【香港國際攝影節2023】紅外線熱影像儀器之下 因大壩而流離失所的柬埔寨村民

走進中環PMQ昏暗的展覽空間,兩面牆上分別以投影的紅外線熱影像照片及影片,隱晦地道出柬埔寨兩條村莊的原住民因修建大壩而流離失所的命運。由於展場沒有開冷氣,封閉的環境有點侷促,當我站在投影機後觀看作品,不久後感到一陣悶熱,原來這正是攝影師策展的目的。

「溫度會影響人類的行為,當氣度升高時,情緒也會變化,容易令人變得煩躁、壓力大。」首次在國外舉辦個展的柬埔寨攝影師Sereyrath Mech如此說道。她坦言正是自己也有這樣的經歷,令她想透過影像探討氣候變遷對人類心理的影響。「當我深入了解這個問題時,才知道受氣候及環境變化影響最大的是弱勢群體。」

中環PMQ展覽現場

Sereyrath的作品向來關注環保及社會不公等議題,她從研究報告得知,2018年竣工的水力發電大壩工程Lower Se San 2 Dam,導致多個村落被摧毀淹沒,不但迫使數千名村民搬遷,由於大壩阻止魚類洄遊等原因,生活在河流沿岸的原住民賴以生存的漁業資源也大幅減少,而且他們的生活環境只會越來越差。

受此啟發的她以一年時間創作這個計劃,先後三次踏足距離首都金邊數百公里、位於柬埔寨東北部的下游村莊,拍攝兩條原住民村莊的生活環境,他們即使選擇不同的遷徙或補償方案,但同樣逃不過悲慘的結果。「有的村民接受補償方案而搬離故土,住在政府建造的房屋,雖然有一定的土地與牲畜,但原有的小路變成河流,出入需要乘搭渡輪,生活方式已完全不同。」另一條村莊則拒絕政府的補償,數十個家庭搬到森林裡生活,以某種方式繼續依賴大自然。他們抵制水壩生產的電力,以太陽能板維持較低的電量需求,即使未能扭轉氣候變化的惡果,仍希望依靠人為的努力減少其傷害。

水壩無疑改變了村民的生活方式,甚至影響他們的生存環境。湄公河流域曾擁有全球最大的內陸漁業,而大壩的出現嚴重破壞生態,導致下游流域的魚源枯竭,漁民甚至要從鄰近的越南進口魚類。親眼目睹過原住民的生活環境,她不忿地說道:「所謂的開發並沒有惠及村民,只利於某小部份利益相關者。」

紅外線熱影像  呈現生命的溫度與顏色

為更好地呈現環境及氣候變化對人類產生的影響,Sereyrath以紅外線熱影像拍攝村民的生活環境,這種裝置能偵測熱量、顯示溫度,所呈現的效果也很戲劇性。她坦言這種手法受到法國攝影師Antoine d’Agata影響,他在疫情期間以熱成像技術拍攝法國的街道及醫院;在她的鏡頭下,不見呼天搶地的悲愴,而是樹木、魚類、房屋、電線桿、擺渡等村民的日常生活,彷彿在平靜地呈現生命的溫度與顏色。「我的創作實踐並非新聞攝影,這在某種程度上也賦予我一種靈活講述故事的方式。」

在展覽現場,兩面牆上分別是生活在兩條村莊村民的投影畫面,攝影師將紅外線熱影像照片置於河流的影片之上,河水急速流過,卻為村民帶來不可磨滅的影響。至於另一面牆,則獨立展出三幅熱像儀照片:一棵樹、人類的臉孔及一片河水,攝影師藉此隱喻村莊的過去、現在與未來。村莊的過去到處是樹木,而它的未來可能只是一片平靜的河水。這兩幅照片乍看頗有詩意,但得知它背後的訊息時,卻不無覺得諷刺。

對觀者而言,這個展覽或許也是一種「沉浸式體驗」,當人們進入房間後,溫度會發生輕微的變化,藉此帶出溫度對人類心理影響的訊息。只是,作為觀眾的我們,在展場的「溫室」效果下,頂多只是感覺比較侷促,甚至是流汗。然而對生活在當地的村民而言,他們所面臨的困境,更關乎生存環境。「如果溫度持續升高、情況繼續惡化的話,那麼它將改變那裡所有的一切。」 或許,這正如她為展覽撰寫的詩句所言:When the sacred sun reaches the sacred river, we will know we are not in control。

Sereyrath Mech《When the Sun Reaches the River》 @ 香港國際攝影節2023衛星展覽

日期:即日至11月13日

時間:星期一至日 11am–7pm

地址:中環鴨巴甸街35號PMQ H508

【香港國際攝影節2023】鄧廣燊、袁雅芝:《Somewhere in Time》——電話亭與硬幣變成針孔相機   記錄回歸前的地標

一個個靜待拆卸的電話亭,一枚印有英女王頭像的二元硬幣,會交織怎樣的香港故事?來到灣仔藝術中心歌德藝廊,迎面而來是用一個石膏板搭建的灰色裝置,其凹槽處正好是一個電話亭的體積,這個消失的電話亭,正是展覽敘事的緣起。

《Somewhere in Time》展覽現場

1950年代起,政府在香港各地豎立起公共電話亭,置身神奇小亭內,拿起話筒與掛念的人對話,或許是很多年長一輩港人的集體回憶,在傳呼機盛行的八十年代更是風光一時。隨著網絡及智能電話的普及,電話亭的使用率日漸下降,亭內的燈光熄滅,一切彷彿已拉下帷幕,曾經傳達溫馨與情感的電話亭,淪為一個個被時代遺忘的棄置空間。2019年,通訊事務管理局決定拆除使用率低的電話亭,由當時的1,500多個,驟減至現時僅餘數百個。藝術家鄧廣燊與袁雅芝受此啟發,在熾熱的社會運動之下,開始以電話亭作為針孔相機的拍攝計劃。

「現時公共電話亭經常被貼上暫停服務的標示,亭內的燈箱半數以上已壞掉。」這種被人棄置的空間引起二人的注意,在展覽現場有多幅拍攝電話亭外觀的照片,其中有一幅是電話亭內的環境,可見已荒廢多時,還長出花朵。事隔數年,有些電話亭早已消失不見,只遺留地下的痕跡,證明它們曾經存在過。

剛踏進展場,可見有兩幅二元硬幣的照片並列,鑽孔後的硬幣搖身變成針孔鏡頭。這枚1989年發行的硬幣,正反兩面分別是獅子與英女王頭像,巧合的是,硬幣上獅子手捧昔日的東方之珠,鑽穿後的位置背面正是英女王的眼睛,彷彿她正觀看這一切,增添另一重隱喻。

展覽名稱來自1981年的同名美國電影《Somewhere in Time》(港譯「時光倒流七十年」),故事中的男主角因觸碰硬幣而穿梭時空,而兩位藝術家則以硬幣為「時光機」,藉著針孔記錄過去的風景。

殖民地時期的地標光景

二人物色香港六處荒廢的電話亭,以銀色反光布遮蓋電話亭,在漆黑的亭內貼上十八張相紙,拼貼成60x150cm尺寸的底片;打開自製的針孔相機,透過女王硬幣上的小孔,把電話亭外的景象投影變成負片。根據小孔成像的原理,「當光線進入硬幣的小孔,暗箱內所形成的影像會上下反轉,而負片相紙的影像也會黑白反轉。」展覽現場掛有多幅1.5米的照片,乍看之下不明所以,當觀眾細看曝光過度的朦朧相片時,可隱約看到城市的輪廓與景象。

