commune

We are having a launch event of photo book “Still Live” published by Same Paper, Shanghai based independent publisher & studio on 14th(Sat) & 15th(Sun) in Nov.

Same Paper Presents『Still Life』 Launch Event

2020年11月14日（土）– 11月15日（日）

OPEN : 13:00 – 18:00

at gallery commune

Photographers:
Antje Peters @antjepetersstustustudio
Bobby Doherty @blobbybloherty
Caroline Tompkins @cahlinetompkins
Charles Negre @charlesnegre
David Brandon Geeting @davidbrandongeeting
Geray Mena @geraymena
Harley Weir @harleyweir
Makoto Oono @oonomakoto
Peng Ke @ke_peng
Sergiy Barchuk @sergiybarchuk
Sophie Tianxin Chen @sophietianxinchen
Thomas Albdorf @albdorf
Xiaopeng Yuan @xiaopeng_yuan

246 pages | 21 × 27 × 2.4cm |Edition of 900
Published by Same Paper

—
Still Life is usually considered one of the principal genres of Western art, endowed with a beautiful meaning; life is still. When we speak of still life in photography nowadays, a visual experience of a sculpture-like image comes up in our minds; objects are carefully arranged in a set indoors with a solid balance but yet faltering. The fragility of still life is always romanticized by the creators. As the world is amid the pandemic and chaos, it becomes inappropriate to enjoy this kind of leisure. In 2020, no matter where we are, we all are experiencing a similar but not the same predicament, and ‘normal’ has been replaced by stagnancy. Here in this book, ‘Still Life’ is considered as a metaphor for the state of continuing to live in this predicament.

We invite 13 photographers based in different cities to create stories about their Still Life. In the past, most of their works were already marvelous and unrestrained, making images by fully utilizing all the resources they might have at their disposal. Like having access to whatever they need or traveling wherever they needed. Now on the contrary, as the pandemic has broken all the rules of our existence, they no longer receive these kinds of commissions in the way that they used to. Instead we stay at home while dealing with a stagnancy that feels endless. In response, an intervention has been imposed onto their freely selected topics, each photographer needs to create their stories indoors using limited equipment. We were curious how these photographers would respond to the current circumstances, to the chaos and anxiety, and to whom or to what they would chose to photograph for? From the spring of 2020, we have received their new works in succession – some are monuments created from a mixture of objects; intimate relationships with animals or their companions; the imaginary getaway; or depictions of their mental state. As a result, they present a series of images, drowning away in reality, either optimistic or depressive, gradual, polished, or fragile.
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Same Paper
Same Paper is a Shanghai-based self-publishing studio founded in 2013. The studio is focusing on photo book publishing, and established photography magazine CLOSING CEREMONY in 2017. Besides publishing, Same Paper temporarily curates events & exhibitions on photography and self-publishing.
www.instagram.com/samepaper