Erica Lai


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Thanks for sharing.... haha sadly her art is too cheem for me to catch.... very deep stuff. :sweat:
 

Belle&Sebastain said:
http://mugmao.thekitchenweb.com/

just wanna share this link with you guys esp people who shoot with concepts and feelings

she is singapore 100 outstanding youths under 25.

enjoy:)

sorry to say ... her photograhy ... I just cannot find another word to stand in for "SUCKS".

for these images, she becomes 100 outstanding youth under 25? whom did she bribe?

no one understand what she wanted to say with these pictures! I don't even know how to appreciate it. to me, these images are typical of wannabes who demonstrated a self delusion of granduer.
 

thanks for sharing Gilbert.. I love her works! Really reminds me of Darren, Ming and Leonard's everyday look @ things...

A decievingly deep dimension not so easily achieved or appreciated by the general mass despite her works looking so simple and whimsical.
Not many can achieve this kind of perspective as an artform.
 

Belle&Sebastain said:
http://mugmao.thekitchenweb.com/

just wanna share this link with you guys esp people who shoot with concepts and feelings

she is singapore 100 outstanding youths under 25.

enjoy:)
thanks gilbert!
for sharing an inspiration to budding photographers here who "shoot with concepts and feelings" =)

Deadpoet said:
sorry to say ... her photograhy ... I just cannot find another word to stand in for "SUCKS".

for these images, she becomes 100 outstanding youth under 25? whom did she bribe?

no one understand what she wanted to say with these pictures! I don't even know how to appreciate it. to me, these images are typical of wannabes who demonstrated a self delusion of granduer.

the right of free speech, and the conscious expression of that freedom, comes with great responsibility....and correct spelling.

you have used strong words and assumptions, which to me, are typical of people who "shoot off their mouths first, think later".
 

i am holding my judgement on this one. While reminiscent of many other artists before her, i find the lack of a central theme disturbing. I hope its some kind of WIP and more will ensure.
 

its art

appreciate the simplicity in form and seeing something unique in everyday "singaporean things"

Its nice!
 

Art is subjective, therefore everyone is entitled to choose which is their meat and which is their poison.

Therefore I would respect everyone's point of view in here. Deadpoet may harsh, but he has his point, not that I agree. But in the real world, that is what you get. (I get a lot of harsh critiques myself).

To me she lacks the experience (but shows potential) to be a good artistic photgrapher, with her pictures set in a theme that is easy to tackle and lacks that "tension element" that captures the viewer. To put it harshly, the photo lacks depth if seen through the eyes of another artist. She has threaded into a domain that has been overdone by other artists and therefore more is expected from her. Since she failed to deliver that expectation, its no wonder serious critiques will shred her work.

As viewers, we can only hope that this as this young budding artist grow older, gain more experience and produce more new work that evokes emotions or plays with the mind of the viewer.

My verdict : I would not pay to see her work strictly by her merit, but would support a budding artist just because Singapore needs to encourage new blood. I have been a lecturer in art schools, and works like these comes in every other week. There are not enough fresh/surprising element in the series of photos to get my attention.
 

igpenguin said:
what's you guys' definition of art?

Follow your heart. Feel. You cannot define art. When you can, you are buying stock photos.
 

Deadpoet said:
sorry to say ... her photograhy ... I just cannot find another word to stand in for "SUCKS".

for these images, she becomes 100 outstanding youth under 25? whom did she bribe?

no one understand what she wanted to say with these pictures! I don't even know how to appreciate it. to me, these images are typical of wannabes who demonstrated a self delusion of granduer.

(A) Let me be polite, and rephrase your comments for you.

Perhaps what you really meant was that these imageries do not appeal to you. And because they do not appeal to you, you do not understand why she was given certain accolades?



(B) Or maybe I should be as blunt as you, and say what is in my mind.

1 Erica makes images for herself. You make images to please the models. There is a world of difference between the world view of people like Erica and yourself.

Erica images stand different. How are your images?

