Asia is the world’s largest and most populous continent with a huge diversity of culture, race and history, but traditions of filial piety and love for family is a common, bonding thread. Here are 8 photo essays by photographers who have pointed their lenses inwards on their family – a view into their personal lives.
Maika Elan: Like My Father
Vietnam’s Maika Elan won 1st Prize at World Press last year for her portraits on Gay couples in Vietnam. Maika follows up with a very personal project in tribute to her ailing father. View more: Photo Essay: Like My Father, by Maika Elan
Sohrab Hura: Life is Elsewhere
Sohrab Hura is one of India’s most acclaimed young photographers. Sohrab’s “Life is Elsewhere” is a personal journal and life meditation inspired by his mother who suffers from acute paranoid schizophrenia. Sohrab talks about his project here: Photographing the Personal. And read our exclusive interview here: Getting Personal with Sohrab Hura – An interview with Magnum’s new nominee.
Sean Lee: Homework
Singaporean photographer Sean Lee won the ICON de Martell Award in 2011 with his ‘Homework’ series of family portraits. In Homework, Sean uses photography and humour as a means to bond with his family. His latest iteration ‘The Garden’ explores life, death and inevitability through a forensic study of his parents’ bodies. View our behind-the-scenes video of Sean photographing his family: Sean Lee: Homework – Strangers in the Family
Sarker Protick: What Remains
Talented Bangladeshi photographer Sarker Protick was a finalist in our Photo Essay Award 2013 with his surreal and poetic What Remains portrait series of his grandparents at their abode.
Ore Huiying: We Are Farmers
Singapore photographer Ore Huiying, a nominee in the ICON de Martell Award 2013, explores her unique family of farmers in Singapore in her ongoing We Are Farmers series.
Cindy Bajema: Where She Was
Currently based in China, freelance photographer Cindy Bajema celebrats her mother’s life in Where She Was, a touching portrait made during the last months of her mother’s life.
John Clang: Guilt
Influential Singapore photographer John Clang, most recently known for his “Being Together” series, explores family, absence and filial piety in his Guilt series.
Kevin WY Lee: Return Of Hundred Daughters
IPA founder Kevin WY Lee explores his his own family, identity and diaspora history in Return Of Hundred Daughters, a family portrait as visualised through his father’s historic return to his home village in Kaiping, China.
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Comments 1
Every photographer’s works are excellent. Sad but its true that our new generation they are becoming like a machine made human being in our high technology world. So all these story are example as a bonding for family, parents, grandparents those are creat from deep inside from heart. A close relationship with family is developed from love and this love is eternal and it’s remain year after years. Love ,sacrifice ,deep feelings for closest one are such a thing that’s can not buy in exchange of money or property. I liked Sharker Protick’s story because in my childhood and teenage time I had a very close bonding with my grandparents, still now so many memory are living my heart for them. And they inspired me all the time !