reflected visions Nicholai Go Photography Portfolio 2014
I believe in the power of photography as a tool for change and often find it underutilized. It can be used to change perceptions, and sometimes that’s all you need to change lives. This in return, makes photography very dangerous when used incorrectly. My mission as a photographer is to steer it towards the right direction. My photography itself is a manifestation of that notion of power through the exploration of the human condition, what draws us in, what scares us, what makes us believe, and what makes us human. This in return, reflects our perception of reality and makes myself and the audience question. I photograph not to represent form, figure, moments, nor reality, but instead a concept and an idea. I create performances specifically made to be photographed and made flat, taking account all of the elements within. I always work in series to represent the journey and my relationship with the concept and idea that I am exploring. It is to add context, to root it within an extended narrative. In my own process of questioning reality, I do not often just take photographs, I end up making them.
www.ngophotography.com www.facebook.com/nicholaigophotography www.flickr.com/photos/nicholaigo
contents Super Rough Landing System Loophole Temporarily Buried Live in a Dream Lost Direction Untethered Final Belonging Exercise in Futility Wide Awake Blindly Waiting
6 10 18 32 50 72 82 96 108 118 130
exhibitions IASAS Cultural Convention: Visual Art International School Manila, Taguig, Philippines
Philippines
March 2010 April 2012
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
Third Annual Asian Art Exhibit
May 2012
One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI, USA
See|Me: The Story of the Creative
July 2013
New York City, NY, USA
See|Me: Creatives Rising
October 2013
New York City, NY, USA
Darkroom Gallery: Make Believe
October 2013
Essex, Jct, VT, USA
Litrato: Genesis
March 2014
Fort Bonifacio, Philippines
publications N-Photo Magazine
January 2013
Lost Freedom Magazine
January 2013
Issue 15
Volume 2, Issue 3
Artist Portfolio Magazine
April 2013
Issue 10
RISD XYZ
May 2013
Spring / Summer 2013
Lens Magazine
August 2013
Issue 3
RedBull Illume
August 2013
Image Quest 2013
Professional Photographer UK Magazine January 2014 January 2014 Issue
Digital Photo Magazine Vol. 18 No. 2
April 2014
awards EyeTime 2012 Competition: “Emerging Talent”
December 2012
MyArtContest 2012 Photography Art Contest
December 2012
Tronix Photo Contest: “When The Sun Goes Down”
December 2012
Pop-Photo Readers Competition
December 2012
2012 International Photography Awards
December 2012
Jury Winner
Best in Show
Grand Winner
Action/Sports Runner-Up
First Place, Special Effects, Non-Pro
New York City for Photographic Arts: “Water”
May 2013
ViewBug Photo Contest: “Smoke”
July 2013
Third Place
First Place, Jury Selection
Professional Photographer of the Year 2013
November 2013
Exhibition Without Wall: “Strong and Powerful”
December 2013
EyeTime 2013 Competition: “Future Voices”
December 2013
Digital Photo: “7th Annual Your Best Shot”
December 2013
First Place, Student of the Year Award of Excellence Jury Winner Jury Winner
super The idea for this series explores the power of photography. I wanted to create photos of surreal moments that portray me more than just human. I wanted to compel people to look twice and feel a sense of fear or confusion. I believe that photography is a power not to be taken lightly. I want to question the boundaries of human beings. Is true power gained when we surpass human limits?
prod. 2012
rough landing What happens when we think we are lost in the world, but in reality the world is the one that’s lost?
prod. 2012
system loophole Reality is relative. Therefore, there will always be a loophole.
prod. 2012
temporarily buried You cannot run away and hide yourself forever. Hiding secrets can be only temporary as it only bears fruit to more secrets.
prod. 2012
live in a dream I have always wondered what boundaries exist between dream and reality. What would it take to live in an eternal dream in where you can have complete control of the world? With the series, I question our reality and how its connected to dreams. Our dreams are an entry way to another kind of reality. I believe that if we have full control of our dreams, it could be a fully realized reality just as much as the one we live in now.
prod. 2012
lost direction How do you know that the path you choose to take is not dictated by the world? Do we need to choose a path? We are doomed to an endless cycle in search for a direction, which we cannot even be certain is ours.
prod. 2012
untethered What do we transform to when we are fully consumed by what surrounds us?
prod. 2012
final belonging No matter what we lose or what happens to us, we will always have one last belonging. How hard will you hold unto that one last belonging when it’s the only thing you have left?
prod. 2012
exercise in futility What constantly pushes us to attempt flight when it isn’t part of our nature to do so? We build and build to extend our limitations.
prod. 2012
wide awake How far can you really travel in your dreams where everything is possible? One thing that connects the dream world and our reality is time. We have a finite amount of time no matter the reality.
prod. 2012
blindly waiting To wait is to have trust and faith.
prod. 2012