這些電話亭外的景象,包括荃灣柴灣角街、九龍塘窩打老道、皇后像廣場、香港大會堂及太子彌敦道等,或多或少記載香港的重要歷史,例如1973年落成的怡和大廈 (原名康樂大廈),當時是香港首幢摩天大樓,也是東南亞最高的建築物。又如原名奧士本軍營的九龍東軍營,是英國在回歸當日交還中國政府的十四塊軍事用地之一,是中國恢復對香港行使主權的標記。「位於荃灣的祈德尊新邨,屋邨名字源自1952至1981年期間擔任房協主席的祈德尊爵士,1989年,時任港督衞奕信爵士還為屋邨主持開幕典禮。」

歌德藝廊展覽現場

這些殖民地時期的地標光景,散落在展場的不同地方,有的完整展示,有的被分解成多幅細小的影像。另一幅怡和大廈的影像,則置身數米大的裝置空間,透過紅色膠板可窺見裡面的照片,以及記錄創作過程的短片。這種紅色令人想起黑房裏的安全燈,同時它也是一種危險的訊號,或許對某些人而言,這些歷史地標也是一種紅色警戒。

展覽分為兩部份,展場空間的盡頭是「黑盒子」空間,所投影的短片是袁雅芝拍攝電話亭附近的環境。原來,每座公共電話亭均有獨特編號,並能在通訊事務管理局找到其座標,例如在拍攝荃灣柴灣角街時,短片中以編號P11265代替。走入暗黑的房間前,門口掛有電話亭指示牌,在燈箱效果下顯得十分悅目,似乎在映照它曾經的輝煌。在房間的角落處也放有一幅作品,若非有人刻意提醒,觀眾未必能輕易察覺。這或許是在暗示,某些曾經承載著重要歷史的事物,終將被人忽視甚至消逝。

鄧廣燊、袁雅芝《Somewhere in Time 此時某處》香港國際攝影節2023衛星展覽

日期:即日至10月26日

時間:星期二至五 10:00 – 20:00 

地址:灣仔香港藝術中心14樓歌德藝廊及黑盒子

「顯影 」聯合策展 法國攝影師Willy Ronis香港個展

致力於推廣攝影藝術的Boogie Woogie Photography與香港攝影平台「顯影 PhotogStory」在黃竹坑畫廊空間呈獻法國攝影師Willy Ronis個展《Capturing Life: The Photography of Willy Ronis》,展期由2023年9月16日至10月21日。

Place de la Concorde, Paris 1952, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography.

Willy Ronis (1910-2009) 的攝影生涯從1926年橫跨至2001年,即使在91歲高齡時仍在拍攝,他最廣為人知的座右銘是「我外出時從來不會不帶相機,即使去買麵包亦是 (I never, ever went out without my camera, even to buy bread)」,持續拍攝的動力背後,可見他對生活的熱情,以及對世界的好奇心。

在他漫長而多產的職業生涯中,攝影題材多元且豐富,風景、時尚、新聞、裸體、人像 (如畢加索) 等,他最著名的作品,大多是拍攝巴黎人的生活日常,用法國製造的Foca 35mm相機捕捉下花都的活力與浪漫,也記錄草根階層的困境及社會變化,他的照片可謂為二十世紀的法國留下珍貴的視覺記憶。

1958年至1959年,Willy Ronis曾任職《VOGUE》雜誌,拍攝過不少時尚相片。

二戰期間,猶太裔的他逃難到法國南部,先後在不同地方擔任過電影場景設計師、珠寶繪製及紡織業訓練中心教師等。巴黎解放後,Willy Ronis在1944年回到巴黎,繼續記錄花都日常。經歷過戰爭期間文化與藝術活動的匱乏,戰後法國的出版業曾十分蓬勃,人人渴望接觸不同的資訊,許多雜誌及影像式新聞的刊物均備受青睞,像布列松Robert Doisneau及Willy Ronis等攝影師的照片均得到重視 ,Willy Ronis也在1946年被邀請加入著名的Rapho攝影通訊社。

1948至1950年,他是首位為美國著名雜誌《LIFE》拍攝照片的法國攝影記者。1951年底至1952年初,在紐約現代藝術博物館 (MoMA) 舉行的《Five French Photographers》展覽,展出當時最重要的五位法國攝影師,包括布列松及Robert Doisneau,Willy Ronis的名字也赫然在目,可見他的重要地位。

作為二戰後法國人文主義攝影的先驅之一,Willy Ronis擅於在平凡中發現美感與詩意,從熙熙攘攘的街道到戀人之間的親密時刻,記錄法式生活的浪漫與優雅。他有多幅代表作,尤其以「買麵包的小男孩」與「巴士底廣場的戀人」最廣為人知。1952年拍攝的《The Little Parisian》,照片捕捉一位身穿短褲恤衫及毛衣背心的小男孩抱著法式長棍麵包跑過,天真可愛的男孩面帶微笑,感覺無憂無慮。

另一幅標誌性作品是1957年拍攝的《Lovers at the Bastille》,將巴黎戀人互相依偎的畫面定格下來,展現出巴黎的浪漫一面。相片同時記錄當時的城市景觀,他們身處巴士底廣場七月柱觀景台,背景是巴黎的鳥瞰景觀,遠處正是花都的地標——巴黎聖母院及巴黎鐵塔。展覽現場另一幅攝於1949年的《Le Nu Provençal》,也是其經典照片之一,捕捉其全裸妻子Marie-Anne Lansiaux在普羅旺斯家中的親密瞬間。

Lovers at the Bastille, Paris, 1957. Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography.

身為享負盛名的攝影師,Willy Ronis生前已把大多數照片捐予法國政府,並於1985年在巴黎東京宮舉辦回顧展。這次展覽展示的經典作品,則來自他孫子的私人收藏,這些黑白照片不僅見證他鏡頭下巴黎的魅力,同時提醒世人留意身邊的美好事物。

Capturing Life: The Photography of Willy Ronis

日期:2023年9月16日至10月21日

時間:下午2時至7時 (星期三至六) 

請電郵預約參觀:Info@bewephoto.com / PhotogStory@gmail.com

地址:黃竹坑道56-60號怡華工業大廈8樓 The Loft 

ImagesCourtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography and the S.Kovalsky collection

關於 Boogie Woogie Photography

2016年創立的Boogie Woogie Photography專門代理攝影藝術品及舉辦展覽,立足香港、放眼亞洲,為藝廊、收藏家、機構和攝影師提供一個平台,致力於區內推廣攝影藝術。

關於「顯影 PhotogStory」

顯影是一個關注影像及攝影師故事的平台,除了分享展覽資訊及採訪攝影師,也會從日常生活入手,重溫經典照片背後的故事,近年開始策劃攝影展覽。

【顯影策劃】《香港故事》——舊香港照片及攝影集展覽

Hong Kong Stories, A Photography & Photobook Exhibition

Photography was introduced to the world in 1839, and Hong Kong became British Empire’s colony in 1841. The coincidence and proximity in time connect photography to Hong Kong’s history. To a certain extent, photographic images construct our impression of Hong Kong. Especially in the 20th century, when many Hong Kong and foreign photographers roamed or passed through Hong Kong, they captured the city’s appearances differently.

PhotogStory is pleased to present “Hong Kong Stories,” a group exhibition of old Hong Kong images, along with more than 50 old Hong Kong photo books by multiple Hong Kong and international photographers, as clues to connect Hong Kong’s stories in the 20th century. 

Everyone sees and feels the city from their perspective. Hong Kong is a vibrant city under the lens of the late photographers Yau Leung and Ngan Chun Tung in the 1960s to 1970s. The fleeting moments captured by the French New Wave set photographer Raymond Cauchetier in 1954 reflect people’s simple life. Their photographs left a critical testimony of the precious era.