2 I assume that you do not understand what she was trying to say in her images.

What were you trying to say in the images of Bree? That she is beautiful and sensuous? Why say something that is already so obvious?

3 You said you did not know how to appreciate the images. Have you consider the possibility that "A photograph is a mirror. If an ass peers into it, you cannot expect an apostle to look out?"

4 You said that no one understand what she wanted to say in her images.

Are you the spokesman for the masses? Do you dare to say I do not understand her images? By what authority do you possess to make such declaration? What be so presumptive? If you do not understand, it is fine. But so not try to get the world to agree with you when the world is obviously not!

5 Erica images look at the non events. The banal.

I see her trying to make beautiful images of nothing.

I see the possibility of diptych with two different images coming together to make a third.

I see symbolic associations.

To those whose minds and souls are unfettered, I see possible reactions to emotional microcosms within these images.

I see tension and an edge in these images that will reward those who will allow the images to speak to them.

Of course, they should shed their pre-conceived ideas of what images should be. How can a cup receive if it already so full of itself?
 

plastic said:
Follow your heart. Feel. You cannot define art. When you can, you are buying stock photos.

sorry might be abit out of point .. but I was just wondering how would these outstanding youth earn their income ? .. are they being paid to do all their collection ?

just wondering ...

anyway in my own views ... art is something very subjective ... some would like it some would not .. that is why there are so many artist out there as they attract different crowd ....
 

Wrong corner I think. Should be for kopitiam.

Regards,
Arto.
 

Stereobox said:
...
the right of free speech, and the conscious expression of that freedom, comes with great responsibility....and correct spelling.

you have used strong words and assumptions, which to me, are typical of people who "shoot off their mouths first, think later".

My spelling had always been my achilles' heel. Too bad, CS uses vBulliten does not have a spell checker, I am lost. But, does a typo means my observations or comments are irrevelent?

As the audience to Erica Lai's photographs, we are free to draw any conclusions, make any judgements and commet on on the presentation. The audience is the masses, or unless Ms Lai had explicitly stated that, only art/abstract photographers and/or artists may appreciate and comment.

I am the audience when I open the website. I saw a vague attempt to do something, what it is, I still don't know. So, the images did nothing for me. Granted abstract is not my cup of tea, but still, there are abstract photographs that I admit are great photographs, but not these.

Oh, btw, the audience is responsible for making their own judgements regarding what is presented. As the audience, my responsibility is not to make Ms Lai feels good, or anyone feels good, but to myself, whether I like it or dislike it, whether I have any feelings for it etc etc.

Maybe, we all got gaga over Ms Lai because she was named 100 outstanding youth under 25 in Singapore by some bureaucrats. Should we? We should feel congradulatory for her being named as such, but that has nothing to do with her photographs. They must stand on their own merits. Ok, you said, she was so named because of her photographs. But then my rebuttal to you is, so? Does the bureaucrats knows better? Go to the street and show the photographs to the people. The masses is the ultimate jury.

By the way, please don't try to get under my skin by branishing the rights of free speech and the responsibility that comes with it. Unless I am yelling fire in a crowded theater, I stand by anyone's right to say whatever they want to say.

If I were to shoot from my mounth first and think later, I would have told you to "f*** off", rather than trying to enlight you!
 

What if these sets of photos were posted in ClubSNAP by a "newbie" account? I wonder if we would see comments with terms like "deep", "nice", "deceivingly deep dimension" or even the mentioning of the word "art"?

Can the guys who appreciate her work please enlighten a layman like me what is deep, beautiful or appealing of this shot:

http://mugmao.thekitchenweb.com/ed4.htm


Thanks.
 

I think she has bought across the technique, but not really the message, of her idea...potential but as yet not realized...like Deadpoet, I agree that the works are not really ripe for the masses...and if she is trying to appeal to the "Artistic" lot, well, she should get used to even harsher criticism...but if she is reading this, she should not be disheartened by the criticism...Art is a process, and there will always be detractors...

