NEWS

2012 Mentorship Program Finalists

This year, I’ve chosen Carrie Lam (Singapore), Dana Meirson (Israel) and Lim Yaohui (Singapore) to be in my mentor program. Looking forward to our first conversation.

Here are some of their work.

Carrie Lam

Line of Connection

This series is a photographic essay that interrogates the relationship between photography, memory and documentary. It is a progress that observes the past through the present and the present through the past leading to the eventual merger of the past and present.

It begins by revisiting memories and going back to my mother’s childhood place. I wish to turn memories into a lived and shared visual experience through my lens. I believe photographs serve to construct a sense of personal histories that become reworked through their transmission to stranger.

However as time passes visiting past memories is not enough for me, moving on to creating memories and documenting what is happening around serves a greater purpose in my life. Thus I progress to document daily life and to explore the relationship between my mum and me.

Drawn to the multi-panel panoramas of compositing, my images consist of photographing each frame and connecting them in triptych, it is almost like telling a story which comes in hand in hand with what I want to share. Having each photograph connect to the other through a line of perspective, yet stitching them up doesn’t fits entirely. It is this line of perspective that guides the viewers through each photograph and the line that symbolizes the connection between relationship and the past and present.

Dana Meirson

art is more of a quality then a profession.

the way you look at things, the immediate interpretation you give to them.

the allegories you choose in order to pronounce yourself, your dreams

Lim Yaohui, http://www.yaohui.sg

He had a stroke in 2008. I wish I could be his shadow, watching his every step. I do not wish to see him fall or collapse on the floor again.

My father.

 

2011 Mentorship Program – Competition

Debbie Tea
http://debbietea.com/

Congratulations to Debbie for emerging as the winner. I want to mention here that it’s a marginal win as the votes were divided among the mentees, and Alecia is a close second.

The public vote winner is Ping, whose vote was submitted on Sept 15 @ 5.10pm. Winner will be contacted via email in the next two weeks. Names that were excluded from the draw are those who were late or voted for more than one person.

I would like to thank Aeli, Amelia, Cindy, Gwen & Jae for reviewing the works and also the public for supporting this competition.

 

2011 Mentorship Program – Testimonies

During the course of the Mentorship’s candid conversations and email exchanges, I am humbled and inspired by Clang’s willingness to share.

His heart truly knows no boundaries. I have learned well through his openness and honesty.

Clang’s acute observations and advice have aided me vastly in my work and thought processes. These ideas will continue to influence and guide me, I’m sure, in ways I do not always expect. His lessons are always simple yet far-reaching. He possesses the ability to immerse himself into the worlds of others, into our private feelings and experiences, as though reading our fortunes through our images. In this way, he affirms who we are, giving us the strength to take charge of our artistic growth.
- Alecia Neo

 

雖然是偶然機遇下認識了Clang, 但我非常感謝Clang在這段期間不斷地鼓勵和啓發我。透過這樣的計畫，我再也不會覺得在創作的路上倍感孤獨和無助, 即使事實上選擇走這條路勢必是會經過一連串的孤獨和挫折。而我也謝謝Clang以及在這個計畫裡的所有年輕藝術家, 透過一連串的談話，提醒我必須時時重新檢視自己是誰，雖然看似簡單實則困難, 而這樣的課題將終其一生不斷地圍繞著自己。創作和拍照是反映自我的一種表現，透過這樣的對話, 可以不斷地抽絲剝繭，不斷地與他人溝通分享, 就如同在計畫中與大家一起談話般。感謝大家時時提醒著我 – 終其一生千萬別忘記一開始對於選擇創作和拍照的初衷！
- Ali

 

Having participated in Clang’s mentorship program, I gained so many insights and countless valuable experience which opened my eyes to a whole new dimension of the so-called art world. The lessons Clang shared gave me time to think deeper in different angles, which in turn allow me to explore into the places I haven’t yet managed to reach in the past.

Clang’s mentorship program gave us privileges as mentees. I feel lucky to have the rare opportunities to talk to the guest lecturers during the program (i.e. the professional people in the industry). They shared with us many valuable things not easily accessible outside the mentorship program.

Clang has an undying passion for art; always looks for ideas and the other sides of every little thing. When I talk to him, he never judges me, be it a ’stupid question’ or the most absurd question ever; he never shot me down. I feel that I can always learn something new every time we have a conversation. He would always try to make us think in different shape, size and color. He inspires me to find myself and my ‘truth’.

He is a teacher that I can always learn from and look up to; a friend that would share, listen and care; a person that I could trust and count on.

This program has taught me what I need to reach to my goal, as well as surviving in it; while John, he has taught me to be a person who lives.
- Debbie Tea

 

Hollister Lowe

It was brought to my attention that Mr Hollister Lowe was selling an image created by me as his own artwork on artnet. It was also donated to an art auction held by New York Academy of Art.

This image was shot by me in 1998.

