Project type: Curating
Photographing
12.05.2019 – 12.06.2019
Schiller Saigon 28 Street No. 10 P, Ward 4, Hiep Binh Chanh Ward, Thu Duc.
Tobias Ahlbrecht is a German photographer who is using the medium of photography as his means of artistic expression for about 15 years. The focus of his work is based on the concept of self-exploration and overcoming feelings of anxiety and depression through photography, encouraging confidence not only in himself but also in the many people with whom he collaborates in his projects, such as the ongoing ” Nomansland “ project.
After having graduated with a first-class BA HONS in Photography from the Arts University Bournemouth, England in 2017, Tobias decided to travel the world to further expand his artistic expertise and to collaborate with other practitioners from a around the globe, with current plans of travelling back to Germany in 2020 by bicycle. Please find further information about Tobias past and current projects, exhibitions and publications on his website TobiasAhlbrecht.com.
“Return to Nomansland” presents the next chapter of Tobias ongoing ‘Nomansland’-project. The project, which initially started in 2016 and which was first introduced through the “ Nomansland” book in 2017, describes an emotional journey of constant self-reflection.
First inspired by portraying feelings of depression through photography, “ Nomansland” evolved to question the contradictory association of nudity in society in general; the body, either seen as sexualised commodity of the visual gaze or socially disdained subject of silence and shame.
“Return to Nomansland” continues to focus on the topics of self-exploration and re- evaluation and portrays the many people with whom Tobias was able to share these experiences.
“ ONE ” is an ongoing project that has been started in mid 2018. Inspired by a series of experiments towards the “ Nomansland “ Project, the purpose of ONE is to further explore the relation of the photograph and the person portrayed as one, physically combined unit. This aim is accomplished by a series of handmade processes involving a variety of body fluids as well as several techniques of analog, experimental photography-processes.
Nic Ford moved to Vietnam from the UK around 10 years ago, and has been running and featuring on lineups of parties throughout the region since then. He has been a resident of The Observatory since it first opened in 2013. Honing his skills since the mid-nineties, he held his first residency at Dry 201 (Factory Records, New Order) in Manchester and is a voracious collector of a vast array of music. He’s also a highly acclaimed producer, being one half of MadderModes, a production outfit that has releases on a range of impressive labels including DRED and Millions of Moments.
The sound that Nic Ford is able to project and develop over one of his sets can range from anything from slow, Balearic movements to droned-out hypnosis, over to mechanized, industrial techno and over again to organic rhythms and carnal house. His capacity for eclecticism is balanced by his ability to zone in and focus on concentrated flows in dedicated directions. Always put together with grace and precision, it’s music for escape in its most pure form.