And for those who criticize spelling, well, I have to say that the essence of language is in the spoken form, and it is the spoken, not the written that should be privileged...spelling has nothing to do with freedom of speech...and for those who struggle with spelling, I feel for you...this comes from a mildly dyslexic Eng Hons grad who's spelling sucks :)
 

Artosoft said:
Wrong corner I think. Should be for kopitiam.

Regards,
Arto.


now, that i think is the most insulting remark so far.

like some others, i feel she has the potential for growth as an artist, when i stated the 100 outstanding youths under 25, i was trying to push across the message as youths, we already have our own way of vision.

I was impressed by her, because like me, i started my own business of making clothes with my own thoughts and ideas than peer into what the industry is doing when i was 23. I did not have much experience in business but i have passionate ideas and toughts about what i wanted to make.

I care less for the masses could could not understand or like my work, save for those who do but could not afford what i do. Then i was so impressed with the works of Rei, Yohji, Martin and Ann whose works could not be afforded by the masses by sought after by the same type of fashionable people whom i wanted to dress them. The type whom dislike fashion brands but like the interesting way these designers put their messages across their clothes. These are the people who will scoff at brands like LV and Prada, selling prestige, not style and substance.


The important message across is that photography has so many platforms, so many different audiences. I do not understand the blashing of Erica or even John Clang (before) for that matter. That just shows that many of you see things on the surface value, an nice exposure or a shot to death image is what you aim for. Many do not look and study in-depth to other peoples way of working and other peoples point of view.

An great image need not be a pretty girl in bikini or art need not be a b/w nude model. See things as you feel for them. By using feelings, you can see alot more. By trying to create your own vision, you appreciate your craft more and horne your skills a different level.

When i tranlated that into photography, commerical to an extent i find its so much more important to create an vision of my own. As a newbie photographer years ago, someone whom replied on this thread told me that wedding photography is all the same, which i proved otherwise now. i get my jobs based on my way of working, my thoughts process and my views.

Non photographers appreicate how i can shoot for them, as they see in other works i done for couples. I do not shoot fine art style but i enjoy those works from others like Ron, Rueyloon and Ant. I like the peacefulness of Kuang style, the softness of Erdwine, the colours and liveness of Johnathan and Kelvin Koh. I evolve from learning lots in this process but i shoot different from them.

Everyone evolves to their own style, so its really sad when you dun understand something and shoot it off others. At least appreicate that Erica is trying to evolve and do something she likes and different from you DP.
 

Jango said:
What if these sets of photos were posted in ClubSNAP by a "newbie" account? I wonder if we would see comments with terms like "deep", "nice", "deceivingly deep dimension" or even the mentioning of the word "art"?

Can the guys who appreciate her work please enlighten a layman like me what is deep, beautiful or appealing of this shot:

http://mugmao.thekitchenweb.com/ed4.htm


Thanks.

I speak for myself. As a fulltime photographer, it's rare to see abstract shots that affects the emotions like this one. Anyway, I don't know her personally nor do I know that she is nominated for anything till the appearance of this thread so I can safely say I'm neutral.

1) If there's shots like these appearing anywhere in CS, I would still take a look at them and commenting on the entirety of the series. Sadly, no such stuff coz everyone wants to shoot mainstream photography - technically perfect shots.

2) As far as I can see, appreciation takes place in many levels and to really disect the a/m shot to its photographic elements is just take the art out of the subject. Look at it this way: you are looking at another person's emotions, thoughts, feel, situation. The shot or the entire series reflect what kind of person Erica is. In fact, I fully concur with what Student has already said:

" I see her trying to make beautiful images of nothing.

I see the possibility of diptych with two different images coming together to make a third.

I see symbolic associations.

To those whose minds and souls are unfettered, I see possible reactions to emotional microcosms within these images.

I see tension and an edge in these images that will reward those who will allow the images to speak to them. "


Art is so and so it is. Like it or leave it :)
 

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