Luminous Shadow 浮光流影– Cendana Final Evaluation Report / Jeffrey Lim / 2021 / report paper
Awarded the CENDANA Mobility Funding Programme 2019 for the production of Luminous Shadow by Wang Pei-yao, Taiwan International Festival of the Arts (TIFA) 20 / 2021. Documentation of the creative process, travelogue, timeline, budget and prints. A4 booklet, 32 pages
612 pieces of hand printed 4x5" silver gelatin prints of 10 photographs (+2 special secret prints) delivered!!!
I chose twelve from the twenty negatives, 70+ minute exposure of the entire performance. Over the span of the last ten days, and countless manhours in the darkroom (grandma's house), we hand printed and prepared these for delivery to our producer Annie Wu. With the assistance from Luc Chen, Director Yu-ching 黃郁晴 (64 prints) legend theatre director to darkroom operator and Artistic Director Wang Pei-yao (72 prints) from Concert Pianist to hand wash printing, getting on the ground and hands wet, we managed to pull off a major feat, using only basic darkroom, equipment and materials, chems (thank you @how ting). Truly a Taiwanese production. Thank you for the opportunity and amazing experience, in deepest gratitude to Pei-yao for this chance in a lifetime #luminousshadow浮光流影
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| 612 pieces prepared for delivery |
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| Luc Chen holding up our exposure chart test |
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| first batch of 200 pieces |
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| basic darkroom setup |
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| proud to finish the first batch successfully |
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| 2nd batch with the help of Yu-Ching |
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| Pei-yao came for the final batch |
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| meticulously producing 72 prints |
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| hanging them dry |
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| and washing too! |
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| Pei-yao prodigy concerto classical pianist |
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| delivery at National Theatre Concert Hall, Taipai |
Still in the thick of post-production work. 'After party' no.1, thanks dada for amazing profile pictures, backstage after opening night the writer, pianist & photographer, spiritual offering and blessings before opening night, Malaysian cakes from Pelita! terima kaseh
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| after finale, 'After Party' with the crew |
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| with Dada the photographer |
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| with Ming-yi and Pei-yao |
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| spiritual offerings before opening |
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| with Pelita Lim and Susu bearing cakes |
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| malaysian cakes from Pelita! |
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| after rehearsal snack! |
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The 'After After Party' #luminousshadow浮光流影 my new Taiwan extended family! 💓 all of you. A first of having my print on a cake! I felt it was a very smooth performance, but ive been told it was an exceptional production! with great reviews all round! it is amazing, almost all girl team power! so much love and great leadership and teamwork.
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| 'After After Party' just getting started |
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| print on cake! |
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| handing out special prints |
Opening Night! #luminousshadow浮光流影 my multi-role in this performance. many first-time experiences, from having commissioned to make images for projections, to setting up cameras for a conceptual hour long exposure (printing 600 copies by hand), and being an actor on stage! (small supporting role) with world class musicians! Honoured to be part of this whole new experience and opportunity.
Director who brought so much emotions out of me!, producers + 1 po organised everything behind the scene, marketing promo team, photographer dada, lighting projection, stage management, production crew. professional true and through. thank you. and to my amazing art photography crew, Ann & Luc who I can't do without.
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| final bow |
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| program booklet |
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| rehearsal |
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| National Theatre Concert Hall |
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| part of the production team |
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| explaining the print on the book cover |
#luminousshadow浮光流影 11 cameras ready! the largest amount of cameras I've prepared for a simultaneous long exposure of over 1 hour. The entire duration of the concert performance. Cameras are spread out across the theatre, and has to be manually operated, by eight of us, including all three musicians. Each camera averaging in age of about 80-90 years, oldest being from circa 1900.
Finally met up with Wang Yilin , the last of the only four box camera practitioner in Taiwan. After years of trying to meet, she came for one of the talks two years ago, this being the first camera meet (with our large formats instead).
I love the portrait she made of me, and how mama knows every detail of operating the portrait kiosk. As she expertly handles the lighting. She prepared so many gifts for us, thank you for your generosity.
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| cameras of the trade, street portraits |
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| my attempt at night shot |
16 April- Kanta Manuscript 20 (Taiwan edition)- more than half the books I brought are heading out to the indigenous communities i have been with.
Special Taiwan edition, early release, with Chinese translation (online)! Heading to almost every corner of Taiwan, from pacific ocean Orchid Island, to the southern mountains of Wutai, to the river plains of Fataãn Hualien, Taichung and far reaches in Taipei my legs can't pedal to. The other half, Ive been handing out in gratitude, to people who have contributed to the project here and made it possible, art centres, foundations, grants, news media, individuals, only 15 very limited books will be available for public purchase at vendors in Taipei.
