Norm Yip, Photographer!
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| Photos by Norm Yip |
I had the honor of interviewing the clever and sensitive photographer, Norm Yip. Born in Canada and living in Hong Kong, the artist is currently working on his 3rd photography book.
The images of Norm Yip, as well as his friendliness and simplicity, call attention to his emotional wealth and predisposition towards artistic beauty.
Check out the interview.
1) Being an Architect, how did the photography come to your professional life?
I remember before entering university that I wanted to do something that combined the arts and science and I decided that architecture was going to be a better career financially. Although I did well in architecture studies and was a project manager in several architectural firms, it came to a time when I realized that I wasn't happy working as one. So the time came when I was made redundant in my last firm and I took the plunge into photography and art. This was in 1999 and I have never looked back. Art was the main thing for me, but it was in the medium of photography that I had an immediate affinity towards. I knew that the camera was a tool that felt right in my hands. When I was about 14 years old, I asked my older brother, who at time time was the yearbook photographer, if he would be help me learn how to do darkroom photography. It was my first lesson on using the camera, developing and processing film, and printing my own black and white prints.
2) Do you have any photographer who inspires you?
Yes, there are many photographers and artists that have influenced me in my growing years. I studied art history and took one year of black and white photography in the University of Saskatchewan (Canada). I was attracted to the works of Henri-Cartier Bresson for this way of capturing the moment, which was very new and different at the time. I greatly admire the photography of Richard Avedon and his work in fashion and beauty, Edward Weston for his stills of peppers, and I was equally captivated by the works of Herb Ritts, whom I was eagerly trying to copy with my Asian male photography. In addition, I am greatly influenced by the Michelangelo and Caravaggio. Michelangelo for the way he captured and idealized the human form, and for Caravaggio in his treatment of light and shadow.
3) What is your favorite personal project?
My greatest personal project is the one that I am working on currently, which is the publication of my 3rd photography book, The Asian Male - 3.AM. It is essentially a book project which contains my best photographs taken of Asian men taken over the last 7 years. It is a huge undertaking which consists of portraits and nudes. I have included some of my experimental photography projects including projection, sexy fashion-styled photographs and some BDSM bondage of young Asian men. As the book is self-published, I get to decide what goes in and what goes out. My Asian Male website: http://theasianmale.com
4) Brazil is a multi-ethnic country. It's nice to see today we have much more inclusion of this diversity in our media and art. The Brazilian people is now concerned in showing that our beauty has several faces. The Asian-Brazilians, although they occupy prominent places in other professional areas, I feel it's missing more daring attitudes from them to fight for their space in this field. Why do you think it happens?
When you mention this question, it reminds me of exactly what I am experiencing in Hong Kong. Although this city has a grown art side, it is highly conservative and boring. The city thrives on being in the middle ground when it comes to art, and there is a strange fear of being overly sexual or overt. Perhaps this is the case with the Asian-Brazilians? It takes a very clever person to bring nudity or sexuality to an art level in a conservative neighborhood, without stepping on people's sensitive minds. It's easy to categorize and push anything where a penis or breast is showing as pornographic or obscene, without trying to understand the context in which the piece was created. Knowledge is still required to understand what fuels the intellectually creative mind; some don't bother to understand. So in Hong Kong, I feel I am one of the few that will take a more liberal approach to beauty, sex and nudity - without trying to be obscene or sensationalizing my work.
5) I read that someone called you racist because your target is shooting Asian models! We know art has no race or gender! Don't you think the person who said that is the one who has a racist mind?
I have never heard that remark about my work, but I have had people indicate to me that I only photograph Asian men, which is entirely untrue. As simplistic as it sounds, when i was putting together my first book, I was looking for a title to my small collection of images, which included photographs of non-Asian men too. I finally came to the decision to give it the title 'The Asian Male', as there were few photography books on the subject. So it was a marketing decision to isolate the topic and book's direction. I had no intention to make any racist statement by photographing Asian men, but only to bring about a greater illumination to the subject. To answer your last question, yes, it would appear so.
6) Tell us about your professional plans. Or what else you want to say.
I believe the time is ready for me to have exhibitions of my work elsewhere in the world. I have had exhibitions here in Hong Kong yes, but the time is ripe to showcase my images in settings where there is an appreciation of the human body and face that respects and honors to what are inherently born with and should not be ashamed of. I have an upcoming exhibition in Zurich, Switzerland in October.
The work that I do is really stems from beauty and longevity, not cool. Cool is transitory and fleeting. Beauty and longevity relate to being a classic -- something that withstands the test of time, and have permanence and memory. Madonna's early work are classics, but then, I love her.
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| About Norm Yip's 3rd Book |
by ROBERTO CHRISTO
Brazilian Elections
Ana Maria Saad is my muse!
Why Brazil is sucks, sometimes!
