TOP, from (“Billboards“)
© Lim Thian Leong, 2010

Angsana: Southeast Asian Photographers Taking Flight is an exhibition that brings together the works of notable contemporary photographers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Taking the name of a tree species that is common in Southeast Asia, the exhibition is a showcase of highly sophisticated images captured with well-honed skills and expertise. Put together, the works provide a glorious insight to the burgeoning standards of photography craftsmanship and the blossoming photography industry in Southeast Asia. By intertwining different artistic talents of the region, it is also a platform of cultural exchange and understanding. [press release]

Couldn’t make my way down due to a flare-up of my sciatica pain but since it’s open from Jan 12 to Feb 16 at 2902 Gallery, I might still have time to visit! It is also a fringe event of Art Stage Singapore (someone called it art on steroids).

This project was commissioned by Lien Aid, a Singapore-based NGO that seeks to build a firm foundation for human development by making safe water and sanitation accessible and affordable to poor communities in Asia.

Exhibition will be held at Objectifs Gallery from Nov 19 to Dec 3. Exhibition and website contains a mix of multimedia presentations and stills.

TOP TO BOTTOM, from (“Chinatowns of Southeast Asia“)
© Zhuang Wubin, 2009

Chinatowns have always been a mainstay in most large cities in the world. During my travels, I’m inexplicably drawn to these places, perhaps due to my heritage and a longing for familiarity. Each Chinatown is unique yet similar in many ways. Wubin’s project could be easily lost without a contextual background or understanding of the subject. Do download the entire pdf to view the project in its entirety.

Visit his website to see this and other works. Also, Wubin has been researching thoroughly on photographers in Southeast Asia, of which you can read some articles on his blog.

The theme for this year’s CUT is Figure and once again, we are treated to an insight to Southeast Asia’s photography scene.

From the press release:

Artists featured in CUT09 are on the forefront of highlighting the problematics of representation in photography. Instead of subscribing to the belief that identity is a fixed and stable given, their subjects often defy easy catergorisation. These figures stand defiant against the cookie-cutter images of our contemporary environment, offering a window into and mirror of alternative reinvestments of the body as a site on which notions of selfhood (both individual or collective) are questioned, contested and at times, revised.

ABOVE, Blind Rash from (“Shooting Blanks”)
© Gina Osterloh

Featured artists include many familiar names (featured on the site or acquaintances of mine): Agan Harahap, Davy Linggar, Diana Lui, Genevieve Chua, Gina Osterloh, K Azril Ismail, Maitree Siriboon, Manit Sriwanichpoom, Melati Suryodarmo, MM Yu, Ohm Phanphiroj, Timur Angin, Wawi Navarroza, Yee I-Lann. The website contains a sample of the photographers’ works.

The exhibition would be showing at Valentine Willie Fine Art in Kuala Lumpur from Feb 4 to Feb 21, VFWA Singapore from Apr 29 to May 17 and finally Manila Contemporary from Jul 18 to Aug 8.

Now that SIPF is over, the next big event to watch out in Southeast Asia is the Angkor Photography Festival. It will be on from 23 Nov to 28 Nov in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The first festival of its kind in SEA, this is its fourth year running. We will be seeing the usual outdoor projections at different locations in Siem Reap. If you are a regular reader, there will be many familiar name presenting at the festival.

An interesting feature this year would be the extension of the festival to Phnom Penh, from 29 Nov to 7 Dec. This would be the first photography festival held in the capital city, with 13 exhibitions and 5 screening events held across the city.

It looks set to be another exciting year. I’m trying to see if I can fit my schedule to fly up for the festival! Anyway, visit the website for more information.

Dinh Q. Le talking about Sarah Cheng-Dewinne’s work (front) as Sherman Ong, Françoise Callier and Pablo Bartholomew discuss work on a laptop (back)

Today was the start of the two-day portfolio review session. It was an intense session for most of the participants as they showed their works to renowned festival directors, curators and photographers from various parts of the world.Here are some pictures from the main exhibition area and the gallery.

In the evening, Diego Ravier from Italy spoke about his work on albinos in African society while Pablo Bartholomew compared his early works with a selection of his father’s legacy. Turnout was not bad with only standing room for both talks.

More tomorrow as the portfolio review continues.

The FCCT is pleased to announce its Second Annual FCCT Photojournalism Awards, the premier photojournalism contest in Asia.

Who’s Eligible? Any pro or amateur photographer in Southeast Asia (defined as: Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei). Photographers do NOT need to be members of the FCCT.

What Kind of Photos? All photos must be taken in Southeast Asia. The FCCT will accept submissions in four categories:
* Spot news – for the best photos taken at news events in Asia
* Feature photography – for the best non-news “feature” photos taken in Asia
* Photo essay – for the best collection of up to 12 photos on a single topic taken in Asia.
* “Environmental” photography – for the best photos focusing on the environment, climate change or natural resources in Asia.
* In addition, the judges will select one Photo of the Year from all submissions to recognize the single most impressive photo of 2008. That photo will receive the year’s top prize.

What Can You Win?
Photo of the Year: A new Canon EOS SLR camera (with lens kit), a $1,000 cash prize sponsored by Toyota, and a voucher for a 2 night stay in a luxurious Anantara Pool Villa at the soon to be opened Anantara Phuket Resort & Spa on Mai Kao beach in Thailand.

First-place winners in each category: A new Canon CP 760 mobile printer, a $250 cash prize sponsored by Toyota, and valuable vouchers for free dining at The Oriental Hotel in Bangkok.

Selected winners will also receive round-trip tickets for economy-class air travel in Asia, courtesy of Star Alliance, the global airline network whose members include Thai Airways and other international carriers.

In addition, all winners will be recognized in a special edition of FCCT’s quarterly magazine, Dateline, published to profile their work. Also, FCCT will sponsor a two month-long exhibition of the prize-winning photos — printed by Canon — at its gallery in Bangkok, including a special Friday-night reception on in early December attended by local photographers and media. Additional prizes may be added later as sponsors sign on to the event.

What’s the Deadline? Photos must be submitted to FCCT by Oct. 1, 2008. Winners will be announced in late 2008.

Submission Specifications: Photos must be submitted on compact disc or DVD and should be 3 MB or greater in size. Submissions can be published or unpublished work taken over the last year. Photographers MUST provide their name, a brief biography and full contact information (including phone and email address) or submissions will not be considered. Photo submissions should be sent to the FCCT at:

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand
Penthouse, Maneeya Center
518/5 Ploenchit Road, Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330 Thailand

For more information, contact the FCCT at +66 (0)2 652 0580/1 or info@fccthai.com

FCCT and Canon will retain the right to reproduce any photos submitted for the contest in the FCCT gallery, in Dateline magazine, and in other promotional work related to the contest. Prints of the winning photos will be produced by Canon and may be used by FCCT and Canon — with attribution to the photographer — for up to one year following the contest.

I spoke with the organizers yesterday and it is going to be a blast. There would also be workshops and lectures for 30 selected Southeast Asian photographers under 35. Some big names would be flown in from around the world to attend and speak during the festival. There would be exhibitions, portfolio reviews, talks and parties! The entire event is run by volunteers and while it may not be as big as Arles or Chobi Mela, it’s the first of its kind in the region and hopefully would become an internationally renowned name in the future.

The call for entry can be viewed here.

Edit: The website’s been updated. Visit now!