Hong Kong Stories

Date: 1 August – 17 September 2023

Time: 11am – 8pm

Site: House by Kubrick, 5/F, Cityplaza, Tai Koo

About PhotogStory

PhotogStory is an online Photography platform and Guest Curator based in Hong Kong. We focus on stories of local and international photographers and stories behind classic photos.

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《香港故事》——舊香港照片及攝影集展覽

攝影術在1839年誕生,香港在1841年正式開埠,這種時間上的巧合與相近,令攝影與香港歷史無形中產生淵源。某程度上,攝影建構出我們對這城的印象,尤其在上個世紀,多位中外攝影師漫遊街頭或途徑香港時,捕捉下不盡一致的城市面貌。

由本地攝影平台「顯影 PhotogStory」策劃的展覽《香港故事》,以多位香港攝影師鍾文略何藩麥烽張焯翟偉良劉冠騰余偉建朱迅Hedda MorrisonMichael RoggeRedge Solley山內道雄等國際攝影師的逾五十本舊香港攝影集及相關書籍為線索,以小見大地串連起二十世紀的香港故事。已故攝影師邱良顏震東鏡頭下1960年代至1970年代的街頭掠影,以及已故法國新浪潮電影劇照師Raymond Cauchetier在1954年途徑這座小城時捕捉的片段,則讓我們感受大半世紀前的香江魅力。

《香港故事》

日期:2023年8月1日至9月17日

時間:11am – 8pm (每日)

地址:太古城中心5樓戲院House by Kubrick

關於顯影

一個關注影像及攝影師故事的平台,除了分享展覽資訊及採訪攝影師,也會從日常生活入手,重溫經典照片背後的故事,近年開始策劃攝影展覽及開設網上攝影書店「顯影·書櫃」

「顯影」策劃:攝影師秦偉個展《異域狂歡——香港的南看台》

由香港攝影平台「顯影 PhotogStory」策劃,著名攝影師秦偉個展《異域狂歡——香港的南看台》將於油麻地Kubrick書店舉行,展期由2023年7月3日至8月30日。 

大法官、紅衣主教、蝙蝠俠、汪洋大盗、宮廷中的貴族、衣冠不整的警察、迪士尼白雪公主、蹩腳的芭蕾舞者等,一一將於油麻地Kubrick書店粉墨登場。

香港攝影師秦偉的《異域狂歡——香港的南看台》內容既優雅又荒誕。自1995年起的二十多個年頭裡,他以嚴謹的影像觸覺,不懈地記錄每年一度的香港國際七人欖球賽上的小段落,他的鏡頭聚焦於狂歡活動背後的積極意義,並提取其內在的隱喻及意涵。

攝影師巧妙地借用水泥牆的冰冷背景,以中灰階色調,緩緩地推動圖片的內在張力。讓人逗笑的人物角色,漫畫化的視覺元素,恍若來自某個不可確定的時空。

PhotogStory is pleased to present “A Revelrous Heterotopia – The South Stand of Hong Kong,” a solo exhibition by Hong Kong photographer Chun Wai at Kubrick in Yau Ma Tei from 3 July to 30 August 2023.

The Chancellors, cardinal, batman, court nobles, disheveled policemen, Snow White, and a lame ballet dancer will be on stage at Kubrick bookstore, surprisingly.

Chun Wai’s photo project – A Revelrous Heterotopia – The South Stand of Hong Kong, is elegant and absurd. For more than 20 years since 1995, he recorded diligently the snippets of life that transpired in the Hong Kong Sevens. With his rigorous visual senses, each captured moment was examined for its inner meaning and metaphor.

The photographer cleverly used the cold background of the concrete wall with a medium gray scale color tone, slowly pushing the inner tension of the image. The hilarious character roles and the comic-style visual element as if they come from an indefinite time and space.

Image Courtesy of Chun Wai

展覽同時在 Kubrick書店推售 《異域狂歡 ——香港的南看台》攝影集。攝影集內載有百餘幅的肖像圖片及三篇文章,為讀者帶來多維度思考; 探索內容包括欖球賽的源起所啟發的逆向性思維、粉絲狂歡現象,以及前蘇聯文學理論家巴赫金所提出的「狂歡文化」背後意義的聯想、攝影與劇場的關係、攝影語言和思考等議題。

《異域狂歡 — 香港的南看台》既是一本輕鬆幽默的攝影集,亦是一本載有另類思考的影像文本。

《異域狂歡 — 香港的南看台》

日期:2023年7月3日至8月30日 

時間:11:30am – 10:00pm (每日)

地址:油麻地眾坊街3號駿發花園H2地舖Kubrick

The exhibition is accompanied by the homonymous photo book at the Kubrick bookstore.

The book contains over a hundred portraits and three essays that provide readers with different perspectives, exploring issues such as the reverse thinking inspired by the origin of rugby, the association between the phenomenon of raving fans and the meaning behind the “Carnival Culture” proposed by the former Soviet literary theorist Bakhtin, the relationship between photography and theatre and the language and thinking of photography.

A Reverlous Heterotopia -The South Stand of Hong Kong is a light-hearted, humorous collection of photographs and a photo essay presenting a different thought.

A Revelrous Heterotopia – The South Stand of Hong Kong

Date: 3 July – 30 August 2023

Time: 11:30am-10pm (Every day)

Address: Kubrick, Shop H2, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei

秦偉

出生及成長於香港。現任教於香港大學專業進修學院當代攝影深造文憑課程。早年畢業於法國米盧斯高等藝術學院,以當代西方的藝術造型表現和東方美學思維的結合,完成其修業研究。

秦偉曾多次獲頒人權新聞獎。已出版作品包括《異域狂歡》、《時間的漫遊》、《另一段的地平線》、《在天堂之下》及《板間人生》。作品獲香港大學美術博物館、香港文化博物館、法國Mulhouse市政府、阿根廷薩塔爾當代美術館(Museum of Contemporary Art of Salta,Argentina)收藏。

關於「顯影 PhotogStory」

顯影是一個關注影像及攝影師故事的平台,除了分享展覽資訊及採訪攝影師,也會從日常生活入手,重溫經典照片背後的故事,近年開始策劃攝影展覽。

Chun Wai (Hong Kong, 1958)

Born in Hong Kong and educated at the École supérieure des beaux-arts de Mulhouse in France, photographer Chun Wai’s perspective lies in his humanistic vision and macro-historical framework in interpreting the changing world. His project covered a vast area in the region, including Hong Kong. His work is full of a sorrowful yet romantic mood and reveals his personal landscape. The phantasmagorical image like a rhythm poem of a stray, is a unique work of art.

About PhotogStory

PhotogStory is an online Photography platform and Guest Curator based in Hong Kong. We focus on stories of local and international photographers and stories behind classic photos.

「顯影 」聯合策展 居港法國藝術家Elsa Jeandedieu個展《Reminiscence》

致力於推廣攝影藝術的Boogie Woogie Photography與香港攝影平台「顯影 PhotogStory」首次策劃畫作展覽,在黃竹坑畫廊The Loft攜手呈獻居港法國藝術家Elsa Jeandedieu個展《Reminiscence》,展期由2023年6月29日至7月22日。展覽現場還有法國古董藝廊Kraemer Gallery的珍藏,來自十八世紀的法國博物館級古董家具和裝飾藝術品,與現代畫作產生有趣的對比與碰撞,帶來截然不同的視覺經驗。

Boogie Woogie Photography & PhotogStory are pleased to present “Reminiscence,” a solo exhibition by Elsa Jeandedieu, a Hong Kong-based muralist and visual artist, at the Loft in Wong Chuk Hang from 29 June to 22 July 2023. The exhibition is presented together with 18th-century French museum-quality furniture and decorative art displayed by the prestigious Kraemer Gallery from Paris.