Film Festival - Sao Paulo - 2012
The hosts of the evening were Kelly Lima and Roberto Christo.
Even when evangelical institutions will pretend to see nothing and will continue to campaign against the creation of a special law to punish homophobic crimes?
A Christian publisher says she had to cancel the launch of a book which claims Jesus can cure homosexuality because of a planned protest by gay rights activists.
Brazil, a Country With No Laws to Protect Homosexuals or at Least its Citizens
The second one is Mexico and third one is USA.
Another recent attack against gays in São Paulo. See video below:
*See part of the images below:
The Intimate (Documentary)
This is a Spanish word that means "choice". It's a new short film about the lack of choice in countries governed by dictators. Check the making of out:
Dilma
Rousseff was reelected and she will continue her party's plan to establish a regime in Brazil. Brazil will continue being assaulted by
corruption and having its freedom threatened. Mr Maduro and Castro brothers will continue receiving money generated by taxes paid by
Brazilian people, through a deal made under the table by "Brazilian
Workers' Party" (Dilma & Lula's Party) and those dictators. In the other hand, the blinded
Brazilian people will be manipulated by fake government data regarding to the
continuing inflation, violence rate, lack of public healthcare and education.
The country stopped growing, Brazilian interest rates are the highest in world, and
inflation is almost out of control. We will continue to see Workers' Party
"buying" legislative power! We will continue to see our president as the person in charge of
judiciary nomination. We will continue being witness of the Brazilian Workers'
Party brainwashing promoting hatred among our society: "north against
south", "poor versus rich" and “black against white".
We need freedom; Brazilian Workers' Party cannot crucify anyone who thinks
different of their rules!! We were hostages of an electoral terrorism. Poor
people from the northeast of the country voted for Dilma because of her
propaganda, they felt afraid of losing the benefits of the local social
programs. Dilma and Lula, during the campaign, said the rich discriminate
poor, black people and the Northern people... what is a lie.
This is the way they maintain their power. They want to spread their power
buying the support of countries like Iran, Bolivia, Cuba and Angola with personal ideologies that do not reflect Brazilian's opinion (Dilma said during her speech at UN that it's necessary to talk to ISIS); or even financing the
improvements of the Havana Airport, the construction of a hydroelectric plant in Nicaragua and construction
of Port Mariel, in Cuba.
They also want to control media content, they stimulate the party's followers
to attack those journalists they blame “against the regime”. Dilma wants to
change the law to make herself the person in charge for appointing the head of
the Federal Police responsible for investigating crimes of corruption committed
by politicians. Why?
Brazil is becoming a dictatorship and we can do nothing but speak out
while we still have this opportunity.
Ana Maria Saad is my muse!
Why Brazil is sucks, sometimes!
Who wants to live in a country where you can not go out without fearing the violence?
Who wants to live in a country where you pay taxes, all the time, and have no benefits back?
Who wants to live in a country where you can be spanked to death because you have been to a gay place, even being straight?
Who wants to live in a country where you take 2 hours by car, during an ordinary day, to reach the airport 35 km far from your place? When you get there you take 1 hour to pass through immigration service because there aren't enough people working.
Who wants to live in a country where artists rarely get paid for their job?
Even being a professional with preparation, practice and criatevity, my artistic sensibility and my love for culture, are the the remaing reasons to keep trying to work with art.
I "write" with the intention to find a better country, in the near future.
Film Festival - Sao Paulo - 2012
The closing night was busy and had the honorable presence of the band "Dois por Dois", by Fernando and Rafael, who performed from traditional jazz standards to authentic bossa nova.
It was indeed a star flooded event with celebrities attending the headquarters of FNAC in São Paulo.
Fernando Alves Pinto and Rafael Pimenta staged the festival as "masters of ceremony".
Presence of celebrities who kindly went to present the winners and award them with "Lotus Flower Trophy", among them we could meet: - - The filmmakers Boris Ramallho, Tulio Ramalho, Duda Izique, Rene Brasil, Caco Souza, Michael Ruman and Sergio Machado.
- The actors, Raphael Negrao, Eliseu Paranhos, Carlos de Niggro.
- The actresses, Maísa Magalhães, Paula Silvestre, Cassia Guindo, Juliana Ferreira, Juliana Fagundes, Ledah Briacho, Chris Fernandes and Alekssandra Zakartchouk besides the producer Rosana Oda and the journalist Camilo Rocha.
The hosts of the evening were Kelly Lima and Roberto Christo.
