My Exhibit in China

Ok, I missed my own exhibit opening in China.. But Chirs Lay was kind enough to send me the link and info. So here it is...

http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2008-02/21/content_67937.htm

Photos bridge the gap between artists

(C) A girl on the street in Mongkok, Hong Kong, by Berton Chang.

(R) A young girl in the Chong Kneas floating village near Siem Reap in Cambodia by Ivy Lam.

(R) Ivy Lam, Christopher Lay, and Berton Chang. Photos by Jesse Warren

(L) Christopher Lay and his friends in Triple J Cafe

A man on the street in NYC by Berton Chang.

(Far left) On the street along the Drum Tower, Beijing, by Christopher Lay.

Country road in middle America by Ohm Phanphiroj.Wang Jiexi

CONTRARY to popular belief, Shenzhen is not quite the cultural and artistic desert that many people seem to think. Proof of this can be found not only in the city’s many museums, but also in a tiny café, tucked away in a quiet corner of Dongmen’s Culture Park. Every week, the walls of Triple J Café are adorned with the works of various artists, with a special emphasis on photography.

This past Sunday saw the opening of a new exhibition by members of the Hong Kong-based Alive Not Dead community, a social networking Web site for artists and their fans. The exhibition brings together the works of four photographers from around the world under the theme of “On the Street.”

“The topic came about organically as submissions came pouring in,” said Christopher Lay, a U.S. expat from Oregon who curated the event.

Lay, who works for the non-profit agency Foundation for Global Leadership, has been living in Shenzhen for three years. He is one of the featured photographers at the exhibition, along with three others.

Having taken pictures ever since he was 10 years old, Lay has been a freelance photographer for 15 years. His works had been exhibited in numerous galleries, and he was formerly the assistant curator with the Department of Holy Sites in Israel. With this experience under his belt, it was only natural for him to organize a photographic exhibition for fellow artists.

Photojournalism and travel are Lay’s primary photographic interests. His travels have taken him all over Asia, but he is especially enamored with Cambodia and Japan. “The spirit of the people (there), their openness and friendliness, that’s really refreshing,” he said. He has also traveled extensively in China, with his favorite locations being Yunnan and Guizhou. It’s the second time he has been featured at the Triple J Café.

Ivy Lam is another photographer whose work is featured in the exhibition. An American-born Chinese now living in Hong Kong with her husband, she has been taking pictures for four years and working as a freelance photographer for the past year. It’s the first time her photos have been featured in an exhibition. Her story showcases, in Lay’s words, “how hard it is to get wall space for photographers.”

Lam lived in New York City for two years before coming to Hong Kong. She didn’t realize there was much to Shenzhen beyond Luohu Commercial City. But on attending the opening of the exhibition, she got the impression that “there’s definitely talent out there, whether it’s hidden or already discovered.” Her photograph of a child in Cambodia drew much praise on the opening night.

Berton Chang, another American-born Chinese also living in Hong Kong, is another photographer featured in the exhibition. With little experience in Shenzhen, he said he was surprised to see such a large group of foreigners in Shenzhen on the exhibition’s opening night.

Chang graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute and immediately went to Hong Kong to work as a freelance photographer. He finds the artistic environment of both places to be quite different, with the Hong Kong photo industry being very commercial and failing to nurture creativity. A photographer since the age of 16, Chang has been published in WIRED and Fortune magazines, The Financial Times, and MTV Asia.

Ohm Phanphiroj, a young professor at the University of Thailand and freelance photographer from Thailand, rounds out the quartet of photographers featured in the exhibition. Whereas most of the exhibition portrays street scenes in Asia, his work portrays rural scenes from midland America. Regarding the images, he says: “It’s my take on understanding American people from an outsider’s perspective by looking at their landscape.”

Phanphiroj, an award-winning photographer with a special interest in fashion and men’s photography, has done work for Levi’s, DKNY, Armani Exchange, and has eight books to his name.

On future aspirations, he says: “I want to continue taking pictures, pictures that mean something to me, pictures that are evidence of my existence, traveling, seeing, living, and being.” Although Phanphiroj has never been to China and was unable to attend the event, he says, “If you want to know me, look at my pictures. My story exists in each and every picture I take.”

Ellie Lau, owner of Triple J Café, opened the coffee shop with the arts in mind. The current exhibition reflects her vision to bridge the gap between local and overseas artists, as the ongoing series of exhibitions reflects her support for local artists.

“Shenzhen artists are creative and energetic, and they have many new ideas, they want to do something different. I know artists need space to show the people, and what I am doing is providing a space. I really want to support more local artists and I hope they can bring more ideas and can have a chance to communicate with artists from other places,” she said.

The “On the Street” photographic exhibition will continue until Saturday, Feb. 29. After that, more exhibitions will decorate the walls of the café. Every Sunday night sees the opening of an exhibition with a party to celebrate the artists and their works. As it turns out, the arts are alive and well in Shenzhen.

For more information on coming events, visit http://triplej.wordpress.com.cn

Artist Web sites:

http://www.alivenotdead.com/chrislay

http://www.alivenotdead.com/ivylam

http://www.alivenotdead.com/bertonchang

http://www.alivenotdead.com/ohmphanphiroj--------文章部分结束--------

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