2016 Press Review [12th Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops] by Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops

PRO WORKSHOPS | EXHIBITIONS | PROJECTIONS | ACTIVITIES | OUTREACH

2016 P R ESS REVI EW

FUTURISTIC ARCHAEOLOGY Â© Daesung Lee

2 016 P R ESS R E V I E W SELECTED LIST OF 2016 PRESS & M EDIA COVERAGE MEDIA PARTNERS MAGAZINE PARTNER

ONLINE MEDIA PARTNERS

PRESS RELATIONS PARTNER

CAMBODIA

ASIA PACIFIC

EUROPE INTERNATIONAL

The Phnom Penh Post BIZ Khmer The Cambodia Daily The Khmer Times AsiaLIFE

WEB BLOGS

Khmer Circle KI Media Kumnooh MU. SA.

S.E.A Globe Magazine South China Morning Post DestiAsian Travel 3Sixty Silkwinds ASEF - Culture360 CAPA Asia Invisible Photographer Asia Frame Zero Asia Now - Go Asean Malay Mail Online

Matca Gavroche Thaïlande Rappler PhotoWorld Maxit Da Liu Lian Nation Hanoi Grapevine Female Inquirer GRID Magazine

LensCulture World Photography Organisation The APF Magazine Musée Magazine Time Lightbox Bare Essentials Magazine Photographic Museum of Humanity Internazionale The Guardian Wanderlust Magazine Dodho Magazine World Press Photo Le Routard Compétence Photo Agenda Réponses Photo France Info - Géopolis PHOTO

The Eye Of Photography Le Petit Journal Travioor Institute Artists Photojournalism Now Polka The Lifestyles Metaphor Images The Curator Ship Mundo Real Magazine Opportunity Diary Kyiv Post Il mundo delle immagini Visuell Multimedia Week Sensitive Skin Magazine

T H E P H N O M P E N H POST CAMBODIA / PRI NT & WEB (JU N E 2016)

T H E P H N O M P E N H POST CAMBODIA / PRI NT & WEB (OCT 2016)

T H E P H N O M P E N H POST CAMBODIA / PRI NT & WEB (NOV 2016)

T H E P H N O M P E N H POST CAMBODIA / PRI NT & WEB (DEC 2016)

L E N SC U LT U R E I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (SEPT-DEC 2016)

WO R L D P H OTOG R A P H Y O RGA N I SAT I O N I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (OCT-DEC 2016)

WO R L D P H OTOG R A P H Y O RGA N I SAT I O N I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (OCT-DEC 2016) Sony World Photography Awards

WO R L D P H OTOG R A P H Y O RGA N I SAT I O N I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (JAN 2017) Sony World Photography Awards

S . E . A . G LO B E M AGAZ I N E ASIA / PRI NT & WEB (DEC 2016)

in pictures

XXXXXXXXX

Reflected images A true gem in Cambodiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural calendar, the Angkor Photo Festival returns to Siem Reap this month with an eclectic and fascinating range of exhibitions on display

58 December 2016

Sea GLOBe

XXXXXXXXX

S . E . A . G LO B E M AGAZ I N E ASIA / PRI NT & WEB (DEC 2016)

IN PICTURES

XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX

60 December 2016

SEA GLOBE

ore than 130 photographers – talented newcomers and established professionals alike – are exhibiting a selection of visual delights at the 12th edition of the Angkor Photo Festival in Siem Reap from 3 to 10 December. The longest-running photography event in Southeast Asia, the festival has earned an international reputation and this year features photographers from 45 different countries. An assortment of themes runs through at this year’s festival, but social and environmental issues are taking centre stage. Claudia Hinterseer, a senior multimedia producer at China Daily Asia, is a guest curator at the event, presenting 15 documentary photo projects under her title, We Alter Nature. Other exhibitions include A Long Walk Home, a brilliant retrospective of the work of African-American photojournalist and academic, Eli Reed. The exhibition offers a thorough exploration of the human condition through a number of subjects in the US and beyond. The festival also has a strong educational function. From 2 to 8 December, a number of workshops provide an opportunity for 30 young Asian photographers to learn under the tutelage of six international professionals. Furthermore, the Anjali Kids Photo Workshops, a volunteer-led project aiming to nurture the creativity of underprivileged children, also runs from 25 November to 7 December. Considering that the festival is free, open to the public and nobly committed to the promotion of young Asian talent, it would be a mistake to miss it. ¡ SEA GLOBE

