Photo by Luis Liwanag
I have some thoughts and even more realizations about Fotomoto’s 2nd edition. I guess in line with my 2023 outlook of letting people go their own way, I want Fotomoto to grow in its own way. DISCLAIMER: I was a speaker, portoflio reviewer, and guest assistant instructor for a workshop during Fotomoto. With that out of the way, here’s some thoughts:
Man I'm just so happy there is a 2022 edition! All credit goes to the organizers, staff, and crew.
Home fits exactly to a prevailing theme that probably hit a tipping point this year: Tenderness. Nicole Soriano beautifully expressed this through this piece on Geloy Concepcion, Geric Cruz, and Hannah Reyes Morales’ work. This tenderness can be seen throughout the works. It ranged from the beautiful tribute to a sibling to places we took refuge during the lockdowns. In recognizing and making sense of who we are and even in the places we cook our food. And of course, the way in which we take care of our land. The thing is, this thread is because our society is built to reward the cruel. If you can inflict yourself in a space, you’ll get the attention and with it, the rewards. Filipino tenderness is about reclaiming, rest, and recognition. Perhaps the reason this tenderness exists is because we have Lambing. Tenderness is maybe the closest way to describe it in western terms but Lambing is tenderness to bring to a place of comfort. Our history and society makes existence cruel. Ang pagbibigay ng lambing ay pag-rebelde sa pang araw araw na karahasan. I mean there will be outliers. Brian Sergio comes to mind. Even then I’d argue that an essential part of BDSM is the aftercare: A form of tenderness to bring down the intensity and reconnect. Where better to manifest this Lambing than in our place of refuge. Home or whatever it means to an individual as a place where Lambing occurs. It’s all semantics at this point. Whatever the case, tenderness as a prevailing thread of Philippine photography should be explored.
I always get told that I prefer experimental, conceptual, or non-traditional means a photograph is used but I think there’s nothing like a good old piece of long form documentary storytelling. I’m a fan of the possibilities of the medium and what can be done with it but when there’s a good piece of documentary work done in a way we have been since the days of Life magazine like Katherine Jack’s i’m all for it. Appreciation for the new doesn’t mean obsolescence for the old. In fact, I think it can augment the old school approach. The work, the story, and the empathy needed will still shine through the images provided it was done with care.
Angela Silva’s work is a favorite of mine
I’m always saddened when talks are not recorded or if they are but not as easily accessible. All the talks in Fotomoto this year are available on the Facebook page. I absolutely love this. I encourage everyone to give it a watch.
I’m happy that this might become a fixed point in the calendar year like ArtFair/Photo. Much to the enjoyment of this edition for me is the fact that I saw the folks that I admire. Extra bonus is meeting new folks in the scene and getting more folks involved. Whatever the next iterations (biennale anyone?), additions (on photobooks?), or streamlining they will do, I’m excited for the next iterations As always, I wish for all the success to happen.
Whether the founders like it or not, I’m going to call it a festival (unless it changes into Biennale, then I’ll call it for what it is, a Photofestival! Saying that warms the heart.)
I’m really a book guy. I can appreciate a well laid out use of space like they did here but I really just prefer to consume my photography via books.
I wish we can develop a portfolio review culture. I’m not sure if it’s because we’re a non-confrontational sort, we are approachable outside the context of a portfolio review, or somebody spread the idea that portfolio reviews are a money making scam? Fotomoto’s reviews are free. I was expecting a lot of folks to utilize it. Even if it was for a marginal fee, it is still worth it given the line-up it has. Still, happy with the works I saw and I am happy folks allowed me to peek into their work.
Speaking of portfolio reviews, I think my niche to these things is developing the ideas to make the work possible. Which means if you have a clear plan, I might not be the best person to talk to. However, if you just want to jumpstart your brain and explore possibilities, I love to talk shop.
On boundaries: This edition of Fotomoto is sort of a reboot for me. With all the lockdowns, this is the first time I felt that “it's back” whatever that means. Like I said, it’s nice to be around people. Although I will admit that I got a bit exhausted during the opening. I still enjoyed it though.
The photoland skills I have do not have any neoliberal value. Maybe I'm not creative enough to find monetary opportunities for “enjoying how to look at images” but When a great part of what I know is from people sharing their knowledge through me for free, I feel disingenuous asking for monetary exchange. I think it has to lead or has to be something different so I can at least make time to continue doing this.
I'm not interested in “saving Philippine Photography” or “Giving it the spotlight it deserves”. I really just want to look at more photobooks and spazz about them. How it shapes up is not up to me. PH Photoland is vast and has a space for everyone who wants to stake a claim in it. It can be done by doing the work. I hope I get to do a lot of that for 2023.
I keep telling myself that I want to put an effort to explore photography outside Manila so I’ll try to follow more accounts, organizations, galleries, doing that. If you have recommendations, throw them my way!
Most of photoland makes work that other photographers will appreciate. A photographer’s photographer if you will. It’s always funny to see the resentment or pushback of others when a work extends beyond the realm of photoland and enters the mainstream.
2023 PH Photoland will Zine again. Mark it. If there is an organization who wants to do book grants or at least book dummy workshops, now is the time to do it.
Long form and formal writing on photography: readingphotographs.asia
I’m currently working on a multi-part series on a name I never hear on PH photoland conversations but I think should be relevant. It will be up on the main site after some weeks. I’ll try to get part 1 going as I’m still gathering data if it will be worth the time. Please pray that I get more momentum for it. I probably need to update the site design as it has been 8 years old. Let’s see. (fundraiser?)
Informal writing, quick thoughts, and misc: readingphotographs.substack
Thank you for subscribing to this newsletter! The constant barrier for me is my perfectionism to the point that I lose momentum or time on things I’m doing. To beat that, I’m just going to have the mindset of getting things out rather than getting things perfect. Substack implemented a video feature here that I might utilize in the future to do just that. Speaking of substack features, I'm also opening the pledge button here as a way to gauge if I can monetize here. Would appreciate it if you can so I can manage my efforts well. As always, I'm open to feedback.
Grants, Opportunities, links, events, and other online opportunities I see, and/or works from others I want to share: instgram.com/readingphotographs stories/ Facebook page stories
Photobook quick thoughts: instgram.com/readingphotographs reels
Yep, going to feed the machine instead of rage against it. I’m going to do instagram reels and going to be all about photobook quick thoughts so give a follow there if you are into that thing. Let’s see how it goes.
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