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| Elder Fraga, Chris Fernandes, Roberto Christo e Maísa Magalhães |
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| Dois por Dois |
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| Chris Fernandes, Roberto Christo e Maísa Magalhães |
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| Chris Fernandes, Roberto Christo e Maísa Magalhães |
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| Elder Fraga, Chris Fernandes, Roberto Christo |
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| Raphael Negrão e Maynara Fanucci |
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| Malcon Haase, Thamara Marques, Maísa Magalhães, Paulo Oliveira |
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| Chris Fernandes e Ledah Briacho |
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| Os Irmãos-Metragem, Boris e Túlio Ramalho |
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| Rene Brasil |
Stop Homophobia in Brazil
The University Teacher, Cleide Antonio Amorim, 42, was brutally murdered last week. Brazil opens 2012 as the leader in homophobic crimes in the world. According to information from the local Police, the teacher was in a bar in Tocantinópolis with two friends, where he was verbally assaulted with homophobic slurs by a man identified as Gilberto Afonso de Sousa, who stabbed him to death.
Even when evangelical institutions will pretend to see nothing and will continue to campaign against the creation of a special law to punish homophobic crimes?
You can help signing below:
X-MAN
The internationally renounded Brazilian movie festival about human sexual diversity, MIXBRASIL exhibited short films and feature movies, everything with LGBT themes.
The festival was held in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, last month. Our film, X-Man took part of their official selection, what was a honor for us.
More info can be found at
www.mixbrasil.org.br.
Shame on Brazilian Politicians
The Brazilian congress is gathering lots of Christian politicians who legislate based on religious dogmas. It's against the Brazilian Constitution that says: Brazil is a laic country. It means its rules can not be based on any religion dogma.
Recently we had two cases involving this issue. The first one was a statement made by Jair Bolsonaro (see photo above), during a TV show, who said black people and homosexuals are promiscuous. He's against the homosexuals because he believes in God and he wants to preserve the family.
The second one happened last night when a politician, Marco Feliciano (Christian Party), posted in his twitter that Africans descend from an ancient who was the first homosexual of the world and that's why he was cursed by Noah. Because of this curse, African continent faces problems as hunger, poverty, and surges of Ebola and AIDS.
Christian Publisher Forced to Cancel Launch of ‘gay cure’ Book
Eileen Mohr, who owns Crossbridge Books, said that a hotel in Worcester refused to host the launch after learning of the demonstration.
Where is your brother?’, by Canadian author Marion Heath, is being published in the UK and tells the story of a gay couple who split up when one has a “dramatic” religious experience.
A “peaceful protest” was planned for Saturday’s launch and was advertised online.
Ms Mohr said it was an “attack on free speech”, BBC News reports.
“It’s a novel, it’s fiction and it isn’t offensive because a lot of these men have been corrupted and led astray into their lifestyle,” she said.
“I think they are of course misguided in protesting because what they don’t like is the idea Jesus can heal people of their homosexuality – but it is actually possible.”
Speaking last month, David Allison of gay pressure group OutRage! told PinkNews.co.uk: “Frankly, this is the latest of a number of books written by people who can’t get it into their thick skulls that being gay is not an illness, an ailment or something to cure.
“Christians in particular are worried as science moves towards seeing being gay as a genetic thing – they are running out of ammunition.
“If science says this, Christians cannot say ‘you are evil’ because it’s something you’re born with, like your skin colour.
“It’s just nonsense. The book will have its moment of fame and then disappear into the remainder shelves in the bookshop.
“Most people have finally got the message that being gay is like having blue eyes or brown hair – it’s something you can’t change".
Pope Benedict 16 and his Non-Sense Intolerance
Pope Benedict 16 officially asked to Brazilian catholics to be against gay marriage. Pope defends marriage exclusively between a man and a woman in name of the protection of the environment.
It's hard to believe that a religious leader can reach such low level with these ignorant words besides being selfish with such attitude. It goes against citizens equality rights. Anyway ... it is known that the catholic church has always been and continues to be selective, elitist and tendentious
We know that difference intolerance results in wars and violence. Pope expresses itself in frivolous name of an incoherent god and forgot that homosexuality is part of nature and of world.
A 19 years old student had to be hospitalized after being beaten by the security guards of a nightclub in Joinville City, Brazil, just because he was dancing with another guy. The young guy, who is openly gay, was attacked by three men according to his report:
"The security guards came to us and said, 'Hey Faggot you can not dance with another guy, this is not a gay place" So I asked to speak to the manager who ordered the guards to put me out and beat me" he said.
There are wounds all over his body (face, back and arms).
According to witnesses, police officers were in the place, but have done anything to avoid the assault.
More Skinhead's Attacks in Sao Paulo
Four young people, two sisters and his friends were attacked on a subway station platform in Sao Paulo. They were coming from a party on Sunday morning. The assailant, a skinhead, was with his girlfriend and got mad just because the group of boys looked in their direction and he assumed the boys were gay. So, the skinhead felt provoked, got a brass knuckles and began to strike the whole group.
How Dare You?