Born and raised in southern France, Elsa’s artistic journey began at a young age, experimenting with various mediums and techniques. Her passion for painting was ignited by French art history and family background, drawing inspiration from great artists – notably by the textures of French painter and sculptor Pierre Soulages or the use of colors by Mark Rothko and Piet Mondrian. Her signature style emerged as she honed her craft, a harmonious blend of vibrant hues, bold compositions, and expressive brushstrokes.


Elsa Jeandedieu, Waterfront, 2023, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography
 

Elsa成長於法國南部的藝術之家,年輕時已對繪畫深感興趣,嘗試過不同的繪畫技巧及媒介。她的繪畫靈感來自二十世紀的偉大藝術家,例如Mark Rothko和Piet Mondrian對色彩的運用,還有法國畫家和雕塑家Pierre Soulages作品的紋理,啟發她創作出充滿活力的色調及富有表現力的繪畫風格。作為一名壁畫藝術家,Elsa在香港、上海及巴黎等地的街頭、酒店、餐廳或賭場等場所創作過數以百計的作品,也受委託為CHANEL等著名品牌創作藝術品。

今年即將踏入不惑之年的她,決意翻開人生的新篇章,致力於創作能揭示內心聲音的藝術作品。顧名思義,展覽名稱《Reminiscence》是關於追憶,Elsa透過畫作邀請觀眾踏上她的回憶之旅。

Elsa has been expanding her creative talents and bringing her unique texture artworks and murals to Hong Kong, Paris, Italy, and many other places. In the past twenty years, her inspiring energy and creativity have resulted in hundreds of commissioned paintings and luxury art pieces for high-profile clients, including CHANEL and other high fashion brands. 

As she turns forty years old this year, Elsa moves on to a new chapter and dedicates herself to artworks that reveal her inner voice. Her inaugural solo exhibition Reminiscence invites us to embark on a journey through her universe. As the exhibition title demonstrates, Elsa’s painting brings the viewers to her childhood in a poetic way. 

Elsa Jeandedieu, Denim from Nîmes, 2023, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography

Elsa的繪畫植根於個人經歷,探索情感、家庭和記憶的主題。畫作中的顏色,還有石膏、銅箔和油漆等不同材料,均象徵著她童年時的不同回憶片段。在《Denim from Nîmes》這幅作品中,Nîmes正是她成長的南部城市尼姆,傳統上用來製做牛仔褲的丹寧布Denim,就是來自尼姆 (De Nîmes),在作品則以一塊塊的藍色色塊呈現。

對Elsa來說,童年是模糊而快樂的。她記憶中的少女時代,總是閃閃發光,五光十色。她曾在祖父母的船上度過很多歡樂時光,畫作中的金黃色及生鏽的痕跡,正令她想起這些回憶。

Elsa的作品抽象而充滿幾何圖案美感,她巧妙地運用色彩、紋理與獨特的構圖,營造出富有張力的畫面。她的作品不只是關於個人的記憶與情感,同時也能促使觀眾聯想起個人回憶與往事。

Elsa Jeandedieu, The Garden of the Fountain, 2023, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography

Elsa’s work is deeply rooted in personal experience, exploring love, family, and memory themes. Her extensive application of materials like plaster, copper leaf, and marine varnish reminds her of something about childhood. As Elsa recalls, each piece brings her back to a specific place she had been in her teenage years. For her, childhood is blurry yet happy. Whenever she looks back, it is always shiny and colorful. She spent a lot of time on her grandparents’ boats – the use of gold and rusty material in her paintings may be reminiscent of these memories. Elsa’s work also delves into the realm of abstraction, as she skillfully manipulates color, light, and texture to create a palpable sense of depth and tension. 

Elsa’s paintings are a testament to her excellent command of plastic art techniques at the service of a profound understanding of human emotion. With great pleasure and pride, we invite you to explore and appreciate the evocative memories captured by this remarkable French painter with what constitutes her first solo exhibition.

Reminiscence

Date: 29 June – 22 July 2023 

Time: 2-7pm (Wednesday – Saturday)

By Appointment, Info@bewephoto.com

Address: The Loft, 8/F, E. Wah Factory Building, 

56-60 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang. 

Elsa Jeandedieu by Felix Wong, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography

Elsa Jeandedieu (b. France,1983)

Elsa spent five formative years developing her craft at the prestigious Atelier Lucien Tourtoulou in Paris, where she specialised in the creation of unique textures and interior decorating for high-end clients. Looking for a new challenge, Elsa moved to Hong Kong in 2008 after being hired as Artistic Director for a local art company, where she brought her unique vision to clients in Asia. In 2015,  Elsa launched her eponymous atelier, Elsa Jeandedieu Studio, where she now heads up a team of dedicated artists. 

Elsa Jeandedieu (法國,1983)

Elsa Jeandedieu是一位居於香港的法國壁畫家和視覺藝術家,她的畫作及壁畫曾在香港、上海、巴黎、意大利等地方展出,她也為CHANEL及Victoria’s Secret創作委託作品。Elsa於2008年移居香港,並於2015年成立同名工作室Elsa Jeandedieu Studio。

關於 Boogie Woogie Photography

2016年創立的Boogie Woogie Photography專門代理攝影藝術品及舉辦展覽,立足香港、放眼亞洲,為藝廊、收藏家、機構和攝影師提供一個平台,致力於推廣攝影藝術。

關於「顯影 PhotogStory

顯影是一個關注影像及攝影師故事的平台,除了分享展覽資訊及採訪攝影師,也會從日常生活入手,重溫經典照片背後的故事,近年開始策劃攝影展覽。

About Boogie Woogie Photography 

Boogie Woogie Photography is a company founded in Hong Kong in 2016 to promote photography in Asia. The mission is to act as a platform for galleries, collectors, companies, and photographers aiming to develop photography projects in Hong Kong and Asia. 

About PhotogStory

PhotogStory is an online Photography platform and Guest Curator based in Hong Kong. We focus on stories of local and international photographers, and stories behind classic photos.

顯影聯合策展 法國五月聯展《FRENCH+》

今年是法國五月藝術節 (French May) 三十周年,藉此之際,致力於推廣攝影藝術的Boogie Woogie Photography及香港攝影平台「顯影 PhotogStory」,與有近150年歷史的巴黎古董藝廊Kraemer Gallery合作,在黃竹坑The Loft攜手呈獻攝影聯展《FRENCH+》,展出十一位法國 (或講法文) 攝影師及藝術家的作品。來自十八世紀法國的博物館級數的古董家具和裝飾藝術品,與現代攝影作品產生有趣的對比與碰撞,帶來獨特的視覺經驗。

+有加上、更多的意思,也意味著不同的可能性。FRENCH既是指法國人或法語,也象徵著與法國相關的文化、藝術和生活方式。十一位藝術家中,既有從瑞士或波蘭移居法國的攝影師,也有移居香港多年的法國攝影師,還有以法文為母語的摩納哥畫家,他們共同演繹出不一樣的「FRENCH」。

Boogie Woogie Photography與「顯影 PhotogStory」同樣專注於攝影,正如「+」所帶出的信息一樣,我們同樣期待更多的可能性。這是我們首次在畫廊展出畫作,帶來摩納哥著名表現主義畫家Philippe Pastor的作品,他的畫作結合土壤、顏料、礦物及各種植物,透過抽象而引人入勝的畫作,表達出他對環境保護的關切。另一位現居香港的法國藝術家及壁畫家Elsa Jeandedieu,則以地中海為靈感,用石膏(Plaster)及銅葉創作出圓形畫 (TONDO)。

