Project description | Urban Bangkok

Urban Bangkok, Contemporary Reflections by Joakim Leroy

	The photographic project 'Urban Bangkok' was born when Joakim first landed in 2002 from Singapore. He had already travelled in remote places of Indonesia for more than a year (Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores) and was living in the ultra modern city of Singapore when he decided to stay in Thailand to enjoy the lifestyle that the Thai culture could greatly offer. He then started to broadly photograph Bangkok, emphasizing on the culture, the street life, the lifestyle, the excentricity of the Thai people, the uncontrolled urban development and unfortunately the poverty that derives from it. For several years, Joakim has accumulated hundreds of photographs. He started to realise that a documentary book resulting from all the pictures taken, could be the final conclusion of this urban project. As he was a Designer before in London, he started to classify the pictures by broad themes, resulting in 7 main chapters: 1. Today's looks - emphasizing on the people and portrait within their environment. 2. Advent of modernism - Urban city development with the consequences of uncontrolled limits. 3. Adaptation - How do Thai people adapt to a more modern life and a city that becomes more individualistic. 4. In the heart of the anthill - Bangkok could be compared as an anthill and the people as ants, if viewed from within and high ground. 5. Art of living - Lifestyle and tradition are still key values for the Thais even though Bangkok has become such a big metropole. 6. Mysticism and superstition - Buddhism is the main religion of Thailand and plays a great role within Thai society. 7. Noctambulism - The night life of Bangkok is very excentric, well known worldwide and can keep you awake all night long. The format of the book is 25 x 28 cm, hard cover, and 2-colour print (Black and Patone 415U). It is made 208 pages, split into the 7 main chapters decribed above, with more than 200 photographs. The photographs were taken using Nikon body and lenses only. The brand film used is Ilford, the leading manufacturer of Black and White films and processing products. The book is published by Orchid Press (www.orchidbooks.com) and is distributed in major bookstores wolrdwide.
	© 2010 photographs Joakim Leroy. All Rights Reserved. Webdesign by Aperture Asia. © 2010 book Orchid Press. All Rights Reserved. No part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, saving or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Joakim Leroy. All photographs on this website are protected by international trademark and copyright laws. Any infringment of the rights may lead to prosecution without warning.

The photographic project 'Urban Bangkok' was born when Joakim first landed in 2002 from Singapore. He had already travelled in remote places of Indonesia for more than a year (Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores) and was living in the ultra modern city of Singapore when he decided to stay in Thailand to enjoy the lifestyle that the Thai culture could greatly offer.

He then started to broadly photograph Bangkok, emphasizing on the culture, the street life, the lifestyle, the excentricity of the Thai people, the uncontrolled urban development and unfortunately the poverty that derives from it.

For several years, Joakim has accumulated hundreds of photographs. He started to realise that a documentary book resulting from all the pictures taken, could be the final conclusion of this urban project. As he was a Designer before in London, he started to classify the pictures by broad themes, resulting in 7 main chapters:

1. Today's looks - emphasizing on the people and portrait within their environment.

2. Advent of modernism - Urban city development with the consequences of uncontrolled limits.

3. Adaptation - How do Thai people adapt to a more modern life and a city that becomes more individualistic.

4. In the heart of the anthill - Bangkok could be compared as an anthill and the people as ants, if viewed from within and high ground.

5. Art of living - Lifestyle and tradition are still key values for the Thais even though Bangkok has become such a big metropole.

6. Mysticism and superstition - Buddhism is the main religion of Thailand and plays a great role within Thai society.

7. Noctambulism - The night life of Bangkok is very excentric, well known worldwide and can keep you awake all night long.

The format of the book is 25 x 28 cm, hard cover, and 2-colour print (Black and Patone 415U).

It is made 208 pages, split into the 7 main chapters decribed above, with more than 200 photographs.

The photographs were taken using Nikon body and lenses only.

The brand film used is Ilford, the leading manufacturer of Black and White films and processing products.

The book is published by Orchid Press (www.orchidbooks.com) and is distributed in major bookstores wolrdwide.

© 2010 photographs Joakim Leroy. All Rights Reserved. Webdesign by Aperture Asia. © 2010 book Orchid Press. All Rights Reserved. No part may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, saving or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Joakim Leroy.
All photographs on this website are protected by international trademark and copyright laws. Any infringment of the rights may lead to prosecution without warning.