Title: Fighting Roosters
Year: 1998

Upon further investigation, the image quality looks like a low resolution scan and not an original.

Attached is a letter written by Mr Hollister Lowe for his explanation.

Dear Mr. Clang:

I write to apologize for my mistake in distributing your Rooster photograph as if it were my own. I am embarrassed by this incident and sincerely regret the error. Following is an account of what led to the mistake.

I met Herve Arenne, an art director in Paris at a fashion show in July 2003 and exchanged contact information. In September 2003 he contacted me to commission a concept he had with roosters that he wanted to pitch to a client in France. On October 17, 2003 at 3:00p.m. Mr. Arenne arrived at my studio along with a gentleman who raised roosters in the Bronx. Mr. Arenne produced a couple of layouts and swipes to convey what he wanted the final image to look like. I proceeded to digitally photograph the roosters interacting to Mr. Arenne’s satisfaction which took approximately two hours. My tech / assistant burned a cd of the edited images and gave it to Mr. Arenne. I was compensated and he left for Paris that evening. In January 2004 Mr. Arenne contacted me to say he was sending me the final image which never worked out for his prospective client. Approximately a week later I received a cd (150 M file) of the image in question. When I saw the image, I thought “Wow, this looks great.” I also noticed that the colors were much brighter and the background color had changed. I did not go back to the originals to compare them. I have also been unable to locate any outtakes from my 2003 shoot.

Since January 2004 I have produced two print images titled “Chance Meeting” (20” x 25”) from the file that I received, one of which was donated to the New York Academy of Art (2009) and the other that was sold on Artnet.com (2010). Although the Artnet print is identified as 5 of 9, I only made two prints. The image also appeared on my web site www.holisterlowe.com.

From that day in October 2003 I wholeheartedly believed that I was the author of the image until I received a call from your representative stating that it was your photograph. I have tried contacting Mr. Arenne by cell phone and mail to no avail.

I acknowledge and agree that you may publish this letter.

Very truly yours,
Hollister Lowe

 

Congratulations to Lavender Chang

Lavender Chang, who is one of my mentees, was recently awarded the prestigious Noise Singapore Prize of the photography category. There were more than 7000 entries this year.

An initiative of the National Arts Council, Noise Singapore is Singapore’s foremost youth arts festival, dedicated to creating noise about the creative talents of youths below the age of 35 in Singapore.

The series consists of images of one-room HDB flats entitled ‘Block 12, My Territory, My Dignity’. They allow people to see how the occupants decorate and organise their homes, which in turn provide insight into their personalities.

联合早报 : 更多年轻人以艺术形式关心社会 by 王舒杨

my paper/我报 : 让年轻人一起“闹”艺术 by 欧倩慧

See the complete series here. Or visit the show at ION Orchard (Basement 4) in Singapore, from now til March 3rd (Thurs).

 

2011 Mentorship Program Finalists

Congratulations to the five mentees:

Alecia Neo (Singapore), Chen Wen Li (Taiwan), Debbie Tea (Indonesia), Lavender Chang (Taiwan) and Sam Kang Li (Singapore)

Out of the images they submitted, I’ve picked a few to share them here. These five photographers have demonstrated great potential and poetry in their work. I look forward to be a part of their journey.

Chen Wen Li

Lavender Chang, http://www.lavchang.com

 

Mentorship Program – Submission closed

My inaugural mentorship program has reached its submission deadline. I have received slightly more than a hundred entries.

Initially, I was planning to only accept 2-3 candidates from the submission but I think it will be too difficult. I’m now seriously considering selecting more, though it’s still very difficult to select the final few. Many will ask what am I looking at when I make my selection? To be honest, when I set up the program I have no clue too. I requested the entrants to submit a body of work and their thoughts on why this mentorship program will help them. I will look at all the work, read their thoughts and decide who will benefit most from this program.

It is very important to know that for those who are not selected, it does not mean the works are not good enough. The selection is not based purely on merits of the work submitted. This program is not merely a critique of your work, and I would dare say it is not about critique. It is about sharing. It is about in depth discussion of one’s work, thoughts and dreams. Pursuit of photography can be a very lonely and frustrating path, I will lend you my ears and guide you along, hopefully to find the door that will open up a fresh and exciting chapter of your visual journey. I will also share with you more about what I have gone through and whatever else you want to know and curious about. The idea is to mentally prepare you for this journey. If I have the answer, I will share. If I don’t, we will find out together.

For those selected, we will try to have a one to one chat fortnightly and a group chat once a month. Selected conversations and images will be shared on my website. Also, the mentees will be able to email me whenever they want when they have any questions or if they have anything to share with me about their progress.

As for those not selected, I will also do my part to write an email to them, commenting on the work they submitted and the questions they have on the written essays. Please note that due to the overwhelming submissions, it will take me a bit of time to reply everyone. I thank you for your patience.

Stay tuned…. results will be disclosed before Jan 31.

 
 
 
 

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