December 2016 61

S . E . A . G LO B E M AGAZ I N E ASIA / PRI NT & WEB (DEC 2016)

XXXXXXXXX

62 December 2016

SEA GLOBE

December 2016 63

T H E A P F M AGA Z I N E I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (NOV 2016)

M U S Ã&#x2030; E M AGA Z I N E I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (NOV 2016)

B IZ K H M E R CAMBODIA / WEB (NOV 2016)

T H E CA M BO D I A DA I LY CAMBODIA / PRI NT & WEB (JU N E 2016)

T H E CA M BO D I A DA I LY CAMBODIA / PRI NT & WEB (DEC 2016)

T H E K H M E R T I M ES CAMBODIA / PRI NT & WEB (JU N E 2016)

SO U T H C H I N A M O R N I N G POST CH I NA / PRI NT & WEB (JU N E 2016)

C10

Monday, June 20, 2016

Inside

DIGITAL LIFE Horde to bear Rude Warcraft players try a little kindness

Wise quack Smart duck doesn’t quite fit the bill

Space savers How to free up storage in your handset

>GAMING C9

>TOYS C8

>SMARTPHONES C8

Angkor Photo Festival has become Southeast Asia’s top event for young, aspiring photographers, writes Marissa Carruthers

he Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops began 12 years ago as an endeavour to nurture young Asian talent. Today, Southeast Asia’s longest-running photo festival has planted itself firmly on the map, with exhibitions, projections, workshops and discussions. The festival has attracted hundreds of amateur photographers wanting to hone their skills, and a string of established professionals willing to share theirs. It has also given Siem Reap, where visitors to the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat stay, an added attraction. Photographs are artistically scattered throughout the city, installations popping up in discreet corners, and some of the world’s top professionals come to offer their expert eye. “The aim was to be an affordable and accessible international platform for both established and emerging photographers in the region,” says Jessica Lim, the festival’s coordinator and also a photographer and former journalism lecturer. The festival was born in 2005 when a group of photography enthusiasts who met regularly in Cambodia’s “Temple Town” decided to give something back to the country. Current festival director Jean-Yves Navel and VII Agency founder Gary Knight envisioned an event in which talented youngsters who lacked the means could develop skills. Its debut was hailed a success, with Magnum photographer Antoine D’Agata getting on board to launch the annual Anjali Photo Workshops – a platform for creative expression through photography for street kids under the wing of NGO Anjali House. The festival has gone on to attract an increasing number of hopefuls based all over Asia. Split into two main components, it is open to photographers wanting to submit work for exhibition and those seeking to up their game through intensive week-long workshops led by top professionals. During the week, workshop attendees are expected to create a story to showcase to present at the end of the course. “The aim is to help them raise their approach to take the craft to the next level,” says Lim. “Under the tutelage of international photographers, all of whom volunteer their time and expertise to be a part of this initiative, we encourage each participant to hone their unique vision and voice.” Each year thousands of hopefuls apply to take part, with just a lucky few being selected. The festival’s success also stems from the community it has created. “There are many ways to define success and, for me, it isn’t really about winning awards and becoming famous,” says Lim. “With the workshops, it is about

