The Asia-Europe Forum for Young Photographers 2007 brought together a group of 20 emerging photographers and photography curators from 18 ASEM countries for “Future Image” from 18th-24th November, 2007 in Cork and Dublin, Ireland. Here, they learned about and exchanged information on the Asian and European photography scene and launched new formats of virtual and actual collaboration, as well as exchanging best practices.
The focus of this year’s exchange, entitled “Create – Communicate – Promote” was on the changes in photography through the impact of digitalisation. It started in Cork, where the group attended lectures delivered by photography professionals Alex Moh (Malaysia), Celina Lunsford (Germany-USA), Gao Lei (China), Prof. Ralph Jacobson (UK), Kimmo Lehtonen (Finland) and Suh Jinsuk (Korea). The lectures gave substantial foundation for deep analysis and discussions on issues arising from current developments in digital photography technology, as well as incurring implications on contemporary photography art and the curating of photographic exhibitions.
The session was continued by several workshops to examine the aspects of creation, communication and promotion of photography in the digital era and to develop an enhanced understanding to achieve excellence and new aesthetic approaches in a digital environment. In these workshops, the participants and resource people were able to discuss the intended outcome of this project and to explore possible avenues to work on future projects.
In addition to this, two public talks were held by Nick Galvin (Archive Director, Magnum London) and Prof. Ralph Jacobson (outgoing President, Royal Photography Society). It gave the opportunity for participants and the public of more than 150 people to learn about digital changes in the professional field of photography. The exchanges in Cork concluded with an exhibition showcasing one-month collaborative and individual works the participants had created prior their online exchange period.
In Dublin, the meeting was rounded up with a final exhibition of 21 slideshow projections presenting individual works of each photographer. This exhibition very well reflected the diversity of photographic, artistic and cultural backgrounds of these emerging photographers. To conclude the project, the group agreed to work on a common theme “Secured Area” followed by a six-month working period towards a post-project publication and exhibition.
This exchange forum was set up in partnership with Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh Co. Cork, Cork Institute of Technology and the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT).
