Wendy Kwan
My passion for the intrigue of photography and fascination for visual discovery was provoked at the age of 10, when my parents gave me the gift of a Kodak instamatic camera.
Whether I am exploring ideas, or working on specific projects, visual discovery remains the foundation of my photography. Inspiration often comes from a serendipitous moment, acknowledging my interest in the quiet threads of human culture, elements of the natural world, and the interplay of each upon the other. The expression of my ideas is based in the reality of our visual world. From environmental complexity I work to extract and order the spaces, forms, and details essential to my photographs. I entice the viewer to enter my photographs, and reward them with finer treasures for having taken time to look. Working with film and traditional wet darkroom silver printing provides the perfect base to create the texture, depth, mood, and visual intrigue essential to my final prints. The tactile and magical quality of these materials continues to inspire me. I have not yet exhausted their possibilities, and may never discover the boundaries. Printing is an integral part of my process, and is inseparable from my work with the camera.
My desire is to create photographs that elevate the language of light and shine with an intangible quality that embraces sensitive treatment and respect for the subject. The careful merge of vision and technique yields bodies of work with increasing depth and cohesion, to engage and challenge those who view my photographs. I want to inspire people to develop a visual sense, and am delighted when people respond strongly to different photographs. If my photographs cause someone to pause, to wonder, to question, or to see something in a new way, then I have created a successful photograph.
I completed a degree in Recreation Education from the
In my latest work, I have returned to my “roots” – like that little camera many years ago – and have been exploring the capabilities of the Holga, a plastic medium format camera with no available controls, other than the photographer’s ability to read and interpret the available light. “Hard of Housing” is my personal addition to a unique public expression over the closure of a nearby public housing project. The freedom of the Holga to create in-camera multiple exposures is the foundation upon which I built this body of work.
The Holga continues to captivate my imagination, as I start a new collection of work that advantages yet another of her unusual features. In addition I continue recent explorations with an old Mamiya C330 twin lens reflex camera, discovering perspectives on quirky urban culture from the ground up.
Further Information
For more information on processes and ongoing research, please see our Process Page and our photography log page.
*
Vancouver BC Canada
