Created by Harit Srikhao in 2017. The artwork is an inkjet print on Epson satin paper and displayed at 124 x 100 cm.

Waves from the Web, 2009

Visible in

In Hindu and Buddhist mythology, Apsaras are immortal nymphs that often appear as attractive young women whose purpose it is to seduce. This portrait by artist Harit Srikhao, part of the series 

, presents a modern, surrealist depiction of an Apsara. The visual idiom that the artist uses is derived from fetish fantasies, Buddhist symbols, and Thai culture. In 

, Srikhao reflects on the glorification of the monarchy in his country and comments on the role of depictions of the king in the Thai people’s everyday lives. Srikhao’s works have had their consequences: in the past, various of his images were removed from an exhibition in Bangkok because they criticised the actions of the military regime in power at the time. 

The Portrait of an Apsara, 2017 from the series Mt Meru, 2017

The Portrait of an Apsara, 2017

Created by Peter Puklus in 2015. The artwork is a inkjet print and displayed at 68 x 48 cm.

One day, during his daily online search for photographs, Peter Puklus came across a black and white image of the sculpture of a male head. This early cubist sculpture, titled 

, was made in 1913 by the Hungarian avant-garde sculptor Joseph Csaky. Just a single image remains of 

, showing only the front side. Peter Puklus reinterpreted this photograph of the bust, which bears some resemblance to Puklus himself, by modelling his self-portrait in clay and photographing the result in different settings.  

, it won’t come as a surprise to discover that this Hungarian artist often seeks to push the boundaries of the medium of photography. Not hindered by any conventions, in his own unique way Puklus merges different art forms to create this absurdist self-portrait. With a sharp eye for the interplay of lines, geometrical shapes and vivid colours, he creates a sense of order within a pla

Painted plaster head (Self-portrait of a man in orange), 2015 from the series The Epic Love Story of a Warrior

Painted plaster head (Self-portrait of a man in orange), 2015

Created by Daniel Gordon in 2011. The artwork is a c-print and displayed at 105 cm x 92.5 cm.

A collage is an image created using shreds of existing materials, for instance by cutting up and pasting images, or editing them electronically. Although the collage technique is not new to photography, Daniël Gordon’s application is unique. Gordon starts the process by printing out images found on the internet. He then uses these images to build three-dimensional collages. The next step is to photograph the collages with an 8x10-inch camera, which is a large-format camera. Gordon is also keen to reuse materials. After photographing the collages, he cuts up the 3-D compositions to reuse different elements in other works.  

 from 2011 not only visualises the digital era while paying tribute to the rich history of photography and collage, but the colours and geometry are reminiscent of the cubist style of artists like Pablo Picasso. For his unique approach to classic genres within the art world such as the still life and the portrait, Daniel Gordon won the Foam Paul Huf Award 2014. 

Portrait with a Yellow Window, 2011from the series Still Lifes, Portraits & Parts, Wallspace, New York, 2010-2011

Portrait with a Yellow Window

Portrait

Foam presents a podcast series around the exhibition Foam Talent 2020. Listen to Foam Talks: Talent Edition to dive deeper into the portfolios of this year's Foam Talents.

The fourth episode of Foam Talks welcomes photographer Luther Konadu and art historian and curator Leslie Wilson. The starting point of the conversation is Konadu's project Figure as Index. Together with host Mirjam Kooiman, they will reflect on the photographic portrait as a powerful instrument in (de)constructing representation.

Foam produced this episode as part of a special series of podcasts on the occasion of Foam Talent 2020. Each episode focusses on one artist aiming to evoke a conversation around their approach, offer an insight into the discourses surrounding a specific project, contextualizing it within the photography field while not forgetting the personal stories and dreams behind it. In addition, each conversation features a special guest that has a shared professional or personal connection to the artist. The encounters are moderated by Mirjam Kooiman, curator of this year's Foam Talent exhibition.

From the series Figure as Index, 2019

Podcast

(De)constructing Portraiture with Luther Konadu & Leslie Wilson

Do you want to learn more about the photo narratives that helped shape Suriname's history? On the occasion of the exhibition 

, we are joined by author and co-curator Lucia Nankoe and programmer Raïsha Zeegelaar to dive deeper into the stories featured in the exhibition.

Lievendag-Overeem 

Foam

Gaitri-Sweeb 

Stories around Surinamese Wedding Portraits

Foam Members are invited to explore the exhibition Seydou Ke&iuml;ta &ndash; Bamako Portraits before public opening.