FIRST EXPOSURE how [for example] our Vietnamese participant, Thuy Tien Nguyen, had a place to stay when she visited India, thanks to her friendship with Soham Gupta, another participant from the same year. It is about how Truth Leem, from South Korea, and Gian Cruz, from the Philippines, did a joint collaborative photographic project, ‘Artificial Memories’, together.” Zeeshan Haider was the sole Pakistani photographer selected to attend the 2009 festival. “I had to be part of it,” the 31-year-old recalls. “Being there and meeting people from across Asia and the world, making new contacts, the competition and the friction all help you to hone your skills.” Inspired by the need for storytelling, Haider has gone on to shoot feature films, documentaries and the launch of new fashion brands across Asia. “You get to share your skills with fellow photographers and meet like-minded people who share the same passion. That means the world to me.” Phnom Penh-based Australian photographer Scott Howes, 30, is a regular festivalgoer who enjoys the “friendly,

welcoming and vibrant community”. With a wealth of knowledge and experience to tap into, and enormous potential for freelancers looking to build regional networks, he says the festival’s allure stretches further than the week in which it takes place. “The festival has done a really good job of fostering the photography community in Asia,” he adds. “It’s always exciting to see the projects that emerging photographers are working on. It’s just as exciting when you see their body of work being published in exhibitions and publications in other parts of the world afterwards.” While there are no winners nor prizes dished out at the festival, its success is evident in the achievements of workshop alumni. It has been the launch pad for a succession of snappers, who have gone on to enjoy successful careers. “It is especially heartening and humbling when they return as mentors and teachers themselves,” Lim says. In 2007, Indian photographer Sohrab Hura attended as a participant. Today, he is a Magnum Photos nominee and tutor at the same workshops he

An image from the series The Space Between Us by Singaporean photographer Grace Baey.

attended almost a decade ago. Japanese photographer Noriko Hayashi has also scooped a clutch of major awards since attending the festival in 2009, and has been recruited to photo agency Panos Pictures. Recent successes from festival alumni include Beijing-based Yan Cong, who was named a fellow of the first Abigail Cohen Fellowship in Documentary Photography, jointly presented

The aim is to help them raise their approach to take the craft to the next level JESSICA LIM, FESTIVAL COORDINATOR

by the Magnum Foundation and ChinaFile. Her current exhibition, “High Expectations, Hard Realities”, the result of two years spent documenting the life of a Cambodian bride in China, is currently touring Cambodia. “Through the festival, the exposure we provide has helped push the work of many talented photographers onto a wider international stage,” says Lim. “It is a privilege to be able to witness their own professional and personal growth unfold over the years, and to be able to be a part of that.” In recent years, organisers have also joined forces with similar festivals, boosting exposure. This year’s event sees them team up with Photojourn Festival in Bangkok, and presenting a selection of alumni work at the upcoming Tbilisi Festival in Georgia. Last year saw exchanges with events including Auckland Festival of Photography, Guatephoto in Guatemala, South Korea’s Suwon International Photo Festival and Australia’s Ballarat Foto Biennale. The next instalment of the Angkor Festival takes place from December 3 to 10, and a call for submissions has been made. “We

are open to all genres and themes, and a key focus has been to find work that effectively conveys a story or message,” says Lim. There are two categories for submissions. One is open to entries on any issue or topic, while the “Impact Project” seeks stories that showcase individuals and groups working to make a positive impact on social and environmental issues. In line with the rapidly changing landscape of photography, for the first time, multimedia entries will be accepted in both categories. The workshops are open to student or professional photographers of Asian nationalities with less than five years’ professional experience. Hopefuls are expected to submit a portfolio of work and personal statement, which are reviewed by tutors. “Each tutor has a different inclination, but I feel the one thing they have in common is that they look for photographers who have a distinctive vision and voice in their work, and who are committed to the craft,” Lim says. Programme co-ordinator Francoise Callier says she is eclectic in her selections. “I like work which is full of life and asks real questions,” she says. “Personal stories also move me a lot. It is about whether I can understand what it is the photographer really wants to say or tell. With some work, sometimes that isn’t very clear.” Last year’s festival attracted 28 photographers from Cambodia, China, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Russia and South Korea to its workshops. Among the swathe of experts taking part in portfolio reviews and seminars were Dean Cox, a lecturer at the journalism department of Hong Kong’s Baptist University. Organisers hope the bar will continue to be raised. Topics addressed in the 2015 edition included the difficulties of a relationship between a man and a transgender woman, through Singaporean photographer Grace Baey’s work. Cambodian Vong Sopheak was inspired by Cambodian

weddings and the white thread used in ceremonies. In his series, he uses the thread to bind couples together and explore the issues faced during married life. Russian photographer Vlad Sokhin tackles the effects of climate change by focusing on the small Pacific nation of Kiribati, said to be the most vulnerable to the effects. “The role of photography in society today is the same as it has always been – to communicate,” says Lim. “It remains one of the few mediums that surpasses the boundaries of language, and its uses are only limited to our imagination and interpretation.” life@scmp.com To apply for the workshops or festival submissions, register at angkor-photo.com before July 1

