Mapping Invisible Cities is a surprising kaleidoscope of Asian megacities, captured in 96 photographic works of 26 artists from six cities: Jakarta, Hanoi, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Singapore. In workshops with German photographer Peter Bialobrzeski, photographic artists disengaged themselves from obsolete perceptions and photographic clichés, which were replaced by a more spontaneous visual examination of the familiar urban surrounding. The “maps” bring together fragments of the familiar and the unseen in one frame. Curated by Alex Supartono, this eclectic outcome was transformed into a touring exhibition which restores a combined picture of all the participating cities.
My page at the Mapping Invisible Cities website showing the three images that were included in the touring exhibit
I just learned that the official website for our Mapping Invisible Cities project is now up and what a well designed site it is! Simple, uncluttered, lots of beautiful white space and an appealing color scheme. Navigation is also easy and intuitive. Works are divided into different countries and clicking on it brings you to the country map with the names of the different participants. Clicking on the names brings out the photo of the photographer.
Each photographer has his/her own section with a short description of the artist and the work. Images included in the traveling exhibit are also shown. For my work, The Other Manila (titled Non Places in this portfolio), the three selected works are displayed large images.
This exhibit is now in Bangkok until 9th of February 09.
This is my third multimedia slideshow and the second to be posted in this blog that I submitted for my follow up assignment for the Advance News Photography course subject. I posted the Jai Alai tournament at the previous post.
The idea was to present holiday street scenes that shows people engrossed in the spirit of the season. What better way to show this than to be in the heart of Manila’s bargain destination: Divisoria, a sprawling area known for its cheap goods (many are bootleg items). Almost any kind of products are sold here from food, clothes, decors and a host of bric-à-brac that the sheer variety overwhelms the senses. These are mostly imported from China and are displayed inside malls, along the streets and every nook and cranny!
On a weekend just before Christmas Day and New Year, prepare to wade through a sea of people from every walks of life and from every economic status braving it out for a bargain product that will be given away as holiday presents.
Like the previous work, I’m still familiarizing myself in assembling a multimedia slideshow that combines several audio files with the photographs. I think I still have a long way to go to finally perfect this one.
This was my assignment in the Advance News Photography course in ACFJ dealing with sports. Fortunately, when we had this one, the Manila Amateur Jai Alai Association had their yearend tournament. As posted before, I am documenting this unique sport as part of my course project. With permission from Alex Singca, association president and the one I interviewed here, I was able to cover the tournament for two days just before I flew to Cebu. This is a work in progress and if you might notice, I still have a lot to learn in assembling a multimedia slideshow. This is just a start.
Will I be attending the festival that only happens every two years and will open on 30 January 2009? As much as I want to go, that remains to be seen. I don’t have the budget, as of now, for the plane fares. I do am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that I will be able to raise the funds for it.
What originally planned as a piece related to the Reproductive Health bill, to give my own voice on the issue, transpired to be a big project that I envisioned to be for my diploma course in ACFJ. Initially inspired by the The Places We Live website, I’m looking at presenting it in multimedia and will focus on a particular depressed barangay in Metro Manila.
My classmate Faye referred me to Akbayan and from there, I got in touch with an officer and was pointed to Matinik, an urban poor women’s group in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City. From the ocular survey I did this week, it holds much promise.
Ideas, ramblings and challenges faced by an aspiring Filipino documentary photographer.
Estan Cabigas is a freelance photographer, blogger, seasoned traveler, movie fanatic and colonial religious architecture enthusiast based in Makati City, the Philippines. More ++