<img src="https://a.storyblok.com/f/113697/595x416/6c4544d81a/595px_untitled__1952-1955_c_seydou_keita__3_.jpg" alt="" width="595" height="416" /> Untitled, 1952-1955 &copy; Seydou Ke&iuml;ta&nbsp;/ SKPEAC/ photo courtesy of CAAC - The Pigozzi Collection, Geneva
ABOUT SEYDOU KE&Iuml;TA - BAMAKO PORTRAITS In the 1950s and 60s, a colourful collection of inhabitants of Bamako, capital of Mali, posed for Seydou Ke&iuml;ta. People visited Ke&iuml;ta&rsquo;s studio to have their picture taken at their best. His oeuvre reflects a portrait of an era that captures Bamako&rsquo;s transition into the proud capital of independent Mali. <a href="/museum/programme/seydou-keita">&gt; Read more</a>
BECOME A FOAM MEMBER. <a href="/about/memberships">JOIN ONLINE</a> TODAY Do you want to join the Member preview but are not yet a member? Then <a href="/about/memberships">sign up</a>&nbsp;and start taking advantage of the many benefits. Foam Members enjoy privileges all year long, including free workshops, exclusive previews and Member Hours to explore exhibitions undisturbed for hours on end.
The exhibition Seydou Ke&iuml;ta - Bamako Portraits was developed in collaboration with the Contemporary African Art Collection (CAAC) &ndash; The Pigozzi Collection.
Foam is supported by the BankGiro Loterij, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, Gemeente Amsterdam, Olympus and the VandenEnde Foundation.

<div class="sidebar__content">MEMBER PREVIEW INFO 
Thursday 5 April 4 - 5.30pm
&nbsp;
&nbsp;</div>

Member preview Seydou Keïta - Bamako Portraits

For Foam Fan+ members, Foam organises three photography workshops in November based on Marubi&rsquo;s studio portraits.

Please note: the workshop is in Dutch.
Portrait photography is one of the oldest genres of photography. People who had their portraits taken back in the day wanted to utilize the photograph as a way to show their personality and status. They achieved this by having photographs taken of themselves alongside their most precious belongings, such as medals or costumes.
Nowadays we see self-portraits on a daily basis without maybe even realizing it. Selfies are practically inevitable in our environment since the digital camera and camera phones became accessible for almost everyone.
In the exhibition <a href="/museum/programme/dynasty-marubi">Dynasty Marubi</a> &ndash; <a href="/museum/programme/dynasty-marubi">A Hundred Years of Albanian Studio Photography</a>, Foam shows a selection of photos from the archive of the Albanian photo studio Marubi (1856-1959). Marubi&rsquo;s exhibition, where portrait and studio photography of the 19th century and nowadays are the central theme, is used as inspiration for the upcoming workshop in October.
THE WORKSHOP During this workshop you challenge yourself to think about the way people take a portrait photograph. You are encouraged to reflect on the methods we use to make portraits nowadays in comparison to decades ago. By using Marubi&rsquo;s work as an example, we will discuss and compare the changes that have occurred during the previous century. How has the way we take photographs changed and do we need more photographs to create a fair portrayal of our image?
The goal of this workshop is to create two portraits of each other; one in an old-fashioned way where you &lsquo;catch&rsquo; the subject in one image, and the other will be a modern portrait where you perhaps need to create a narrative.
DATE AND TIME You can sign up for one of three dates: Workshop 1: <a href="/nl/boek-een-bezoek/publiek/foam-fan-workshop-portretfotografie/25-11-2016">Friday 25 November&nbsp;2016 from 15.00 - 18.00 hrs</a> Workshop 2: <a href="/nl/boek-een-bezoek/publiek/foam-fan-workshop-portretfotografie/26-11-2016">Saturday 26 November&nbsp;2016 from 14.00 - 17.00 hrs</a> Workshop 3: <a href="/nl/boek-een-bezoek/publiek/foam-fan-workshop-portretfotografie/27-11-2016">Sunday 27 November&nbsp;2016 from 14.00 - 17.00 hrs</a>
SIGN UP This workshop is free for Foam Fan+ members.&nbsp;It is possible to bring one guest. This person pays the regular rate of &euro; 50,-.
Foam provides Olympus OM-D cameras for this workshop. Of course, you are free to use your own camera if you prefer. In that case, remember to bring a fully charged battery, an empty SD card and a transfer cable. The use of your own materials is at your own risk.
Foam is supported by the BankGiro Loterij, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, Delta Lloyd, City of Amsterdam, Olympus and the VandenEnde Foundation.

