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Kal Khogali | all galleries >> Beyond The Seen - Book Preview >> BEYOND THE SEEN >> Transformation > Straw Worlds

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07-OCT-2005

Straw Worlds

Canon EOS 20D
1/250s f/3.5 at 27.0mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto

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Copyright Kal Khogali Š2004-2009. www.kal-khogali.com

Kal Khogali		09-Oct-2005 15:42
You said it Phil, Two China's, no conflict. Urban and Rural, Yin and Yang, opposite complementarity, harmony....but for how long? I see China through western eyes, so I express it that way. What should conflict in my images, never seems to, and every time I look at them I am astounded at the harmony.

Phil Douglis		08-Oct-2005 17:53
This is one of your most substantively expressive images to date, Kal. It is simple, well composed, strikingly incongruous, communicates through abstraction, and is based on human values. It has everything an image needs to express an idea. I don't want to repeat what others have said here about the meaning of this image -- the purpose of expressive photography is to provoke the imagination of the individual viewer, and you have done just that with this image. But I can say that I saw the photo as surrealistic social commentary on the two China's -- something you and Jen have often explored in your imagery. Rural vs. urban values in contrast, but not conflict. The straw man expresses no interest in what goes on behind those sleek windows, and nobody in that building cares about him, either. He goes about his task, whatever it is, as if the big city, with all of its amenities and conveniences, did not exist. And for him they don't. He is an abstract symbol from another world. You could not have created a concept photo --with posed models -- any more effectively that what you have found here in life. It is the reality of it that hits home. The Old China is but a straw away from the New China.

Robbie D70		08-Oct-2005 14:36
Its only my opionions , I dont ask for you to agree with anything I say . My views are just that , thank you .

Marisa Livet		08-Oct-2005 06:45
I don’t find this picture funny, as I don’t find other of yours sinister, but it’s all so subjective. I think we try to speak to other with the means we have, often the visual tool of communication can lead to different perceptions even more than words. I wonder sometimes what is more important, that is if it’s really necessary to feel exactly as the artist or to use the artist’s creation to give our personal meaning to it, in this case it’s not your picture that is absolutely funny or sinister, if you had not the intention to transmit that feeling of yours, it’s the inner reflection that it provokes inside the viewer. As for me I like in this picture its sharp features and the apparent contrast on the two horizontal and parallel levels of the scene. I have not any deep moving feelings inside me looking at that, I have a pleasure of visual elegance and a sense of harmony. Marisa

Kal Khogali		08-Oct-2005 02:46
Sinister! I prefer to tink of them as surrealism Robbie ;-) The surreal can be both funny and disturbing. Maybe we find it so funny becasue it so alien.

Guest		07-Oct-2005 17:31
yes, I like it as well. As rightly pointed out by Ana, I love the kind of contrast country/city... bravo. alem

Robbie D70		07-Oct-2005 17:07
This for me is funny and pleasing , I like its message , well spotted and taken. Change from your more sinister pictures.

Kal Khogali		07-Oct-2005 15:08
Glad you liked it, almost did not post it. I sometimes worry that I am representing how I see China, not necessarily how others do. I don't want anyone to think of my images as mocking and so I sometimes really battle hard with myself. This image for me as you say is about the two worlds. In my opinion, as someone who lives here, they are both made of straw. Because for one to exist in reality, the other must not and can not exist in the same place...have I made sense?

Ana Carloto O'Shea		07-Oct-2005 14:27
Humm... what a great contrast here!! It seems like the man was just snatch out of his place in the countryside and was dropped here by some magical hand... And the funniest thing is that he didn't even notice that he has been transported into a city :)) This one seemed straight out of the twilight zone... Excellent capture Kal!!