Vanishing White (The Aesthetics of Climate Change)

Previously I investigated fog and mist formation (2009-2014) as my conceptual and metaphoric subject in the Himalayan borderlands by highlighting the dilemma of borderlanders’ identity. The ideas of inclusion and exclusion, identity within one's community, and the relationship on the borderlands are hard to clearly define, as well as the possibility of borderless borderlands. Due to the high altitude and extreme condition in this region, lead me to discover the challenging, unfriendly yet intriguing Vanishing White series. Since 2015 until recently, as part of my visual research in progress, I continue to arrest subject and condition that are below minus degree temperature (around minus twenty to forty Celsius). I am keen to visualise and interpret my work in a cinematic composition that draw an epic meaning with a purpose to witness, document and to inspire. On the other hand, most photographers take weather as part of their important factor and consideration in order to obtain ideal photographic results. However, my approach is to use weather and it’s ever changing phenomena as my artistic subject of investigation.

Human activities slow down when the temperature drops. The chilling, unfriendliness and extreme weather condition keeps people away, and I find it harsh and hostile yet strangely beautiful. It endures my presence, but it is rarely welcoming. I believe in and aspire to bring a new perspective of capturing landscape we already know well from traditional photography, an epic cinematic and composition that is not possible before. With the frosting snow and ice blanket, the deep silence sounds like eternity. As such, most of these magical white space comes and goes, uncontainable; vanish.

50 works of Alex Wong will be displayed at FASS Art Gallery.