<div class="sidebar__content">Workshop info 
&nbsp;
25 November 2016 15.00 - 18.00 hrs
<div class="sidebar-widget">
&nbsp;
26 November 2016 14.00 - 17.00 hrs
&nbsp;
27 November&nbsp;2016 14.00 - 17.00 hrs
&nbsp;
PRICE This workshop is free for Foam Fan+ members.&nbsp;
It is possible to bring one guest. This person pays the regular rate of &euro; 50,-.
&nbsp;
</div>
NOT YET A FOAM FAN+?</div>

Foam Fan+ workshop Portrait photography

Are you a photography enthusiast and do you want to work on a concrete photography assignment, inspired by the exhibitions in Foam? Challenge yourself to think outside of the box and take part in our photography workshop based on Marubi&rsquo;s studio portraits.

Please note: the workshop is in Dutch.
In the exhibition <a href="/museum/programme/dynasty-marubi">Dynasty Marubi</a>&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;<a href="/museum/programme/dynasty-marubi">A Hundred Years of Albanian Studio Photography</a>, Foam shows a selection of photos from the archive of the Albanian photo studio Marubi (1856-1959). Marubi&rsquo;s exhibition, where portrait and studio photography of the 19th century and nowadays are the central theme, is used as inspiration for this&nbsp;workshop.&nbsp;
<img src="https://a.storyblok.com/f/113697/595x397/f765b6b353/resultaat_workshop_portretfotografie__copy__foam.jpg" alt="" width="595" height="397" /> Result of the workshop Portrait photography,&nbsp;2015 &copy; Foam SIGN UP There is&nbsp;a limited amount of spots available, so be sure to sign up on time. Tickets are only valid for reserved dates. Unfortunately it is not possible to change dates or cancel without charge after your purchase has been made. 
<a href="/nl/boek-een-bezoek/publiek/portretten-in-de-tijd/29-10-2016">&gt; Sign up now</a>
Foam provides <a href="https://www.olympus.nl/site/nl/c/cameras/om_d_system_cameras/om_d/e_m10/index.html">Olympus OM-D cameras</a> for this workshop. Of course, you are free to use your own camera if you prefer. In that case, remember to bring a fully charged battery, an empty SD card and a transfer cable. The use of your own materials is at your own risk.
Foam is supported by the BankGiro Loterij, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, Delta Lloyd, City of Amsterdam, Olympus and the VandenEnde Foundation.

<div class="sidebar__content">Course info 
29 October 2016
13.00 - 16.00
&nbsp;
PRICE &euro;50,00 regular rate &euro;45,00 Foam Fan/Club/Fund The price includes museum admission and the use of all workshop materials. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
LANGUAGE
Dutch</div>

Portraits through time

The <a href="/museum/programme/a-special-portrait">photo studio</a> with Marijn Scheeres opens early for Foam Fund-members.

The studio is reserved before it opens for the public, from 10.00 to 12.00 to make a (family) portrait by appointment. You can sign up for this activity by sending an e-mail:
<a href="mailto:mathilde@foam.org">&gt; Reserve a photo shoot</a>
Between 12.30 and 15.00 hrs. you can get your (family) portrait taken by Marijn Scheeres. The cost per shoot is &euro; 25, -. You will receive the photo after the shoot, printed on A5 size&nbsp;(21 x 14.8 cm).
<a href="http://www.marijnscheeres.nl/" target="_blank">Marijn Scheeres</a>&nbsp;(1972) is a Dutch photographer who works&nbsp;for various newspapers and magazines, including De Volkskrant, NRC, Elle and Vrij Nederland. She is well-known for the series&nbsp;<a href="http://www.parool.nl/foto/zaterdagochtend-in-amsterdam~p4249526/" target="_blank">Zaterdagochtend in Amsterdam</a>&nbsp;in the newspaper Het Parool.

<div class="sidebar__content">Photo studio info 
10.00 - 12.00 hrs. exclusively for Foam Fund
&nbsp;
Foam Fund member?&nbsp;</div>

Foam Fund | A special portrait

As part of the Fotoweek 2016, photographer Marijn Scheeres will be running a walk-in photo studio in Foam on Saturday 17 September. 

