《殺獵遊戲》– David Chancellor 攝影作品展
2014年6月28日至9月7日
策展人：Steve Bisson
香港獨立攝影展覽空間The Salt Yard將會2014年6月28日至8月24日期間展出由英國攝影師David Chancellor紀實攝影作品系列《殺獵遊戲》，展出他多年來在南非所拍攝各式狩獵活動裡的眾生相。自上世紀開始歐美權貴遠渡到東非狩獵變成了時尚，帶來龐大的收益，當時英國殖民地政府更以此作為稅收，也因此催生了一批專為這些權貴服務的職業獵人。近年這種大型的狩獵活動依然活躍，只不過轉化成所謂「狩獵牧場」（game ranching）的形式存在，以往畜牧牲口的牧場改造成圈養野生動物的場所，以供各地遊客狩獵為樂，這類牧場在南非洲尤其流行，受不少非洲國家所許可。David Chancellor的紀實攝影系列全方位去呈現南非洲狩獵野生動物活動的面面觀，涵蓋範圍從職業狩獵者到被獵的野生動物，再到將獵物以戰利品形式–動物標本作公開炫耀的景象。以往人類狩獵是為了充饑或生計，如今謀殺生命只作為消閒娛樂，在人人講求動物權益的當下，Chancellor的作品叫我們反思這種古老卻不文明的「體育運動」。
展覽開幕酒會將於6月28日下午6時至8時舉行，另同日下午4時半至6時將會舉行講座，策展人Steve Bisson與我們分享動物在過去藝術的作品，尤其是攝影媒介裡的呈現方式，歡迎公眾出席。
攝影師簡歷
David Chancellor生於英國，現居住及工作於南非，其作品曾在世界各地的畫廊及美術館展出。Chancellor多年來獲得多個國際性獎項，包括三度獲得Nikon年度攝影師大獎，2009年獲英國National Portrait Gallery London頒發Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize。剛過去的2013年他獲頒發的多個獎項包括：由美國Pictures of the Year International頒發的World Understanding Award ，吉隆坡國際攝影大獎（肖像攝影類），維也納國際攝影大獎（紀實攝影類）及Kontinent Award for documentary photography。
Chancellor近年把工作重點轉移到記錄人類將野生動物商品化的活動，並以此題材在2012年出版他首本攝影集《Hunters》，書中探討了人與動物、獵人與被獵物之間的複雜關係。書中的「elephant story」系列更於2010獲得「世界新聞圖片大獎」（World Pres Photo Award）的獎項。
“The Game is Killing The Game” - by David Chancellor
28 Jun, 2014 – 7 Sep, 2014 (extended)
curated by Steve Bisson
The Salt Yard, an independent art space, will exhibit David Chancellor’s “The Game Is Killing The Game”, a documentary series on hunting safaris that he photographed in South Africa over the years. Since the beginning of the 20th century, East African hunting safaris has became a fashionable pursuit among members of the privileged classes in Europe and the United States. It was also a source of revenue for the British colonial government and produces a group of professional hunters who especially served these privileged classes. Big-game hunting is still vibrant recently but it now exists in the form of the so-called game ranching that habitats of livestock farming are turned into venues for wild animals in captivity and places for tourists enjoying hunting. These ranches are now popular in South Africa and are authorized in many African countries. The documentary series of David Chancellor fully revealed the various perspectives of South African hunting safaris, including the hunter and the hunted as well as the displaying of stuffed animals as trophies. People hunted in order to fill their stomachs or make a living in the past but now they hunt for pleasure. Chancellor’s works call for a reflection of this ancient and uncivilized “sport” when animal right is a hot topic in the globe.
An opening reception will be held between 6pm and 8am on June 28, whilst a seminar will be held between 4.30pm and 6pm on the same day. Curator Steve Bisson will share with us about the representation of animals/faunas in the history of art with a specific outlook in photography. Members of the public are welcomed to participate.
About David Chancellor
David Chancellor, born London England, works and lives in South Africa.
He has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions, exhibited in major galleries and museums around the world. Named Nikon photographer of the year three times. In 2009, he won the National Portrait Gallery London’s Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize. In 2013, he received a number of awards including World Understanding Award in the Pictures of the Year International competition from the US, the Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award for portraiture, the Vienna International Photo Award for documentary photography, and the Kontinent Award for documentary photography.
In recent years, Chancellor has increasingly turned his focus onto documenting man's commodification of wildlife. He released his first monograph 'hunters', in which he explores the complex relationship that exists between man and animal, the hunter and the hunted. One of the series, “Elephant Story” won the World Press Photo Award in 2010.’