FRENCH有法文的意思,攝影師Florence Levillain的作品,便透過幽默的影像帶出法語的魅力。法國人每天用上大量生動的法文比喻,卻很少人認真思考及探究這些詞語的由來, 例如「Avoir la tête dans les nuages」(have your head in the clouds) 的字面意思是腦袋在雲朵裡,這當然是誇張的說法,它其實是指心不在焉。攝影師為相片中的女士頭部加上一朵雲,生動地演活這個詞語,帶領觀眾探索法語比喻中的詩意和獨一無二的幽默感。

此外,FRENCH+可以解讀為多元化的攝影風格,如Sabine Weiss在1950年代拍攝的Dior迷人禮服、Willy Ronis鏡頭下的巴黎印象、Raymond Cauchetier在1950年代記錄的香港之旅,以及Thierry Cohen的超現實巴黎星空影像,他們共同代表著法國攝影文化的多元及獨特之處。

 Thierry Cohen, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography
 

FRENCH+

日期:2023年5月4日至6月3日 

時間:下午2時至7時 (星期三至六)

地址:黃竹坑道56-60號怡華工業大廈8樓 The Loft

關於 Boogie Woogie Photography

2016年創立的Boogie Woogie Photography專門代理攝影藝術品及舉辦展覽,立足香港、放眼亞洲,為藝廊、收藏家、機構和攝影師提供一個平台,致力於區內推廣攝影藝術。

關於「顯影 PhotogStory

顯影是一個關注影像及攝影師故事的平台,除了分享展覽資訊及採訪攝影師,也會從日常生活入手,重溫經典照片背後的故事,近年開始策劃攝影展覽。

Artists Profile

Bogdan Konopka (波蘭,1953-2019) 

Bogdan Konopka出生於波蘭,1970年代中期開始攝影,1989年移居法國。他的作品曾在世界各地展出,包括法國龐比度中心。Bogdan Konopka極其注重照片質素,作品大多以8 x 10吋或4 x 5吋菲林的大片幅相機拍攝,然後親自在黑房裏以「接觸印相」(Contact Prints) 的方法製成銀鹽照片,這種方式直接將菲林與相紙進行接觸印製,在相紙上以1:1的比例呈現出菲林底片上的影像,展現出不同深淺的灰階及出色的光暗效果。

Elsa Jeandedieu (法國,1983)

Elsa Jeandedieu是一位居於香港的法國壁畫家和視覺藝術家,她的畫作及壁畫曾在香港、上海、巴黎、意大利等地方展出,她也為CHANEL及Victoria’s Secret創作委託作品。Elsa於2008年移居香港,並於2015年成立同名工作室Elsa Jeandedieu Studio。

Florence Levillain (法國,1970)

1994年,Florence Levillain開始她的獨立攝影師生涯,曾為《Le Monde》及《Paris Match》等報章雜誌拍攝社會問題的報道,最新作品《au pied de la lettre》將語帶雙關的法國詞語,變成一系列充滿超現實風格的影像,以提高人們對法語隱喻的抒情性和幽默感的認識。

Isabelle Boccon-Gibod (法國,1968) 

Isabelle Boccon-Gibod是一名工程師,曾就讀於巴黎中央理工學院和紐約哥倫比亞大學。她的職業生涯融合藝術和工業,最初從事拼貼和裝置藝術創作,二十年前她選擇以攝影作為主要創作媒介。她的作品屬於專題式創作,如巴黎橋底風景 (Paris Under The Bridges)、建築物空間 (南法小鎮的E1027別墅) 等。她現於法國巴黎生活和工作,作品被巴黎龐比度藝術中心收藏。

Jacques Henri Lartigue (法國,1894-1986) 

Jacques Henri Lartigue七歲時已拿起相機拍攝,長大後他成為畫家,反而攝影一直是業餘興趣,以輕鬆手法拍攝家人與朋友玩樂的動感畫面。作為金融大亨後代,他的生活過得富裕無憂,看他早期拍攝的照片,不是拍攝汽車、飛機,就是穿著時髦的女人,記錄上世紀初法國「Belle Époque」的美好年代。他原本在攝影圈一直默默無聞,直至1963年現代藝術博物館(MoMA)為他舉辦個展,當年《Life》雜誌也刊登過許多他的攝影作品,令這位大器晚成的攝影師一時間炙手可熱。

Patrice Bodenand (法國,1958)

Patrice Bodenand出生於法國,他的職業生涯始於紡織業,這讓他有機會前往不同國家體驗不同文化。Patrice於2000年移居香港,旅居過毛里求斯島和中國青島後,然後返回香港。對Patrice而言,視攝影為一種簡單而安心的交流方式。

Philippe Pastor (摩納哥,1961)

Philippe Pastor的作品在摩納哥和西班牙兩地創作。致力於環境保護的他,透過作品發展出一種獨特的自然觀,藉此詮釋人類與地球的互動。自1990年以來,Philippe Pastor的作品在威尼斯雙年展上得到認可,並在世界各地展出,也是2015年米蘭世博會摩納哥館的藝術家。

Raymond Cauchetier (法國,1920-2021)

Raymond Cauchetier是法國新浪潮電影劇照攝影師,1951年,他隨法國空軍到胡志明市 (舊稱西貢) 服役,當時正值第一次印度支那戰爭,他拍攝空軍的行動以及戰役,為此還得到戴高樂將軍的褒獎。1954年戰爭結束後,他展開遊覽東南亞的旅程,在香港、澳門、越南、柬埔寨、老撾及日本等地拍攝當地的風土民情,在他的舊香港照片中,可見人來人往、掛滿招牌的街道。

Sabine Weiss, Chez Dior, Paris, 1958 Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography

Sabine Weiss (瑞士,1924-2021)

Sabine Weiss年少時已熱愛攝影,十八歲成為攝影師。1945年,她在日內瓦開設攝影室,開始拍攝人像及廣告攝影。1952年,她認識法國著名攝影師Robert Doisneau,並在其幫助下加入Rapho攝影通訊社,與Willy Ronis等人成為二戰後法國「人文攝影」(Humanist Photography)的代表人物,為1950及1960年代的巴黎留下許多精采的黑白影像。 她曾是《VOGUE》雜誌攝影師,也為許多文化界大人物拍攝肖像。在攝影工作以外,她喜歡在閒暇時漫遊巴黎街頭,隨性捕捉一般人的生活點滴,令人感受生活的樂趣。

Thierry Cohen (法國,1963)

Thierry Cohen自1980年代成為攝影師,2010年開始其攝影計劃《Darkened Cities》,將在撒哈拉沙漠、阿塔卡瑪沙漠等地區拍攝的星空,結合紐約、倫敦、香港、上海等城市的夜景,創作成壯觀的影像。他的作品被私人和公共機構收藏,並定期在紐約、洛杉磯和巴黎展出。

Willy Ronis (法國,1910-2009)

1935年,Willy Ronis向法國報章《L’Humanité》出售第一張照片後,正式成爲一名攝影記者。他天生的好奇心使其作品突破傳統新聞通訊攝影的框框,成爲別樹一幟的獨立攝影師。他的攝影主題廣泛,涵蓋時尚、名人肖像、街頭和文化報導等。他是首位為美國《LIFE》雜誌拍攝的法國攝影師,與Robert Capa和David Seymour等攝影師一同躋身當時的藝術圈子。

