Inga Beckmann

Mae Chong — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 01:15:11 +0000

Born near Hamburg, Germany, Vue Privée Artist of the Month Inga Beckmann was a student of Communication Design focussed on Documentary Photography in Münster, Germany. Technically demanding, technology-savvy, but unbiasedly observing, the German photographer captures moments and situations, opening welcoming you and I to participate in her life journey. Inga Beckmann has also extended her portfolio since 2007, working with various advertising agencies as well as collaborating with internationally renowned magazines for postproduction work. Click here for the full article on Inga Beckmann’s exhibition, North Korea.

Give us brief introduction about yourself and the kind of photographic work that you do.

I grew up in Germany on the countryside and enjoyed the privilege of traveling with my parents at a very young age. That enabled me to be in contact with other cultures and in a positive way, I was spared no distance from these cultures. Beyond the European boarders, we also travelled Asia in the early 80s. Phuket, for instance, had a single landline telephone at the post office at that time. It was little things like these that triggered my passion for authentic differences in various parts of the world. I try to document this form of curiousity and this path that I take conveys emotion, placing significance on a particular moment. So the photographs that I take can bring us to different places and times, bringing awareness, justice, compassion and love to the surface and to the people.

You’ve have also done a lot of post production work, what do you look out for where touching or ‘cleaning’ photographs?

This kind work is extremely different from my documentary work. I consider the aesthetics, composition, colour, light, man and technique in a totally different context and doing this does also fascinate and challenge me. It also inspires me, but more importantly I am convinced that the pictures I shoot must true and original.

At what point of your life did you realise that you were going to take photography seriously?

I knew from early days that one day I would like to juggle travelling, different cultures and mentalities while leaving room for my creative vein. Balancing this with my ambition to catch zeitgeist lead me to photography. Photography opens doors and allows me to dive deeper into certain areas of life. At the same time it provides me an excuse to be driven by curiosity – a curiosity that allows me to access and intensely experience themes that are not mainstream.

The strange and unusual are main triggers for you. What are some of the peoples, places or objects that you have encountered that is ingrained in your memory?

I approached Pamela, a transsexual prostitute, as my muse for work about people between sexualities. She started her career as Dieter, a pimp on the notorious “Reeperbahn” in Hamburg. After plenty of nip tucking he decided at the age of 53 to metamorphose from Dieter to Pamela. The stories and adventures of her surreal and bizarre life remain as yet unbeaten. The hours spent with her were so unbelievably far from my own life and experience and yet entirely fulfilling and inspiring until her last breath when she passed of cancer in late 2008.

On a brighter note, I had the unbelievable chance to feature an Indian wedding last year: 2000 people celebrating a never-ending stream of rites, emotions, and traditions in an unprecedented magnificence of colour, ornamental decoration including painted elephants etc. over 7 days. For this I travelled to Delhi, Jaipur and Agra within one week. Until then, I have never had a comparable sensual overload.

However, the most surreal location, I have ever visited was without a doubt, North Korea.

What was your initial impression of the country and its people before stepping into North Korea?

You step out of the plane and you are immediately taken by the difference of the place itself. It all appears so unique that you started questioning your own definition of time & space. From a photographer’s point of view, North Korea offers picturesque scenic impressions comparable in its beauty to Switzerland, Canada, the Mediterranean and Caribbean; but on the other hand it offers a rich cultural experience with very distinguishable elements.

Could you describe the place in a few words after having been there and experiencing the people and culture?

Travelling through North Korea means saying goodbye to the day-to-day images that we, in the West are used to, and to welcome a stream of fascinating and inspiring new stimuli. For me it was a very unique travel experience and an amazing base for my work; to be able to capture snapshot of moments in a country that not many have had the privilege to witness.

In this whole series, which photograph would you say speaks the most to you?

EPISODES OF A REVOLUTIONARY PAST 2 (The Blue Arirang). I like the intensity of the colour, the mass, the unity and the power of beauty in the details. I’m also fascinated by the synchrony and precision of the thousands of dancers; and the controversy of how much of the political motives can be seen in this context, situation or background.

What do you wish for the viewer to take away from your work in North Korea?

In contrast to North Korea’s international perception driven by harsh images, when I was there I tried to observe and mirror the country in its purest form, without judgement. I tried to capture images of every day life, pleasures and incidences, attempting to underline the country’s very own, and special composition of colours, space and dimensions in a neutral way, leaving the judgment in the eyes of the beholder. And that is where beauty lies. It is my utmost goal to question and challenge the common definition of beauty by social convention; to express aesthetics in less of a literal way, but more of capturing beauty in a perspective or context one might have never thought of.

