Wing Shya - Solace

From the publisher:

Session Press is pleased to present Solace, the first U.S. monograph by acclaimed Hong Kong based photographer and film director, Wing Shya.

Early in his career, Shya was invited by Wong Kar-wai to serve as an on-set stills photographer for films including Happy Together and In the Mood for Love. Granted rare access to the renowned director’s inner circle, over the years Shya captured poignant behind-the-scenes portraits of iconic actors such as Tony Leung, Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, and Gong Li in unguarded moments between takes. These intimate images form the heart of Solace, interspersed with the best of Shya’s commercial shoots, as well as private snapshots of nature and cityscapes encountered on his travels. The resulting collection is a true testament to Shya’s ability as an eloquent storyteller and deeply introspective observer.

Hong Kong has long captured the West’s imagination as an enigmatic Other with dazzling neon lights and a chaotic electric pulse. However, in Solace, Shya reveals a more personal and meditative Hong Kong. Time slows, inviting the viewer to explore the subtleties of interpersonal chemistries from a distance in ephemeral, quiet moments that showcase Shya’s sensitive and intuitive approach toward his subjects. A nostalgic, dreamlike atmosphere emerges in his expired and exposed film, punctuated by flashes of vibrant color.

In the words of William Chang, one of Wong Kar-wai’s most important collaborators, Solace is a “moving achievement that deftly captures ephemeral postures and fleeting snippets in time.”

We hope Solace will introduce an international audience to the sublime nuance of Wing Shya’s work, as well as the rich history and culture of Hong Kong as seen through his eyes.

Wing Shya
Wing Shya transmutes between film, art and fashion. Born in Hong Kong 1964, Shya returned to Hong Kong following his fine art studies at Emily Carr Institute in Canada and founded the award-winning design studio, Shya-la-la Workshop. In 1997, appointed as the exclusive photographer and graphic designer; Shya began his collaboration with the renowned movie director, Wong Kar-Wai on Happy Together, continued then on In the Mood for Love, Eros and 2046.

A now-recognized director, Shya began his venture in filmmaking by collaborating with musicians and artistes like Karen Mok, Jacky Cheung and Vanessa Mae on music videos. In Spring 2010, Shya debuted his block-buster movie, Hot Summer Days and continued to work on the sequel, Love in Space, released in Fall 2011. In 2010, invited by Rodarte; Wing Shya conceived of a fashion-art film for their Maggie Cheung Collection, and in 2011, he was invited by YOOX to contemplate Lost Paradise, another fashion-art initiative for thecorner.com in China.Shya made his return to fine art in 2006. Invited by the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hill, Japan; Wing Shya was the first non-Japanese photographer to exhibit at the museum with his inaugural show, Distraction/Attraction. In 2007, he was selected to exhibit in In Fashion 07, curated by Marion de Beaupré at Art Basel Miami, and in October the same year, he had a solo exhibition, Jealousy, at Xintiandi, Shanghai. Shya also took part in China Design Now in 2008, which was exhibited at V&A Museum. In recent years, he has exhibited with Louise Alexander Gallery (Italy), +81 Gallery (Tokyo and New York) and Ooibotos Gallery (Hong Kong). (text from artist's official website)

Photographer: Wing Shya
Title: Solace
Published by Session Press
Design by Geoff Han
Image Editor: Geoff Han, Miwa Susuda
Text Editor: Ming Lin
Text: Conversation with Wing Shya and Karen Smith
Translation: Ho King Man
Publication Date: July 2024
Lithography: Sebastiaan Hanekroot, Colour & Books
Production: Jos Morree, Fine Books
Printer: Die Keure, Brugge, BE

Cover: Silkscreen printing
Page: 184 pp
Dimension: 210 x 297 cm
ISBN: 978-0-578-42909-0

© Session Press