「顯影」聯合策展《On The Road》 十五位攝影師的旅途影像

致力於推廣攝影藝術的Boogie Woogie Photography與香港攝影平台「顯影 PhotogStory」在黃竹坑The Loft攜手呈獻攝影聯展《On The Road》,展期由2023年3月18日至4月29日。值此之際,我們很高興宣布與法國古董藝廊Kraemer Gallery合作,在畫廊展出十八世紀的傢俬及藝術品,古董裝飾品與現代攝影作品的碰撞與對比,也帶來截然不同的視覺經驗。

展覽名稱來自美國作家Jack Kerouac在1957年的同名小說《On The Road》,故事講述幾位年輕男女在穿州過省的旅途中,一邊狂歡、一邊尋找自我,在一次次的公路旅途中,探索生命與心靈的自由,正如作者在書中所說:「Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.」。展覽展出十五位香港及國際攝影家的作品,包括Raymond Cauchetier、Takeshi Shikama及Roger Ballen等著名攝影師在旅途中拍攝的影像,攝影師們在旅途中的一次次快門聲中,捕捉眼前的事物,也探索內心世界。

Roger Ballen, Motorcyclists, Woodstock, 1969, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography

小說中年輕男女的人生哲學是活得自由奔放,在同名電影中也時常可見主角們在公路上開車的畫面,汽車某程度上是帶領他們前往自由世界、追尋自我的工具。攝影師Roger Ballen鏡頭下的年輕人,也有相似之處,他們同樣追逐屬於自己的人生方式,在1969年著名的胡士托音樂節現場,當時是大學生的Roger Ballen只有十九歲, 不只享受音樂,也記錄這個壯觀的音樂節。人們沉浸在音樂與無拘無束的氛圍下,他的鏡頭還捕捉了一群鐵騎士坐在貼有「Woodstock」字樣的汽車上,他們的穿著與電單車,均反映那個時代年輕人追求自由的想法。


Stephanie Cheng, From Here (Highway Stop), 2018, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography

故事中的浪蕩世代從駕車前往美國西部,在攝影世界中,這裏也是很多攝影師的靈感,Richard Avedon在美國西部創作著名人像系列作品《In The American West》。在展覽作品中,法國攝影師Raymond Cauchetier在1950年代前往美國,拍攝一幅在三藩市金門大橋行駛的汽車;攝影師Stephanie Cheng在加州高速公路邊拍攝一幅摯友與汽車的照片,見證她們精采的美國公路之旅。

2018年春天,法國攝影師Isabelle Boccon-Gibod前往美國西部太陽城探望朋友,當地的住宅社區居住滿五千多戶,嚴格的規定令攝影師產生憂慮,而她正是透過拍攝旅途中的太陽與公路,藉著玩樂的方式式消除焦慮。

Willy Ronis, Place de la Concorde, 1952, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography
 

在小說出版的1950年代,遠在太平洋另一端的香港,攝影師鍾文略開始攝影,他拍攝的街頭照片中可見有不少汽車, 還有後來邱良及日本攝影師志鎌猛的影像,他們拍攝的旅途中的照片,都呈現出不一樣的香港印象。

此外,在波蘭攝影師Bogdan Konopka鏡頭下的樂斯拉夫(Wrocław) 街頭,一架破爛的汽車呈現出一絲荒涼之感;法國攝影師Willy Ronis的巴黎街頭、Sabine Weiss鏡頭下的香榭麗舍大道,黑白照片中也不難發現汽車,還有Jacques Henri Lartigue在1913年拍攝的法國大獎賽賽車等,每個人都有屬於自己的「On The Road」故事。

《On The Road》

日期:2023年3月18日至4月29日(4月5-8日休息)

時間:下午2時至7時 (星期三至六)

地址:黃竹坑道56-60號怡華工業大廈8樓 The Loft


James Chung, Hong Kong, 1965, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography
 

關於 Boogie Woogie Photography

2016年創立的Boogie Woogie Photography專門代理攝影藝術品及舉辦展覽,立足香港、放眼亞洲,為藝廊、收藏家、機構和攝影師提供一個平台,致力於區內推廣攝影藝術。

關於「顯影 PhotogStory

顯影是一個關注影像及攝影師故事的平台,除了分享展覽資訊及採訪攝影師,也會從日常生活入手,重溫經典照片背後的故事,近年開始策劃攝影展覽。

Artists Profile 

Jacques Henri Lartigue (法國,1894-1986) 

Jacques-Henri Lartigue七歲時已拿起相機拍攝,長大後他成為畫家,反而攝影一直是業餘興趣,以輕鬆的手法拍攝家人與朋友玩樂的動感畫面。作為金融大亨後代,他的生活過得富裕無憂,看他早期拍攝的照片,不是拍攝汽車、飛機,就是穿著時髦的女人,記錄上世紀初法國「Belle Époque」的美好年代。他原本在攝影圈一直默默無聞,直至1963年現代藝術博物館(MoMA)為他舉辦個展,當年《Life》雜誌也刊登過許多他的攝影作品,令這位大器晚成的攝影師一時間炙手可熱。

Willy Ronis (法國,1910-2009)

1935年,Willy Ronis向法國報章《 L’Humanité》出售第一張照片後,正式成爲一名攝影記者。他天生的好奇心使其作品突破傳統新聞通訊攝影的框框,成爲別樹一幟的獨立攝影師。他的攝影主題廣泛,涵蓋時尚、名人肖像、街頭掠影和文化報導等。他是首位為美國《LIFE》雜誌拍攝的法國攝影師,與Robert Capa和David Seymour等攝影師一同躋身當時的藝術圈子。

Raymond Cauchetier (法國,1920-2021)

Raymond Cauchetier是法國新浪潮電影劇照攝影師,1951年,他隨法國空軍到胡志明市 (舊稱西貢) 服役,當時正值第一次印度支那戰爭,他拍攝空軍的行動以及戰役,為此還得到戴高樂將軍的褒獎。1954年戰爭結束後,他展開遊覽東南亞的旅程,在香港、澳門、越南、柬埔寨、老撾及日本等地拍攝當地的風土民情,在他的舊香港照片中,可見人來人往、掛滿招牌的街道。

Sabine Weiss (瑞士,1924-2021)

Sabine Weiss年少時已熱愛攝影,十八歲開始成為攝影師。1945年,她在日內瓦開設攝影室,開始拍攝人像及廣告攝影。1952年,她認識法國著名攝影師Robert Doisneau,並在其幫助下加入Rapho攝影通訊社,與Willy Ronis等人成為二戰後法國「人文攝影」(Humanist Photography)的代表人物,為1950及1960年代的巴黎留下許多精采的黑白影像。 她曾是《VOGUE》雜誌攝影師,也為許多文化界大人物拍攝肖像。在攝影工作以外,她喜歡在閒暇時漫遊巴黎街頭,隨性捕捉一般人的生活點滴,令人感受生活的樂趣。

鍾文略 (香港,1925-2018)

1947年,鍾文略從廣東新會來港,在戲院當美術廣告畫學徒。1957年,他開始買下第一部相機,自學成才的他從此遊走在香港不同地區拍攝,記錄下當時的香港面貌。1963年,在李翰祥導演介紹下,鍾文略轉職到電懋影業公司,拍攝電影劇照及明星肖像,為那一代電影人留下重要的視覺回憶。1968年創辦影樓,從事攝影及沖印業務,1970年代開始減少在街頭拍攝,直至1991年退休,人生最精彩的三十多年,攝影可謂一直形影不離。

何藩 (香港,1931-2016)