From top: Water Not Yet Come by Linh Pham; an exhibition at last year’s photo festival; Baptist University lecturer Dean Cox (left) conducts a portfolio review at last year’s event. Photos: Irene Yap

I N V I S I B L E P H OTOG R A P H E R AS I A ASIA / WEB (JU N E 2016)

I N V I S I B L E P H OTOG R A P H E R AS I A ASIA / WEB (SEPT 2016)

I N V I S I B L E P H OTOG R A P H E R AS I A ASIA / WEB (DEC 2016)

I N V I S I B L E P H OTOG R A P H E R AS I A ASIA / WEB (JAN 2017)

I N V I S I B L E P H OTOG R A P H E R AS I A ASIA / WEB (MARCH 2017)

BA R E ESS E N T I A LS I NTERNATIONAL / PRI NT (NOV 2016)

D EST I N AS I A N ASIA-PACI FIC / PRI NT (DEC 2016-JAN 2017)

VIEW FINDER

This year’s Angkor Photo Festival will include work by Cairo-based French photographer Denis Dailleux, who took this image of a Ghanaian boy on the beach in the historic Jamestown district of Accra.

PHILIP LEE HARVEY/TPOTY.COM

A FEST FOR THE EYES

Now in its 12th year, Cambodia’s Angkor Photo Festival is the longestrunning international photography event in Southeast Asia, with some serious talent to show for it. Alongside 15 documentary projects assembled by Hong Kong–based guest curator Claudia Hinterseer to spotlight the speed at which humankind is altering nature, the weeklong festival’s latest edition—held from December 3 to 10 in Siem Reap—will feature the works of more than 130 photographers from 45 countries, just a few of which appear on these pages. Bound together by the event’s distinct local edge and collaborative, educational spirit, the various exhibits and nightly outdoor slideshows are augmented by free workshops designed to give emerging Asian photographers an opportunity to study with professionals (tutors this year include Magnum member Antoine D’Agata and Iranian photojournalist Newsha Tavakolian). Other talents will be on hand to mentor youth from Anjali, a community center that provides meals, education, and art workshops to local children. The work of Anjali’s young shutterbugs, many of whom previously begged in the streets to support their families, will also be displayed, adding yet another dimension to the festival’s visual milieu (angkor-photo.com). —David Tse

DECEMBER 2016 / JANUARY 2017 – DESTINASIAN.COM

D EST I N AS I A N ASIA-PACI FIC / PRI NT (DEC 2016-JAN 2017)

VIEW FINDER

MASSIMILIANO FABRIZI; ANDREA FRANCOLINI; JOHNNY HAGLUND; JAKUB RYBICKI/TPOTY.COM

Clockwise from left: One in a series of photos entitled “Futuristic Archaeology” by South Korean photographer Daesung Lee, which highlights the desertification of Mongolia’s grasslands by juxtaposing billboardsize images of the latter against a desert background, with former nomadic herders recruited to enact scenes of hunting, horseback riding, and the like; a Kathakali dancer in Kerala getting into costume, by Stephanie Ravel; this portrait, photographed by Daniel Ochoa de Olza in the Spanish village of Colmenar Viejo, shows a traditionally costumed girl sitting at a ceremonial alter during the feast of Las Mayas, a rite of spring that dates back to medieval times; divers mingle with a humpback whale and her newborn calf off the Mexican island of Roca Partida, by Anuar Patjane Floriuk.