If there was anyone that you could work with, whether dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Picasso. I used to always be drawn towards this big book about Picasso at my grandparents library. Maybe I always chose this book because it was the one with most pictures. Ever since then, I had this fascination with Picasso; not necessarily with his work, but with him, as a person – his bon vivant lifetstyle, his charismatic face, the environment he created to work in and to be creative. The artists was also a dancer, a cowboy, he was serious and yet he enjoyed talking to his owl, petting his goat; just so many things. I guess the fascinating combination of fame and controversy in Picasso always left me wondering what it would have been like to work with him.

EVOLUTION OF A REVOLUTIONARY PAST 2

Pow Wow with John Clang | A Curious Teepee

Mae Chong — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:15:26 +0000

Pow Wow Sessions are all about helping us rigid animals to live curiously. Organized by A Curious Teepee, these informal and inspiring sessions are set to be a catalyst for future creative calls to action. First up on the Pow Wow hit list is acclaimed photographer and visual artist John Clang; you may also recall seeing his works exhibited at the ICON de Martell Corden Bleu Profile Exhibition held sometime last month. The artist will share with you and talk about a selection of his current works, together with some of his earlier works that date back as far as 20 years ago. Terry Ong, Senior Editor of I-S will be moderating the sharing and Q&A session. John Clang has also graciously offered to stay a little longer after the session to meet those who would like his opinion on their works, so seize this opportunity kids! Keen individuals, please shoot A Curious Teepee an email at info@acuriousteepee.com to lock down a slot for a quick chat with John Clang.

Pow Wow with John Clang will be held on 22 June from 7.30om – 9.30pm
Tickets are $30, fully redeemable for food and drinks on the night, click here to sign up now, for there is only room for 60
A Curious Teepee is located at *SCAPE, #02-24

Images courtesy of A Curious Teepee

Flesh Imp X Canon Fashion Photo Journal Competition

Mae Chong — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 00:00:28 +0000

In conjunction with the new mega flagship Flesh Imp store opening at *SCAPE on 24 June and in celebration of its 10th anniversary, Flesh Imp has collaborated with Canon to recognize the creativity of Singapore photographers in the Flesh Imp X Canon Fashion Photo Journal Competition. There are two categories to submit for the competition – Lifestyle and LookBook. What’s exciting is that and you are free to submit multiple entires but each participant (with valid contact information and email address) will be entitled to only one short-listed entry for the finals. The top two winners will be announced at the official opening of Flesh Imp’s Flagship Store where their works will be showcased with eight other shortlisted entries.

Lifestyle for a single editorial-style shot
Get some serious fashion shots and be taken seriously. Snap a shot of yourself, a friend, or anyone you see that exudes wicked style. Remember, Flesh Imp and Canon are looking out for an individual shots that best represents the fashion and mood that you are capturing.

LookBook for a series of 2 or more photos
Take a series of photos that are thematically linked to bring fashion to life. Your fashion story might win you a Canon EOS 1100D DSLR cameras as well as the chance to shoot the latest Flesh Imp LookBook! Capturing the essence and spirit is what Flesh Imp and Canon are looking forward to seeing.

Lifestyle Category:

One winner (total $ 1279.00)

Canon EOS DSLR 1100D worth $899 + Flesh Imp Vouchers worth $200 + 1 set of Flesh Imp X Canon FLMPLTD Capsule collection worth $180

Two consolation prizes each

1 set of Flesh Imp X Canon FLMPLTD capsule collection (2 Tee Shirts and 1 camera bag) worth $180

LookBook Category:

One winner (total $ 1279.00)

Canon EOS DSLR 110D worth $899 + Flesh Imp Vouchers worth $200 + 1 set of Flesh Imp X Canon FLMPLTD Capsule collection (2 Tee Shirts and 1 camera bag) worth $180

Two consolation prizes each

1 set of Flesh Imp X Canon FLMPLTD capsule collection (2 Tee Shirts and 1 camera bag) worth $180

All entries must be in by midnight (GMT) 17th June 2011
For more information, go to www.fleshimp.com/canon
Flesh Imp will be located at *SCAPE, #02-20/21/22
Stay tuned for more details on the new flagship store!