生於上海、1949年移居香港,何藩被譽為「東方布列松」、光影魔術師,他對光影十分講究, 作品構圖鮮明,獨特的光影營造出或戲劇感或詩意美感。他拍攝的市井百態照片,充滿人文氣息,記錄那年代香港人的艱苦和堅韌。何藩作品被M+博物館、香港文化博物館、美國三藩市現代藝術博物館等機構收藏。

邱良 (香港,1941-1997)

邱良一生從事攝影相關工作,1965年至1970年曾擔任國泰機構香港電影有限公司的攝影師,之後在邵氏旗下的《南國電影》月刊擔任攝影師,為明星名人拍攝肖像,包括李小龍與兒子鍛練的畫面等。1973年創辦《攝影生活》月刊,可惜只維持數年時間,由1980年一直至1997年離世前夕,他在復刊的《攝影藝術》雜誌擔任總編輯,為推廣攝影藝術不遺餘力。

志鎌猛 (日本,1948)

志鎌猛對森林及花草樹木情有獨鍾,將對大自然的感性與敬畏,定格在黑白菲林裏,作品瀰漫著靜謐與禪意。他喜歡在森林漫遊,感受大自然的生命力,並以大片幅相機拍攝照片,再以古典的鉑鈀印相工藝將相片曬在日本手造紙上,創作過程對他而言也是一種沉澱。

Roger Ballen (美國,1950)

Roger Ballen是二十一世紀最具影響力和最重要的攝影藝術家之一,攝影生涯跨越四十年,他的標誌性作品是在南非拍攝的怪誕風格人像,畫面中的氛圍詭譎不安,視覺效果非常震撼。2022年,他是代表南非參加第五十九屆意大利威尼斯雙年展的三位藝術家之一。

Bogdan Konopka (波蘭,1953-2019) 

Bogdan Konopka出生於波蘭,1970年代中期開始攝影,1989年移居法國。他的作品曾在世界各地展出,包括法國龐比度中心。Bogdan Konopka極其注重照片質素,作品大多以8 x 10吋或4 x 5吋菲林的大片幅相機拍攝,然後親自在黑房裏以「接觸印相」(Contact Prints) 的方法製成銀鹽照片,這種方式直接將菲林與相紙進行接觸印製,在相紙上以1:1的比例呈現出菲林底片上的影像,展現出不同深淺的灰階及出色的光暗效果。

Rensis Ho (香港,1964) 

何耀燊,本地著名攝影師,在紐約攻讀金融,及後入讀 Fashion Institute of Technology主修攝影,回港後從事攝影工作超過二十五年。何氏擅長靜物和人像攝影,曾拍攝無數中外時尚名人紅星,包括Kate Moss、Isabella Rossellini、Chloe Sevigny、Marc Jacobs、Nigo、坂本龍一、梅艷芳、郭富城、舒淇等。

Stephen King (美國,1966)

Stephen King是一位屢獲殊榮的攝影師,以拍攝自然和城市景觀而為人所認識,作品受中國水墨和美國抽象表現主義繪畫所影響。作為一名周遊列國的世界旅行者,他過去幾年大部分時間都在香港度過,藉此探索香港的城市環境。

Isabelle Boccon-Gibod (法國,1968) 

Isabelle Boccon-Gibod是一名工程師,曾就讀於巴黎中央理工學院和紐約哥倫比亞大學。她的職業生涯融合藝術和工業,最初從事拼貼和裝置藝術創作,二十年前她選擇以攝影作為主要創作媒介。她的作品屬於專題式創作,如巴黎橋底風景(Paris Under The Bridges)、建築物空間(南法小鎮的E1027別墅)等。她現於法國巴黎生活和工作,作品被巴黎龐比度藝術中心收藏。

Risa Tsunegi (日本,1982) 

Risa Tsunegi在倫敦藝術大學的藝術與設計學院學習繪畫,2009年在格拉斯哥藝術學院完成藝術碩士學位。她的創作包括繪畫、雕塑與裝置,靈感來自日常物件及特定的場所,結合看似無關的影像,創作出獨特的作品。

Stephanie Cheng (美國,1995) 

Stephanie Cheng 是一位常駐紐約和北京的攝影師和電影製作人,畢業於紐約大學帝勢藝術學院的電影及電視專業,並獲得牛津大學碩士學位(Visual, Museum, and Material Anthropology)。她的作品審視女權主義和種族中的跨文化維度,同時繼續探索青年女性、性和權力的表現形式。她的視覺敘事不僅試圖反映我們生活的世界,而且還想像一個完全不同的世界。 

On The Road, A Group Exhibition Featuring 15 Photographers’ Journey Images

Boogie Woogie Photography & PhotogStory are pleased to present “On The Road,”   a group exhibition at the Loft in Wong Chuk Hang from 18th March to 29th April 2023. 

On this occasion, we are pleased to announce the collaboration with Kraemer Gallery, with notably, on show and available for sale, 18th-century antiques and artwork that provide a contrasting yet harmonious visual backdrop to the more modern photographic prints on display.

The exhibition title comes from American writer Jack Kerouac’s novel “On The Road” published in 1957. As the narrator says in the book: “Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.” The story depicts several youngsters setting out for road trips in the United States. They are immersed in a hedonistic atmosphere and pursue the freedom of life and soul while traveling across America.

Roger Ballen, Motorcyclists, Woodstock, 1969, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography
 

The exhibition comprises fifteen Hong Kong and international photographers’ artworks about their journey, including Raymond Cauchetier and Roger Ballen’s road trip images. These pictures are reminiscent of Jack Kerouac’s novel, which demonstrates people’s lifestyles through various photographers’ perspectives. The photographers also explore their inner world through the journey and lens.

Sal Paradise, the main narrator in the book, is admired for his friend Dean Moriarty’s carefree attitude and sense of adventure. They often drive on the road and experience the joys and struggles encountered along the way. To a certain extent, a car is a tool leading them to their journey of self-exploration. The young men under Roger Ballen’s lens have similarities.

The famous Woodstock Music Festival remains a symbol of the counterculture movement of the 1960s. The 19-year-old college student Roger Ballen not only enjoyed music but also documented this spectacular festival on the spot. People were immersed in music with unrestrained joy. He captured a group of motorcyclists sitting on a car, and their dress and motorbikes reflected the young people’s pursuit of alternative and venturesome spirit in that era.

The road trips advance the novel’s plot. It also inspired many photographers in their works, such as Richard Avedon’s portrait series “In The American West.” As the pictures displayed in the exhibition, Raymond Cauchetier captured cars driving on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Stephanie Cheng took an intimate portrait with an automobile parked on a California highway, which witnessed an incredible American road journey with her close friend. 

In the spring of 2018, French photographer Isabelle Boccon-Gibod visited friends in Sun City, a residential community of 5,000 households with strict regulations, which triggered her anxiety. The instant film images of the sun and the road she took during the journey relieved her stress.

James Chung, Hong Kong, 1965, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography

Jack Kerouac published his novel in 1957. By coincidence, photographer James Chung bought his first camera almost simultaneously. The cars in the street are noticeable in his images, which can be seen in Yau Leung’s pictures in the 1960s &1970s. Their photos demonstrate a different impression of old Hong Kong. 

In addition, Polish photographer Bogdan Konopka captured a dilapidated car on the streets of Wrocław, which presents a sense of desolation. Under the lens of French photographers Willy Ronis and Sabine Weiss, the black and white photos show a vehicle parked on Paris street and Champs Elysees. The readers will be impressed by Jacques Henri Lartigue’s image in the 1910s, in which he captured a speeding race car in the Grand Prix of the Automobile Club of France. With all the pictures which are displayed, everyone has their own “On The Road” story.

On The Road 

Date: 18 March – 29 April 2023(Closed on April 5-8) 

Time: 2-7pm (Wednesday – Saturday)

Address: The Loft, 8/F, E. Wah Factory Building, 

56-60 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang. 

