Monday, 13 January 2014

Photographer 1 | Shen Wei


Shen Wei, a Shanghai born fine art photographer, who is currently based in New York City, known for his intimate portraits of himself and others. His photography work has also covered some exploration of contemporary China. His name was first introduced to me by my course lecturer cum fine art photographer, Ms. Ho.

Nudity in photography is not new. It has been the source of inspirations since the first day of photography being introduced. However, the publication and exhibition of these photographs may still be controversial. I am open to nude photography as I see it as an idea to depict some kind of freedom in mind in a visual aspect. Varied angles, poses and action could define different emotion and stories.

Almost Naked – One of Wei’s photography series, consists of portraits exploring identity and sexuality in America. It was motivated by his passion to understand the complexity of emotion, desire, introspection and instinct. In this series, he sought to explore the relation between nudity in mind and physical nudity. In my opinion, some people tend to feel more relaxed and comfortable without wearing any clothes. The emotion flows naturally when people are relaxed.
James, 2007
Hyramd, 2005
Collin and Erica, 2007
Wei has another self-portrait project – I Miss You Already, capturing the process of self-reflection and self-discovery. These photographs include his introspection, rebellion, memory, fantasy, anxiety, seduction and emptiness. I like the way he put himself into the frames as a journey to understand and discover his inner self.

Self-portrait (Angkor), 2012
Self-portrait (Float), 2013
Self-portrait (New York), 2010
Self-portrait (Sunroom), 2010
Self-portrait (Pool), 2010
Self-portrait (Syracuse), 2010
Self-portrait (Woodstock), 2010

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