João Braz de Aviz, archbishop of Brasilia, said the president of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, needs to explain to Vatican what she thinks about some polemical issues.
I would answer him HOW DARE YOU?
We are no longer in the era of church inquiry. We are no longer a colony of Portugal that had brought the catechizers to spread out their religion and had exterminated Indians, had persecuted innocent people because of their creeds (especially African descent who had beliefs brought from Africa) and had imposed a court based on religious laws.
SHUT UP JOAO BRAZ! Brazil is a secular nation and our president does not need to undergo an abuse of this level.
Brazil Was Rated the Most Homophobic Country of the World
The second one is Mexico and third one is USA.
Another recent attack against gays in São Paulo. See video below:
Brazil, The Country That Hides Its Homophobic Side
Victims of homophobic attacks in São Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday (14), reported last moments of panic. They were attacked by five young teenagers who committed two sequenced assaults at Paulista Av, the most important financial city landmark. The lawyer of the youths who had attacked the homosexuals, said it was only a common fight among young people but *local security cameras captured the whole action and some witness heard the attackers shouting “queers, you deserve this”. Unfortunately the Brazilian law released the gang. The police reported it was a homophobic attack to kill the victims. The attackers initials are V.L.C, G.M (son of a fugitive who takes part of Italian mafia, Massetti), J.G.B.B, G.P.P and Jonathan Lauton Rodrigues. The world must help us to push the politics in Brazil to vote for the law that criminalizes homophobia since lots of members of our congress said they will vote against the law supported by the religious who colludes against homosexual rights in Brazil what allows that this type of violence happens everyday in Brazil.
*See part of the images below:
The Intimate (Documentary)
The Intimate is now available to be seen on Annual Program Without Frontier. Let's cross the fingers hoping the film to be selected by Granada Festival 2011 (Spain)
Today I came across with an article saying about Dunno Y, the first real gay production made after the High Court ruling last year in India, which legalized homosexuality in the country. What really freaked me out was the bad impact the film caused in that society. It’s not a joke but the authorities are thinking about cutting some scenes and the actor, Yuvraaj Parasher, who played one of the gay characters, has been thrown out of his home.
If Bollywood wants to produce diverse cinema, they must, first of all, get rid of those old taboos.
Eleccion
This is a Spanish word that means "choice". It's a new short film about the lack of choice in countries governed by dictators. Check the making of out:
Progressive Women's Association
You can be a helpmate. Please read the article below and access PWA's website to know how to help them. In this blog you will find a link for their site, just click on the picture of its leader, Shahnaz Bukhari.
Hundreds of Pakistani women are being burnt to death every year by their husbands or in-laws in an upsurge of so-called "stove-burst" attacks. It's the easiest way for a husband to get rid of a wife he no longer wants." There are no gunshots, no finger-prints. All the husband has to say is that the wife was cooking in the kitchen when the edge of her >(scarf) fell in the stove and caught fire."At least four women are said to be murdered everyday by husbands or in-laws dousing them with paraffin. In Rawalpindi, about 40 women are admitted to hospital each month, often with as much as 90 % burns; "This is just the tip of the iceberg." Said Bukhari. Pakistan has no specialist burns units, apart from a small private one, and hospital hygiene is often poor.
Sabira Khan. Married at 16, she was told by her 36-year-old husband that she would not be allowed contact with her family. For two years, he beat and kept her prisoner in the house where he lived with his family, until one day her mother arrived and insisted on seeing her. The husband and mother-in-law ejected. The mother and then beat Khan, who was three months pregnant, and set her alight. Outside, her mother heard her screams and, with the help of neighbors, managed to rescue her. Khan suffered 60% burns. Her chin had fused to her chest. She still bears the scars. "Being burnt for such small reasons makes us feel we are not considered as human beings but as objects which can be broken and replaced," said Khan, her face half hidden behind a veil".
For survivors such as Khan, it is hard to re-enter society, not just because of their disfigurement but also because of the shame of being cast our by their husbands. Their own families often refuse to take them back because it would make it hard for them to marry off other daughters. Many attacks stem from arguments over money or a row between a wife and mother-in-law. Also common are "honor killings", when a man catches his wife talking to another man. Even wealthy, educated women can fall victim to such attacks. She was sent to Pakistan to marry a distant cousin in an arranged marriage. When she was pregnant for the third time, her mother-in-law insisted that the baby be given to her sister-in-law, who was childless. When Gill refused, her in-law set her on fire. She died in hospital.
Despite often overwhelming evidence, the association has secured convictions in barely 1 % of cases. Attackers usually say the fire was a stove accident.
Khan's case, her husband argued that she was insane and set fire to herself. He walked free. Gill's in-laws claimed she was warming milk and the gas stove exploded.
Recently, the association and several human rights groups launched a campaign to press the military government to introduce legislation to make domestic violence a recognized crime.