Raymond Cauchetier, Golden Gate Bridge, 1954, Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography

About Boogie Woogie Photography 

Boogie Woogie Photography is a company founded in Hong Kong in 2016 to promote photography in Asia. The mission is to act as a platform for galleries, collectors, companies, and photographers aiming to develop photography projects in Hong Kong and Asia. 

About PhotogStory

PhotogStory is an online Photography platform and Guest Curator based in Hong Kong. We focus on stories of local and international photographers, and stories behind classic photos.

Artists Profile

Jacques Henri Lartigue (France, 1894-1986) 

Known for dynamic photographs of car races and fashionable ladies, Lartigue made a decisive departure from the stiff formality that characterized early photography to capture joyful, carefree scenes of bourgeois leisure. Born into affluence, he documented the excitement of the final years of the Belle Epoque with a gimlet eye and photographed the wealthy vacationers on the French Riviera from the 1920s through the 1960s. Lartigue’s work was underappreciated until the Museum of Modern Art exhibited his photographs in 1963.

Willy Ronis (France, 1910-2009)

After selling his first photograph to the newspaper L’Humanité in 1935, Willy Ronis worked as a press photographer. Ronis always linked his personal experience to his work, which also developed and grew through contact with friends and family: portraits of Marie-Anne, his wife (including the famous Nu provençal), his son Vincent, his cats, his friends (Capa) and personalities he met (Sartre, Prévert, Brassaï, etc.) express the same poetics of the universal as the rest of his work. 

Raymond Cauchetier (France, 1920-2021)

Raymond Cauchetier was the most famous photographer of French New Wave cinema. His first photographs were taken in his thirties while serving in the French Air Force press corps in Indochina. Cauchetier traveled through Hong Kong in 1954 and stayed for one week. He left a bouquet of memories, a little yellowed but always authentic. 

Sabine Weiss (Switzerland, 1924-2021) 

Sabine Weiss decided to become a photographer when she was eighteen, during a time when being a photographer was not a common profession, especially for a woman. Sabine Weiss apprenticed under photographers Frédéric Boissonnas and Willy Maywald, and Vogue hired her as a photo reporter and fashion photographer in 1952. Robert Doisneau discovered her photography and asked her to join the humanist-leaning photo agency Rapho, allowing her to work and travel for many other publications such as Time, Life, Newsweek, and Paris-Match.

James Chung (Hong Kong, 1925-2018)

James Chung embarked on his journey in photography in 1957 when he acquired his first Rolleicord. Entirely self-taught, he became a full-time movie-still photographer in 1963. James started his studio in North Point In 1968, focusing on portraits for commercials and print enlargement. His achievements in photography were further recognized by the Honorary Fellowship from the Photographic Society of Hong Kong and Fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain later. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum collects his works.

Fan Ho (Hong Kong, 1931-2016)

Dubbed the “Cartier-Bresson of the East”, Fan Ho patiently always waited for the decisive moment. His images are often a collision of the unexpected, framed against a very clever composed background of geometrical construction, patterns, and texture. He often created drama and atmosphere with backlit effects or through the combination of smoke and light. His favorite locations were the streets, alleys, and markets around dusk or life on the sea. His works were in many private and public collections, including the M+ Museum & the Heritage Museum in Hong Kong, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in the USA, and many more.

Yau Leung (Hong Kong, 1941-1997)

Yau Leung is one of Hong Kong’s most accomplished documentary photographers. During his lifetime, he worked for various magazines and publications. He was a photographer at Cathay Organisation (Hong Kong) from 1965 to 1970. In 1971, he worked for Shaw Brothers Studio’s film magazine Southern Screen. Yau Leung edited and published several books on his images, including Lu Feng Stories (1992), Growing Up in Hong Kong (1994), and City Vibrance: Hong Kong (1997).

Takeshi Shikama (Japan, 1948)

Takeshi Shikama’s life ambition is to capture the “invisible” world that lingers beyond the visible world of the trees. Each photograph is hand-printed by Takeshi Shikama, using the ancient platinum/palladium technique, considered the highest quality in black and white photographic printing. The Japanese Gampi paper on which he prints is a handmade UNESCO national treasure. It requires a great deal of time and manual labor, which reflects the intimacy Shikama has with his subject matter.

Roger Ballen (The United States, 1950)

Roger Ballen’s photographs span over forty years, and he is one of the most influential and important photographic artists of the 21st century. His strange and extreme works confront the viewer and challenge them to come with him on a journey into their minds as he explores the deeper recesses of his own. Roger Ballen is one of the artists representing South Africa at the Venice Biennale 2022 in Italy.

Bogdan Konopka (Poland, 1953-2019) 

Born in Poland and living in Paris, Bogdan Konopka was a travel photographer. From Europe to China, Konopka has been taking photographs of cities he visits or lives. Whether the subjects are a fragment of nature or an interior space, Konopka’s images are immediately recognizable. Using large format or pinhole cameras, Konopka pays close attention to the quality of his photographs. His hand-made gelatin silver prints on chlorobromide paper are mostly contact prints, which have the same size as the original negative to achieve perfection. Konopka’s work is in many collections, such as Musée National d’Art Moderne and Centre Georges Pompidou.

Rensis Ho (Hong Kong, 1964)

Rensis Ho, a well-known Hong Kong photographer, studied finance in New York and then majored in photography at the Fashion Institute of Technology. After returning to Hong Kong in the 1990s, he has been engaged in photography for more than 25 years. Rensis is particularly noted for still life and portrait photography and has photographed numerous celebrities, including Kate Moss, Chloe Sevigny, Marc Jacobs, Sakamoto Ryuichi, Anita Mui, etc.

Stephen King (The United States, 1966)

Stephen is an award-winning photographer based in Hong Kong, known for his painterly and carefully composed depictions of the natural and urban landscape. A product of two cultures, Stephen points to his love of Chinese ink and American Abstract Expressionist painting as influences that help inform his aesthetic. Ordinarily an intrepid world traveler, due to the pandemic, Stephen has spent much of the last few years in Hong Kong, exploring the colors and light in Hong Kong’s urban environment.

Isabelle Boccon-Gibod (Paris, France, 1968) 

Isabelle Boccon-Gibod was trained as Engineer in France (Ecole Centrale Paris) and the U.S. (Columbia University, NY). Her life has mixed art and industry throughout her career. Having first worked on collages and installations, she elected photography twenty years ago as her core medium. She attended the Photography School of Brussels, Belgium. Her work is project-based, photography offering the means and the pretext to explore specific territories. She likes to employ ad-hoc techniques. She lives and works in Paris, France. Her work is collected by Centre Pompidou, Paris.

Risa Tsunegi (Japan, 1982) 

Risa Tsunegi studied painting at Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London, and completed an MFA at Glasgow School of Art in 2009. She creates sculptures and installations that combine seemingly unrelated images inspired by tools and actions in specific environments, such as farming, theatre, or on trains. By using objects such as golf clubs, hanging straps, and wardrobes, which encourage specific movements depending on how they are used, she aims to work gently on the audience’s body through her works. 

Stephanie Cheng (b.1995, Virginia, U.S.A.) 

Stephanie Cheng is a photographer and filmmaker based in New York and Beijing. Her work examines cross-cultural dimensions within feminism and race, as she continues to explore the evolving representation of female youth, sexuality, and power across many genres. Her visual narratives not only seek to reflect the world we live in but also to imagine an entirely different one. Stephanie received her B.F.A. in Film and Television from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She completed her Master’s in Visual, Museum, and Material Anthropology at the University of Oxford.