BLUE LOTUS GALLERY
Coming to Photo London for its first time, BLUE LOTUS GALLERY (Hong Kong) are presenting a group show of vintage Chinese and Asian photography. “We are thrilled to be part of Photo London 2023, which is a fantastic platform for us to showcase the work of our artists to an international audience,” says Sarah Greene [Gallery Director]. “Our selection of photographs reflects our commitment to promoting the best photography from the Asia-Pacific region, and we look forward to engaging with collectors, curators, and photography enthusiasts during the fair.” Photo London 2023 marks the debut exhibition of two important photographers in the United Kingdom: Hong Kong master photographer Fan Ho and Japanese up-and-coming talent Yasuhiro Ogawa.
Fan Ho (1931-2016) was a renowned photographer and filmmaker from Hong Kong. He is best known for his stunning black and white images that capture the essence of Hong Kong in the 1950s and 1960s. Ho's work often features the city's streets, alleys, and architecture, which he imbued with a sense of mystery and drama through his masterful use of light and shadow. He was particularly drawn to the unique character of the city's alleyways, which he called "the essence of Hong Kong." He began his photography career at the age of 18, and quickly gained recognition for his innovative and artistic approach to the medium. He won numerous awards for his work, including over 280 international awards and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Photographic Society of America. He was a fellow of the British Royal Photographic Society his work was published in the British Journal Almanac and Year’s photography by the Royal Photographic Society numerous times. Ho passed away in 2016, but his legacy lives on as a testament to the power of photography to capture the beauty and complexity of the world around us. His work continues to inspire photographers and artists around the world, and his influence can be seen in the work of many contemporary photographers.
Born in Kanagawa in 1968, Yasuhiro Ogawa's interest in photography was sparked at the age of 24 after encountering the work of Sebastião Salgado in a magazine. One of Ogawa's most celebrated publications is 'The Dreaming', a collection of black and white photographs shot during his travels throughout Asia and Latin America over the past 30 years. Rather than focusing solely on the destination, Ogawa's black and white imagery creates an intimate poetic record of the emotions and sentiments that come with the act of traveling itself; the sense of freedom and adventure, the sweet boredom of a long train journey or the simple pleasure of feeling alive. “My work is not about documenting the world. It is about looking for, and capturing emotions. I hope the viewer can feel some emotions too when watching my work.” – Yasuhiro Ogawa ’The Dreaming' topped the charts as bestseller #1 in the online book selling platform UK ‘Photobook Store UK’ in 2020. A selection of handmade dark room prints from this series will be presented at Photo London, showcasing the unique and timeless perspective that Ogawa brings to his work.
Ogawa's work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, including solo and group exhibitions such as Futashika-na-Chizu at Kodak Photo Salon, Tokyo (1999), Winter Journey at Doozo Gallery, Rome (2013), and Contes des iles et Paysages de la Mer du Japon at Inbetween Gallery, Paris (2018). He has published five photo books, including 'Cascade' (Sokyusha, 2017) and 'The Dreaming' (Sokyusha, 2020), and has won several awards, including the Taiyo Award and The Photographic Society of Japan New Comer Award. Through his unique perspective and emotional depth, Yasuhiro Ogawa captures the beauty and mystery of travel, creating images that are both timeless and evocative. He currently resides in Tokyo.
GAOTAI GALLERY
In the Discovery section, first-time exhibitor GAOTAI GALLERY (Urumqi) presents the Chinese artist Hailun Ma's work from here first series 'Hometown' to her most recent series 'Uruklyn'. Hailun has successfully and creatively integrated her childhood memories, New York experience, and professional fashion photography educational background into her photos. Hailun Ma hopes to add more nuance to the broader world’s understanding of Xinjiang and local ethnic culture from the perspective of street-level fashion. “My hometown is so different from most of the places in the world,” she says, adding: “I want people to know this place and love it as I do, to feel it as I feel. And that’s also what photography means to me — to share a memory, share a new place, a culture, a lifestyle, or even a piece of clothing.”
UP GALLERY
UP Gallery return to Photo London after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic and features works by four Asian artists: Kurt Tong (Hong Kong), Yichia Liao (Taiwan), Ronghui Chen (China), and Sameer Tawde (India). In particular, Kurt Tong debuts his latest series, “Dear Franklin,” for the first time at the fair. The photobook of this series received the prestigious Prix Elysée first prize in Switzerland and was also one of the top ten recommended photobooks by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in the United States in 2022.