DESTINASIAN.COM – DECEMBER 2016 / JANUARY 2017

DECEMBER 2016 / JANUARY 2017 – DESTINASIAN.COM

D EST I N AS I A N ASIA-PACI FIC / PRI NT (DEC 2016-JAN 2017)

Clockwise from left: On a rooftop in Nashik, one of the numerous Indian locations that provide a backdrop to Vasantha Yogananthan’s photo book Early Times, the first chapter in a long-term project conceived as a modern retelling of Hindu epic Ramayana; en route to Bali’s annual Kites Festival, by Made Nagi; Fukuokabased photographer

DESTINASIAN.COM – DECEMBER 2016 / JANUARY 2017

CA PA AS I A JAPAN / WEB (MAY 2016)

CA PA AS I A JAPAN / WEB (OCT 2016)

T I M E - LI G H T BOX I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (APRIL 2016)

T H E G UA R D I A N I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (OCT 2016)

I NTERNAZIONALE ITALY / WEB (NOV 2016)

T R AV E L 3S I X T Y (A I R AS I A) ASIA / PRI NT (DEC 2016)

S I LK W I N DS (S I LK A I R) ASIA / PRI NT (DEC 2016)

P H OTOWO R L D CH I NA / PRI NT (JAN 2016)

DA LI U LI A N CH I NA / WEB (JAN 2016)

D O D H O M AGA Z I N E I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (SEPT 2016)

P H OTOG R A P H I C M U S E U M O F H U M A N I T Y I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (NOV 2016)

WA N D E R LU ST T R AV E L M AGAZ I N E I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (NOV 2016)

P H OTOJ O U R N A LI S M N OW I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (DEC 2016)

F R A M E Z E RO ASIA / WEB (JAN 2017)

L E RO U TA R D FRANCE / WEB (SEPT 2016)

GAV ROC H E T H A Ï LA N D E ASIA / WEB (NOV 2016)

R É PO N S ES P H OTO FRANCE / PRI NT (DEC 2016) FRANCE

Mensuel / Monthly # 297 décembre 2016 / December 2016 #2 / 2

FRANCE Mensuel / Monthly # 297 décembre 2016 / December 2016 #1 / 2

F R A N C E I N FO - G Ã&#x2030;O PO LI S FRANCE / WEB (DEC 2016)

P H OTO FRANCE / WEB (DEC 2016)

T H E E Y E O F P H OTOG R A P H Y I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (DEC 2016)

PO LK A M AGA Z I N E FRANCE / PRI NT (OCT-DEC 2016)

LE PETIT JOU RNAL I NTERNATIONAL-FRANCE / WEB (JAN 2017)

G R I D M AGA Z I N E PH ILI PPI N ES / PRI NT (JAN UARY 2017)

- VOLUME ONE 2017 -

PA L AWA N B Y L A N D S E A & A I R T R AV E L I N G D I F F E R E N T LY M E A N S S E E I N G D I F F E R E N T LY

ISSUE_16_Cover_03_Vp.indd 5

11/01/2017 1:06 PM

REPORT

JOYCE CESARIO “Freelance Everything”

ANGKOR PHOTO FESTIVAL 2016 For the past twelve years, the Angkor Photo Festival has given scores of emerging talent an opportunity to sharpen their skills in an intensive 10-day professional workshop headed by some of the best international photographers. Last December 2016, 30 selected photographers from all over Asia converged in Siem Reap. Meet the three young Filipinos who made the cut.

Top and middle: Images from Basilio’s workshop application

BASILIO SEPE Photojournalist and Advertising Arts student at the University of Santo Tomas Angkor Photo Travel Grant Winner

Bottom: A scene from his photo essay on the Old Market of Siem Reap

ON THE WORKSHOP I learned from my mentors, Ian Teh and Kosuke Okuhara, that being a good photographer is not just about gear, skill, or storytelling. It’s about being observant, and being patient with what you want to achieve. It was also an opportunity to build connections with other people. [The workshop] wasn’t just focused on photography itself but on [things like] how to market yourself and your works in the future, and what to do and what not to do when applying for a job. ON HIS PHOTO ESSAY I ended up doing a story about the Old Market. As I spent more time there, something else apart from the bright atmosphere was revealed. Within the lively atmosphere of the market moments of stillness exist, they express the slowness of time, suggesting the mundane reality and fatigue that accompanies the hard work of these characters in this colorful market.

