In his “Cocks” series, Goh has vividly captured these characteristics through his realist portraits of ornamental chickens known as Serama chickens bred for competition by many in Malaysia.
“As a photographer, I am always interested in photographing the human condition. But this human condition does not exist in a vacuum as we share the natural world with animals. My interest in photographing animals is a natural extension of my interest in the human condition, because we are all inextricably linked to each other. We cannot exist without the other. I hope that my “Cocks” and my other animal series can in some way encourage us to reflect upon our relationship with animals.” Ernest Goh
Ernest Goh’s latest photographic series explores the close relationship between animals and their human masters. Humans tend to anthropomorphize their pets considering them as members of the family and projecting human-like characteristics onto them. In his “Cocks” series, Goh has vividly captured these characteristics through his realist portraits of ornamental chickens known as Serama chickens bred for competition by many in Malaysia. These chickens are prized for their built, size, behaviour and showmanship and compete in ‘beauty pageants’ held in villages throughout Malaysia. Judged on their stance, temperament and quality of their wing, comb and tail, owners of Seramas proudly regard their chickens as warriors or soldiers, ready for battle.
Photographs & Text: Ernest Goh, Singapore | Website: http://www.ernestgoh.com
The photo book Cocks, by Ernest Goh will be launched at IPA Photo Books Show 2013 on the 19th–20th October at the National Museum of Singapore. More from Cocks and Ernest on his Facebook Page: http://www.theanimalbook.co/.
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