Thank you for writing the addresses 黃郁晴 !!! books will be received in three days. thank you my friends in villages who will distribute the books out to the community!
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7 May– Approached a vendor, a book store Youhe Book shop 有河書店 in Taipei to showcase the books. Unfortunately I only had 15 books prepared for public sale in Taiwan, the other 65 books were distributed to the indigenous communities, art centres, foundations, art programmers and individuals who have supported this art research in Taiwan. Another photography book store was shortlisted, but I ran out of books before I could reach out to them.
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| with Dennis Chan, Youhe Bookshop |
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| Posting online, sold out |
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| Prepared books for distribution |
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| mailing out packages to indigenous communities |
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25 March– In preparation for the trip to Taiwan, I have engaged a translator, Amity Zhang, who graciously did the whole book for a small fee. I made a small bookmark containing the QR code to the book online in Traditional Chinese.
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| Chinese translation available online |
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| bookmark label with QR code |
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| Traditional Chinese translation of the book online for Taiwan |
10 March– Prepared a batch of books donated to Gerai OA as contribution back to the Indigenous community through the sale of the books. All proceeds from the sale of the book from them will be donated to the cause of this organisation. At the same time, I managed to get this book registered with ISBN number required for sale at certain bookstore chains. Unfortunately until the pandemic lifts and international post system reinstated, this book will not be available overseas.
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10 December– Just delivered! Hot off the press, Kanta Manuscript 20, brief writing and reflection of the project, 20 portraits, 48 pages, 128 x 186 mm (B6 size), 4 colour Black & White print, higher res print at 200 line screen, on FSC Certified- Symbol Tatami White paper, open sewn binding, printed 500+ books. To be released starting this Saturday at @tropicalspicegarden event in Penang. Available from next week onwards! (Born during lockdown)
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7 December– Kanta Manuscript 20 book is going to print! Should be ready by next week i hope! Book Cover– Kanta Manuscript 20 book, with frame marks for the sizes of prints I've made. Image- seeing through my box camera, view of the insides
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| offset print run |
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| first signature done |
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| four colour black & white print |
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| press check for colour |
4 December– New batch is out ! (UPDATE: run out of copies, but offset print edition will be available in a few weeks). Kanta Manuscript 20 photobook mockup, printed and hand-stitched another 10 copies of the book. Additional 4 are uncut versions.
A selection of 20 portrait prints made during the Kanta Portraits project between 2015 and 2019. The prints were initial prepared for submissions to photo festival for year 2020. This publication compiles all the entries into a manuscript as an introduction to the project.
Digital print on FSC paper. Available please enquire if you’d like a copy. Cover is pasted with random failed silverprints from the project. An offset printrun is scheduled this month! the book is going to print.
It’s RM60, shipping throughout Malaysia (RM8 + RM3 box), Singapore and Brunei only (RM20 + RM11 tracking). I can hand deliver within KL City and surrounding suburbs, or self-pickup at Brickfields. (mockup for submission to @lightbox_lib #invisiblefuturevisiblepast #periodicwaysofseeing)
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| 20 maquette books ready, new stitch method |
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| special cover design |
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| trimmed edition, black thread |
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| uncut edition, orange thread |
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17 November– Kanta Manuscript 20 photobook mockup (mockup for submission to @lightbox_lib #invisiblefuturevisiblepast #periodicwaysofseeing). A selection of 20 portrait prints made during the Kanta Portraits project between 2015 and 2019. The prints were initial prepared for submissions to photo festival for year 2020. This publication compiles all the entries into a manuscript as an introduction to the project. #kantamanuscript20
I only made and hand-stitch 11 books, of which only six are as close to the colour I wanted. Digital print on FSC paper. Available please enquire if you'd like a copy. Cover is pasted with random silverprints from the project. Highly likely I will do a limited offset print run, preorder with me.
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| maquette, hand stitch |
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| with silverprint cover |
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| publication notes |
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| project introduction |
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| Amai portrait writeup |
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| Jeliah portrait writeup |
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| Dave Diaman portrait |
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| Amran portrait writeup |
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| silverprints |
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| black & white versions |
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24 September– Kanta Manuscript 2020– limited run—Photobook maquette / mockup. Managed to squeeze in a little booklet printout for #KantaPortraits (limited run, will release some proper pics after i hand mockup the book). The last few weeks have been choc-o-block mentoring and putting together 4 commissioned photobooks of local photographers to be sent to Taipei as part of the exhibition I'm curating, working title #periodicwaysofseeing