Between 12.30 and 15.00 hrs. you can get your (family) portrait taken by Marijn Scheeres. The cost per shoot is &euro; 25, -. You will receive the photo after the shoot, printed on A5 size&nbsp;(21 x 14.8 cm).
<a href="http://www.marijnscheeres.nl/" target="_blank">Marijn Scheeres</a> (1972) is a Dutch photographer who works&nbsp;for various newspapers and magazines, including De Volkskrant, NRC, Elle and Vrij Nederland. She is well-known for the series <a href="http://www.parool.nl/foto/zaterdagochtend-in-amsterdam~p4249526/" target="_blank">Zaterdagochtend in Amsterdam</a> in the newspaper Het Parool.
FOTOWEEK From 9 to 18 September 2016 is the fourth edition of Fotoweek, an initiative of Foam and the Dutch Fotomuseum. For&nbsp;ten days, the Netherlands focuses on&nbsp;photography and there is plenty to do and see for everyone who loves pictures and photography. The theme 'Look! This is me,' puts the emphasis is on portrait photography&nbsp;and on the interaction between the portrayed and the photographer. Fotoweek focuses on the individual: both in front of&nbsp;and behind the lens.
FOAM FUND Are you a Foam Fund member? The studio is reserved before it opens for the public, from 10.00 to 12.00 to make a (family) portrait by appointment. You can sign up for this activity by sending an e-mail to <a href="mailto:mathilde@foam.org">mathilde@foam.org</a>.
<a href="/about/foam-fund" target="_blank">&gt; Read more about Foam Fund</a>
Fotoweek is an&nbsp;initiative of&nbsp;Nederlands Fotomuseum and&nbsp;Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam. It&nbsp;is supported by&nbsp;DuPho en BredaPhoto and is made possible by the BankGiro Loterij.
Foam is supported by the BankGiro Loterij, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, City of Amsterdam, Delta Lloyd, Olympus and the VandenEnde Foundation.

<div class="sidebar__content">Photo studio Info 
17 September 2016
12.30 - 15.00 hrs.
&nbsp;
LOCATION
Foam&nbsp; Keizersgracht 609 Amsterdam
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
PRICE
&euro; 25,00&nbsp;
&nbsp;</div>

<div class="sidebar__content">Fotoweek info 
9 - 18 September 2016</div>

A special portrait

Ben je een fotografieliefhebber en wil je - ge&iuml;nspireerd door de tentoonstellingen in Foam - met een concrete fotografieopdracht aan de slag? Daag jezelf uit om buiten je eigen kaders te denken en doe mee met onze fotografieworkshop!

THEMA:&nbsp;MODEFOTOGRAFIE
Helmut Newton is als invloedrijke fotograaf een bron van inspiratie voor veel modefotografen gebleken. Hij was nauw bevriend met Yves Saint Laurent en Karl Lagerfeld, modeontwerpers die speelden met man-vrouw verhoudingen en zochten naar een nieuw en eigentijds vrouwbeeld. Dit zien we duidelijk terug in zijn fotografie: de verbeelding van de vrouw en onderliggende thema&rsquo;s als macht, geweld, erotiek en verlangen. In het kader van deze tentoonstelling leer je aan de hand van &eacute;&eacute;n of meerdere overkoepelende thema&rsquo;s verschillende kanten van modefotografie kennen. Ter inspiratie start iedere workshop met een korte rondleiding door de tentoonstelling <a href="/nl/museum/programma/helmut-newton">Helmut Newton &ndash; A Retrospective</a>, met per workshop de nadruk op een ander aspect uit zijn veelzijdige oeuvre.
Een onmisbaar onderdeel van de portretten van Helmut Newton is de interactie tussen de fotograaf en het model. Hij staat er om bekend dat hij zijn modellen gewaagde en innovatieve scripts gaf en ze vervolgens liet poseren op een manier dat ze krachtig, verleidelijk, dominant, indrukwekkend en soms ronduit intimiderend overkwamen.
Tijdens deze workshop neem je de rol van zowel model als fotograaf aan en ga je met elkaar aan de slag om portretten te maken aan de hand van een door Helmut Newton ge&iuml;nspireerd thema. Wanneer je je opgeeft als duo, kun je samen alvast een script bedenken voor het portret. Individueel opgeven kan natuurlijk ook, dan ga je aan de slag met een andere deelnemer.
Het aantal beschikbare plaatsen is beperkt. Meld je dus op tijd aan! Tickets zijn gebonden aan een specifieke datum. Het is na aanschaf helaas niet mogelijk om van datum te wijzigen of om kosteloos te annuleren.
Please note: this workshop is in Dutch.
The exhibition is organised in close collaboration with the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin.
Helmut Newton &ndash; A Retrospective is made possible with the support of Main Sponsor Wolford, Lead Benefactor Fonds 21 and Project Partners Spaces and VSBfonds.
Foam is supported by the BankGiro Loterij, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, City of Amsterdam, Delta Lloyd, Olympus and the VandenEnde Foundation.
<hr />
Lijkt het je leuk om mee te doen aan de <a href="/nl/museum/programma/fotografiecursus-newton">volledige cursus</a>? Binnen deze cursus volg je drie workshops en werk je tegelijkertijd naar een eigen serie toe.
Data en tijden: 9, 16 en 23 juli of 6, 13 en 20 augustus, 13.00 - 16.00&nbsp;

