Taipa Village Cultural Association exclusively presents the last exhibition of the year –  “Death and Rebirth – New Photography Works by Ieong Man Pan”.  As a starting point for this body of work, Ieong recalls some of his life changing personal experiences in search of a way to reset his photographic eye and continue to find a reason to pursue his passion. Focused on fleeting moments that usually pass unnoticed to the common and untrained eye, the uncanny framing magnifies the meaning of being present, being there at that specific moment of time and space, equal to none other.

Curator’s Statement 

To close this year’s exhibition, we’ve invited local photographer Ieong Man Pan to show his inner calling, for we haven’t seen his work for a while. It seems Ieong has been busy with many other facets still related to art in general and photography in particular, such as curating exhibitions, opening his own commercial photography studio and founding the 1844 Photography Art Space, a gallery entirely dedicated to showing local photographic artwork.

As a starting point for this body of work, Ieong recalls some of his life changing personal experiences (see his artistic statement on the exhibition wall) in search of a way to reset his photographic eye and continue to find a reason to pursue his passion. Focused on fleeting moments that usually pass unnoticed to the common and untrained eye, the uncanny framing magnifies the meaning of being present, being there at that specific moment of time and space, equal to none other. It is not a question of immortalizing the circumstance, but rather finding a meaning of existence with simple clues and evidence of choice that are right in front of you.

In a way, Ieong’s meticulous framing choices clear away the urban distractions to provoke introspection in the viewer, as it mirrors one’s own reflection externally. Each angle is a persistent and ubiquitous view on reality’s idiosyncratic details. Each moment will extinguish immediately after one’s attention is drawn to distraction again. Therefore, this photographic pause is in fact a breath to convey the lightness of our being.

João Ó

Artist’s Statement 

“Death and Rebirth”

When the natural law of the way heaven and earth moves reaches its limit, it will change over to the opposite direction. Just as the sun and the moon rise and set, it is an unchanging law.

Laozi said, “The law of the heavens dictates that when a limit is reached, it reverses to the other direction, such as after fullness comes depletion. The same applies for the sun and the moon. The saints dare not to be complacent. They strive to improve and maintain their merits and virtues every day, as the law of the heavens dictates.”

The quote tells us that being too self-satisfied can be harmful. The wise ancient emperors treated people with humility and kindness and did not dare to be complacent. They accepted criticism and suggestions from everyone like a valley accommodating the convergence of hundreds of streams, so that their merits and virtues could be maintained, as the law of the heavens dictates.

Complacency is only a way in to make a point. In everyday life, we are always living within the self-judgment of good and bad, and any moment can be regarded as the limit; therefore, any moment can be a moment of change. This means we can push things to the limit in exchange for new situations, or we can reach the tipping point and retreat thereafter. Therefore, the development of everything has never been at the mercy of fate.

I witnessed a person getting knocked down by lightning. One stormy noon, I was on my way to school. Suddenly a loud noise cracked, and a girl in front of me collapsed in sparks and smoke. The girl suffered burns on her body, but fortunately her condition was not critical. Since that experience, every time I hear the sound of thunder, I would feel afraid, and this fear lingered for years. But through my interest in psychology and my understanding of human anatomy, everything can change as long as I don’t choose to evade. After that, I took the picture of the lightning bolt.

When the darkest phase has passed, the light will come.

Ieong Man Pan

About Ieong Man Pan

“Art makes every moment meaningful.” Ieong Man Pan

Born in Macau in 1985, Ieong Man Pan is a freelance artist who founded 1844 Macau Photography Art Space, a commercial photography studio dedicated to showing local photographic artwork.

In 2008, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in advertising from Jinan University China, followed by a master’s degree in art from Chongqing University in 2012 in which he specialised in photographic art research. As an established photographic artist in Macau, Ieong has seen his works collected by the Macau Museum of Art, the old Albergue of the Macau Holy House of Mercy, Casa Garden, Beijing Poly and private collectors in China and overseas.