ON THE WORKSHOP I’d say that my main takeaway from the whole experience is to approach photography not in terms of “projects” but in terms of “life choices.” ON HER PHOTO ESSAY Our mentor, Sohrab Hura, asked us to write [what we considered] the most important things. We had a kind of oneon-one “psychotherapy” session where we were asked really deep and difficult questions about ourselves. This process definitely set the tone. The fear of death kept popping up during the one-on-one session. So for my project, I explored and followed this fear by purposely getting lost at night and bringing myself to places and characters that make me tremble. Through this process, I discovered that on the other side of fear is a beautiful strangeness where the line between horror and wonder is blurred.

Middle: Franchesca’s study on body structures— an image from her application

FRANCHESCA MAE FAUSTINO Multimedia student at UP Open University ON THE WORKSHOP The workshop is designed to really push photographers to the next level—not only in terms of photography, but also as a person. Under my mentors’ guidance, I had to tap into my emotions and draw strengths from my own fears. I had to open myself up. It challenged me to create more emotional resonance with my photographs. ON HER PHOTO ESSAY One of the questions asked during the workshop was “What do you fear?” I said that I was afraid of people judging me. To confront that, I pointed the camera at myself and took photos of my body—the parts I’m insecure of, like my thighs and my hips. At first, I felt very selfconscious, but I [eventually] released my emotions, as the shutter went off.

Angkor_16.indd 40

Top and bottom: Images from Joyce’s essay “Fright”, produced during the workshop

10/01/2017 Angkor_16.indd 6:08 PM 41

12/01/2017 2:29 PM

AS E A N N OW - GO AS E A N ASIA / WEB (JU N E 2016)

M A LAY M A I L O N LI N E MALAYSIA / WEB (OCT 2016)

T R AV I OO R I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (NOV 2016)

T R AV I OO R I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (JAN 2017)

N AT I O N THAILAN D / WEB (MARCH 2016)

M U . SA . ITALY / BLOG (MAY 2016)

MAXIT MALAYSIA / WEB (OCT 2016)

K H M E R C I RC L E CAMBODIA / BLOG (NOV 2016)

KI M EDIA CAMBODIA / BLOG (DEC 2016)

I N ST I T U T E A RT I STS I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (DEC 2016)

F E M ALE

SI NGAPORE / WEB (NOV 2016)

K Y I V POST

U KRAI N E / WEB (NOV 2016)

I L M U N D O D E LL E I M M AG I N I ITALY / WEB (DEC 2016)

I NQU I RER PH ILI PPI N ES / WEB (DEC 2016)

V I S U E LL GERMANY / WEB (DEC 2016)

WO R LD P R ESS P H OTO I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (DEC 2016)

M U LT I M E D I A W E E K (PO D CAST ) I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (DEC 2016)

M ATCA VI ETNAM / WEB (JAN 2017)

S E N S I T I V E S K I N M AGAZ I N E I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (DEC 2016)

AS E F - C U LT U R E360 ASIA-EU ROPE / WEB (APRIL 2016)

AS E F - C U LT U R E360 ASIA-EU ROPE / WEB (JU N E 2016)

AS E F - C U LT U R E360 ASIA-EU ROPE / WEB (NOV 2016)

CO M P Ã&#x2030; T E N C E P H OTO AG E N DA FRANCE / WEB (JU N E-JULY-OCT 2016)

AS I ALI F E CAMBODIA / WEB (MAY 2016)

T H E LI F EST Y L ES I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (APRIL 2016)

T H E C U R ATO R S H I P I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (APRIL 2016)

M E TA P H O R I M AG ES I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (MAY 2016)

M U N D O R E A L E M AGAZ I N E ITALY / WEB (MAY 2016)

O P PO RT U N I T Y D I A RY I NTERNATIONAL / WEB (MAY 2016)

HANOI GRAPEVI N E VI ETNAM / WEB (JU N E 2016)

RAPPLER PH ILI PPI N ES / WEB (JU N E 2016)