Sharing Space – Contemporary Photography of Malaysia + Japan

This series of images ” Dear Lord, I think I am going to die” explores the space and context in which my mother spent her last weeks before she died of cancer. In the space and confines of my home, this triptych portrays the images that she saw everyday from the bed she lay on. My siblings and I would pray with her every night reciting The Rosary in its entirety. She died peacefully on this bed on 16th March 2007.

Group exhibition of Contemporary Photography at the Annexe, 12 – 29 July 2007:

Celebrating Malaysia’s 50th Year of Independence and the 50th Year of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Japan, The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur and The Annexe, Central Market proudly present ‘Sharing Space – Contemporary Photography of Malaysia + Japan’ Exhibition.

The works by the Japanese artists are part of a touring exhibition titled “Counter-Photography”, curated to present 11 noted Japanese photographers: Eikoh Hosoe, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Miho Akioka, Miyuki Ichikawa, Akiko Sugiyama, Chie Yasuda, Kazuo Katase, Hiroko Inoue, Tomoko Yoneda, Tomoaki Ishihara, Michihiro Shimabuku. The exhibition is curated by Yuri Mitsuka, curator of the Shoto Museum of Art. The exhibition in Malaysia is presented by Japan Foundation, KL.

The Annexe, Central Market saw this as an opportunity to share its new gallery and present the works of Malaysian contemporary photographers alongside with the Japanese photographers. The Malaysian photographers are: Bernice Chauly, Sharon Lam, Tan Chee Hon, Caecar Chong, Nazim Esa, Minstrel Kuik, Eiffel Chong and Pang Khee Teik (who as Arts Programme Director of The Annexe, Central Market, is also the curator of this exhibition). The works presented by the Malaysian photographers are new and half of them are being produced specifically for this exhibition.