<div class="sidebar__content">WORKSHOP INFO 
16 July 2016 10.00 - 13.00 hrs.
&nbsp;
PRICE &euro;50,00 regular rate &euro;45,00 Foam Fan/Club/Fund The price includes museum admission and the use of all workshop materials.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This workshop is in Dutch.</div>

Newton Workshop: Portrait

Special workshop for CJP members (18 until 30) who love photography. 

<a href="/beheer/museum/programme/workshops">&gt; See our current workshop programme here.</a>
Foam offers a workshop on how to create a striking photographic portrait. This workshop will help you take even better photos of your friends and family!
Challenge yourself to think differently during the CJP portrait workshop at Foam! In this workshop, you learn all about portrait photography. To get inspired, you examine and discuss the work of professional photographers and then get to work with the camera yourself. You will improve your photos with the immediate feedback from our knowledgeable museum educators.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP The CJP workshop starts with an active tour of the museum during which you will become familiar with the principles and visual elements of photography. During the workshop you and your fellow students take each other's portraits, with a focus on making conscious choices before pressing the shutter. As you shoot, the experienced museum educator will give you tips on how to improve your photos. At the end of the workshop, all results will be reviewed and discussed in the group.
This workshop will delve more deeply into the&nbsp;<a href="/museum/programme/helmut-newton">Helmut Newton</a>&nbsp;exhibition.
Foam provides digital compact Olympus cameras for this workshop. You are free to use your own camera in case you prefer so. In that case, remember to bring a fully charged battery, an empty SD card and a transfer cable. The use of your own materials is at your own risk.
Please note: this workshop is in Dutch.
Foam is supported by the BankGiro Loterij, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, City of Amsterdam, Delta Lloyd, Olympus and the VandenEnde Foundation.

<div class="sidebar__content">CJP workshop info 
6 August 2016 14.00 - 16.00 hrs. PRICE &euro;20 incl. VAT. The price includes museum admission and the use of all workshop materials.&nbsp;Suitable for CJP members (18 to 30).&nbsp;
 This workshop is in Dutch
&nbsp;
If you have any questions or special requests, please contact the Education department through +31 (0)20 551 6500 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:educatie@foam.org">educatie@foam.org</a>.</div>

CJP Portrait Photography: afternoon workshops

Do you want to learn how to make better portraits? Do you practise photography, but want to perfect your skills? Join our photography workshop for CJP members (18 - 30 years).

Nike See, Nike Do, 2019

Inner Journey

CJP Portrait Photography

Are you a photography enthusiast and do you want to get to work on a concrete photography assignment, inspired by the exhibitions in Foam? Challenge yourself to think differently and take part in our photography workshop!

THEME: SELF PORTRAIT Making a self portrait is taking on a double role. You're looking at yourself as a photographer and as a model. Photographer Francesca Woodman also took this double role herself. Her original look created a body of work in which we can see the many ways of representation of oneself, including all emotions.
<a href="/museum/programme/workshops">&gt; Click here&nbsp;to see our current workshop programme</a> This photography workshop is all about research: how would you portray yourself? Which emotion(s) do you want to depict in your self portrait and what do you need to achieve this? The workshop is inspired by the exhibition&nbsp;<a href="/museum/programme/francesca-woodman">Francesca Woodman. On Being An Angel</a> by &nbsp;and will start by discussing different themes in her work. During the workshop we focus on making conscious choices before pressing the shutter. As you shoot, the experienced museum educator will give you tips on how to improve your photos. At the end of the workshop, all results will be reviewed and discussed in the group. Foam provides basic compact cameras for this workshop. Of course, you are free to use your own camera if you prefer. In that case, remember to bring a fully charged battery, an empty SD card and a transfer cable. The use of your own materials is at your own risk. There is a limited amount of spots available, so be sure to sign up on time! Tickets are only valid for reserved dates. Unfortunately it is not possible to change dates or cancel without charge after your purchase has been made. Please note: this workshop is in Dutch.

