Event Details

Facilitator: Dustin Shum

Language: Cantonese

Deposit: $50 (attendees can receive a refund after the event)

Please register before the event.

In a world where visual storytelling has become a powerful medium for exploring complex themes, we gather to delve into photobooks that encapsulate the dynamic interplay between human presence, socio-political contexts, and environmental evolution. Photographer Dustin Shum will guide us through a selection of photobooks that not only document but also provoke thought and dialogue about the spaces we inhabit and the narratives they hold.

From the rapid urbanisation of the American West to the hidden prayer spaces of Muslim communities in Italy, and from the environmental impacts of the petrochemical industry to the intersections of technology and nature, these works invite us to see the world through a more nuanced lens.

Book List

The New West by Robert Adams captures the rapid urbanization of the American West, highlighting the tension between natural beauty and human development.

Hidden Islam by Nicolò Degiorgis reveals the hidden prayer spaces of Muslim communities in Northern Italy, providing a moving look at faith, identity, and integration.

Petrochemical America by Richard Misrach documents the environmental and health impacts of the petrochemical industry along the Mississippi River, known as ‘Cancer Alley’.

Nature and Politics by Thomas Struth explores the intersections of technology, nature, and human intervention, offering a global perspective on contemporary issues.

An-My Lê: On Contested Terrain examines the landscapes of military conflict and training, blurring the lines between reality and representation.

Naoya Hatakeyama: Excavating the Future City captures Japan’s evolving urban landscapes, reflecting on industrialization and the impacts of natural disasters.

Good Morning, America by Mark Power provides a comprehensive view of modern American life, capturing the diversity and complexity of its landscapes and communities.

On This Site by Joel Sternfeld investigates sites of significant historical events in the United States, offering a poignant reflection on memory, history, and place.

About the Artist

Dustin Shum graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with a BA (Hons) in Photographic Design. A photojournalist for more than a decade, he is now an independent documentary photographer. Shum’s works over the years have primarily explored the relationship between the individual and urban space, the living conditions of vulnerable local communities, and the changing face of Chinese cities and towns in a rapidly developing economy. His works are frequently exhibited locally and internationally; some of his works have been collected by SFMOMA, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, and private collectors. He has also published several photobooks featuring his own work, including Themeless Parks (2008) and Blocks (2014). Shum also participates in several projects beyond his own work. In 2013, Shum founded the photography exhibition space, The Salt Yard. He also curates exhibitions for overseas and local photographers, operates his own online photobook store, and regularly publishes photography essays under the pen name Fotopiggie.