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Family Snaps: Photography in Southeast Asia
Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural Centre + Kantary Hills Hotel, 7 to 14 Nov 2014
Featuring the works of Maika Elan (Hanoi), Nge Lay (Yangon), Vuth Lyno (Phnom Penh), Minstrel Kuik (Kuala Lumpur) and Sean Lee (Singapore)
Curated by Zhuang Wubin
In Southeast Asia, some of the most affecting work involving photography concerns the family. There are at least two prevailing approaches here. One involves the artist working with her or his family members in a collaborative process to create imageries. The other uses the family as a discursive site to explore personal and social issues.
In this exhibition, I have selected five artists who unravel the theme in different ways. Stemming from this intention, the exhibition also registers some of the artistic strategies adopted by practitioners today. I see their approaches as embedded in the milieus that they operate, shaped by ideas and visuals that circulate locally and globally, and marked by personal desires and creative decisions in their practices. I reject the reductive idea propagated by some art historians, curators and artists that the act of taking a snap is naïve, as though the photographer does this mindlessly in an ideatic vacuum.
The five bodies of work selected here stem from a “world-making” intent. I relate this with the intention of the artists in wanting to make the experiences of art making as fulfilling and real for themselves and their collaborators.
The exhibited projects include Maika Elan’s Like My Father (2013), Nge Lay’s The Relevancy of Restricted Things (2010), Sean Lee’s Two People (2010- ), Vuth Lyno’s Thoamada II (2013) and Minstrel Kuik’s Mer.rily, Mer.rily, Mer.rily, Mer.rily (2008-13).
Setting up the exhibition
5 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai
The setting up of the show has been assisted by the undergrad students from the photography division of Chiang Mai University. 5 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai
The setting up of the show has been assisted by the undergrad students from the photography division of Chiang Mai University. 5 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai
The reason for having the “Family Snaps: Photography from Southeast Asia” exhibition is to coincide with Chiang Mai University hosting the 2nd ASEAN+3 Rectors’ Conference. The conference takes place at Kantary Hills Hotel. While the main exhibition takes place at Chiang Mai City Arts and Culture Centre from 7 to 14 November 2014, a selection of Vietnamese photographer Maika Elan’s work is shown at the hotel.
5 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai
A selection of Vietnamese photographer Maika Elan’s work is shown at Kantary Hills Hotel. 6 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand 6 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand 6 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand
To set up the show, we have the help of the undergrad students and staff from the photography department at Chiang Mai University, working together with the installation team of the venue. 6 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand 6 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand
6 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand
This is the view of Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural Centre at night. 6 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand
“Like My Father” (2013) / Maika Elan 6 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand
“Two People” (2010- ) / Sean Lee 7 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand
“Mer.rily, Mer.rily, Mer.rily, Mer.rily” (2008-13) / Minstrel Kuik 6 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand
“Mer.rily, Mer.rily, Mer.rily, Mer.rily” (2008-13) / Minstrel Kuik 7 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand 7 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand
“The Relevancy of Restricted Things” (2010) / Nge Lay 6 Nov 2014 / Chiang Mai, Thailand
“Thoamada II” (2013) / Vuth Lyno
Opening ceremony on 7 Nov 2014
Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University
Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University
Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University
Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University
Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University Academics and researchers related to the Center for ASEAN Studies visit the exhibition.
Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University Sean Lee presents his first monograph “Shauna” to Aj Kan Ta.
Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University Courtesy Pop and Chiang Mai University
Exhibition catalogue / Edition of 150