<div class="sidebar__content">Workshop info 
16 January &amp; 27 February 2016 13.00 - 16.00 hrs.
&nbsp;
PRICE &euro;50,00 incl. VAT. The price includes museum admission and the use of all workshop materials.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This workshop is in Dutch If you have any questions or special requests, please contact the Education department through +31 (0)20 551 6500 or educatie@foam.org.</div>

Self-Portrait Workshop

We are delighted to organise a portrait studio session by Foam Talent Sander Coers, exclusively available for Foam Fund shareholders. The session will take place at Foam and is suitable for individual portraits, as well as for family portraits.

From the series POST, 2023

Foam Members: Portrait Studio by Sander Coers

Members: Portrait Studio Sander Coers

From the series People of Clay

Akshay Mahajan

From the series Broer (2017 – present)

Florian Braakman

In a Sandstone Mine

Aaryan Sinha

From the series Frantz Fanon, Me, and The Questions

Issam Larkat

Margarito, from the series Las Flores Mueren Dos Veces. Data bending on archival photography.

Cristóbal Ascencio

From the series Fathom

Cansu Yıldıran

Squeeze (Justin), 2022

Ricardo Nagaoka

 weaves together several historical routes: that of his mother, growing up in Botswana after escaping the Apartheid regime of South Africa with her parents. That of his great-uncle, Zephania Mothopeng, the anti-Apartheid activist, imprisoned on Robben Island. And that of his grandfather, and his love for music, inspiring Makepe to pursue a creative career.

What at first glance may appear as a personal family narrative, in fact reveals the painful, racist and discriminatory political history of South Africa and the remnants of its colonial regimes. The series unfolds as a multi-dimensional, visual journey along these historical paths, touching on land dispossession, activism and colonialism.

includes striking portraits of his close relatives, sometimes re-enacting historical scenes, documentary photographs of important landmarks, as well as documents from Makepe’s family archive. Accompanying the visual material is a playlist of music, curated by the artist himself—connecting the work beautifully through the shared love for music. 

Sentlhane, 2022, from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Monna Wa Mmino III, 2020, from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Re A Hlopela Tombstone Unveiling from the series We Didn’t Choose to be Born Here, 2019

Archival footage from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Hippolytus Mothopeng [left] (1958), from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Hippolytus Mothopeng Citizenship, from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

The Metronome Swing Orchestra in Botswana (1966), from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Garden, 2022, from the series We Didn't Choose to Be Born Here

The Aunt I Almost Had, 2021, from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Wait, 2021, from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Kgomo Tsaka Deile Kae, from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Kereke, 2019, from the series We Didn't Choose to Be Born Here

Sello, 2021, from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Martha and Hippolytus Mothopeng (1982), from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Robben Island University, 2020, from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Mama Mo Metsi, 2019, from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Under Surveillance, 2021, from the series We Didn't Choose to be Born Here

Thero Makepe

Stuck at home during the COVID-19 lockdown, Shwe Wutt Hmon was unable to visit the hospital for her regular check-ups and scans, necessary because of a life-long health issue. Coming to terms with this limitation, she started scanning her body, as well as flowers and medical records, by herself with an ordinary at-home scanner, creating a variety of abstract self-portraits. 

 that emerged from these experiments, reveal a poetic and symbolic documentation of the ongoing assault of medical procedures and operations on her body. Hmon’s image-making practice strongly ties together process and concept: the withering flowers symbolise the decay of the body and dark colours reflect somber emotions experienced right before scheduled operations.  

Another dimension was added when she moved from Myanmar to Thailand in 2022. Printing her work on local Saa paper, the works received an almost skin-like texture. Again, restrictions–this time due to the delicate paper type–required her to improvise, causing her to print the works small scale at home. The final accumulated process turned out to present a healing capacity: by carefully printing, cutting and sewing her works together, Shwe ultimately was also mending herself.