Ronghui Chen’s 'An Ordinary Evening in New Haven' series - created amidst Covid-19 while pursuing his Yale photography MFA degree - sheds light on a temporary migrant when faced with hardships and fear, there can be light and beauty in between.
Indian artist Sameer Tawde presents works on his ongoing series Dialogues of an Introvert. He actively creates sets and handmade miniature sculptures to comment on the current social and political climate through humour and imagination. These staged works developed after his artist residencies at Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, and Museum Quai Branly have been the main thread of Tawde’s artistic practice.
Lastly, with Yichia Liao’s series, "Inconspicuous" the gallery presents a few rare works of colour from 1978-1990 in Taiwan. In the historical context of this region, photography was mainly limited to black-and-white works and made for news and propaganda. It is scarce to see individuals creating personal works with colour during this period.
IMAGELESS
Established in 2015, Imageless is an award-winning independent photobook publisher based in Shanghai, China. Through producing high-quality, limited-edition photobooks, their primary goal is to increase the representation of East-Asian photographers in the global photography community. While focusing predominantly on Chinese photography, they aim to work with some of East Asia’s most promising and prominent contemporary photographers to produce powerful work that blends unique visual languages with culturally nuanced storytelling.
Their ethos of uncovering new talent and helping to develop the careers of up-and-coming photographers is at the core of the annual Imageless Dummy Photobook Award (IDPA) and Imageless Emerging Photographer Grant. As of January 2022, Imageless has published 26 photobooks and held exhibitions, educational events, and international art exchanges all over China. In 2019, 'The Eighth Day' by artist Gao Shan won The Aperture Foundation's 'First Photobook Award' at Paris Photo.
![Yasuhiro Ogawa courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery untitled Guatemala 1997 [The Dreaming pg 0010] cover of book - Photo London 2023 - Fan Ho | Photo London 2023 - Yasuhiro Ogawa | - Spotlight on Photo London 2023](/img/55757201ee7111edb71952540000cfbe/_Yasuhiro_Ogawa_courtesy_of_Blue_Lotus_Gallery_untitled_Guatemala_1997_[The_Dreaming_pg_0010]_-_cover_of_book.jpg "Enlarge _Yasuhiro_Ogawa_courtesy_of_Blue_Lotus_Gallery_untitled_Guatemala_1997_[The_Dreaming_pg_0010]_-_cover_of_book.jpg")
![Yasuhiro Ogawa courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery untitled Heilongjiang China 2011 [The Dreaming pg 0011] - Photo London 2023 - Fan Ho | Photo London 2023 - Yasuhiro Ogawa | - Spotlight on Photo London 2023](/img/55acb80cee7111edb71952540000cfbe/_Yasuhiro_Ogawa_courtesy_of_Blue_Lotus_Gallery_untitled_Heilongjiang_China_2011_[The_Dreaming_pg_0011].jpg "Enlarge _Yasuhiro_Ogawa_courtesy_of_Blue_Lotus_Gallery_untitled_Heilongjiang_China_2011_[The_Dreaming_pg_0011].jpg")
![Yasuhiro Ogawa courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery untitled Ladakh India 1994 [The Dreaming pg 094] - Photo London 2023 - Fan Ho | Photo London 2023 - Yasuhiro Ogawa | - Spotlight on Photo London 2023](/img/55e1142dee7111edb71952540000cfbe/_Yasuhiro_Ogawa_courtesy_of_Blue_Lotus_Gallery_untitled_Ladakh_India_1994_[The_Dreaming_pg_094].jpg "Enlarge _Yasuhiro_Ogawa_courtesy_of_Blue_Lotus_Gallery_untitled_Ladakh_India_1994_[The_Dreaming_pg_094].jpg")
![Yasuhiro Ogawa courtesy of Blue Lotus Gallery train passengers Shimane Japan 2009 [The Dreaming pg 023] - Photo London 2023 - Fan Ho | Photo London 2023 - Yasuhiro Ogawa | - Spotlight on Photo London 2023](/img/54a3cf00ee7111edb71952540000cfbe/_Yasuhiro_Ogawa_courtesy_of_Blue_Lotus_Gallery_train_passengers_Shimane_Japan_2009_[The_Dreaming_pg_023].jpg "Enlarge _Yasuhiro_Ogawa_courtesy_of_Blue_Lotus_Gallery_train_passengers_Shimane_Japan_2009_[The_Dreaming_pg_023].jpg")
