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Friday, January 20, 2023
Dragon Dancer 🐉
Dragon Dancer:
Kora SkiinMode Collection
VOL 027
One of the iconic symbols of Chinese culture, and Chinese New Year is the dragon dance. Dancing with the dragon has been a staple of Chinese celebrations and festivals going back to ancient times. Chinese dragons 🐉 are believed to have control over water, rain, hurricanes and floods. They also represent power, strength and good luck. The Chinese believe that performing the dragon dance during festivals and celebrations drives away evil spirits and ushers in good luck and blessings for the community.
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Creative Synergy: Tyler by John Mar Photo
'I have grown to most appreciate how Chinese New Year gives us a reason to gather together as a family over good food.'
When it comes to Asian culture, especially the visuals surrounding Lunar New Year, so many are rooted in family, tradition and celebration. Vibrant colors, flowing fashion, architectural horticulture, music and especially movement. Whether it's a form of martial arts, tai chi chuan or a tradition dance, there is a spirituality, beauty and and flow unique to to the Asian culture.
So many of these themes are woven into photographer John Mar and his work with model, acrobat and musician Tyler. I especially feel the 'flow' in this series of images and can almost hear the music motivating and inspiring Tyler's dance and poses. I also love the wardrobe, color and location used, each evoking elements of the theme and culture.
John and Tyler first connected in 2018 when John was exploring his four elements collection. John and each of the models chose an element, (earth, water, wind and fire) and then shot images which evoked that theme through colored, body paint, and costume. Tyler shares that they quickly discovered they had really good creative synergy. This synergy has led to John being the photographer that Tyler has worked with the most with over the last five years since they first met.
'John has been such a lovely person to work with—he has his own ideas but is always willing to accommodate whatever surprises I might bring to any given shoot, so collaboration is always easy!'
Tyler shares that as a fourth-generation, half-Chinese American, Chinese New Year has always been an interesting time for he and his family. Although his family has very little direct connections with Asia, they still recognize Chinese New Year as part of the family's holidays and traditions.
Instagrams That Inspire: Edison Fan
'Life is about to experience everything it has to offer, and I am doing that.'
I always try to present a diverse selection of artists and models. Not just differences in culture and race, but also with age, body type and level of modeling experience. Despite my efforts however, I know there's still so much more to be done. Although the modeling industry has has opened up to models not cut from the same tall, thin, white cloth, the majority of shoots and jobs still go to a select narrow few.
When it came to a model to celebrate for Chinese New Year however, I knew exactly who to spotlight. I've been a fan of model Edison Fan for awhile now, and thought today would be a great day to introduce him to the few who haven't made his acquaintance.
Born in Nanjing, Edison's road to becoming a leading Chinese influencer, gay model and LGBT advocate didn't come quickly or come easily. Today's he leading companies including; OMG Sportswear and U-Touch Underwear, but dream fulfillment didn't always seem possible when Edison was growing up in China.
When he was growing up, Edison was conditioned to believe that his sexuality as abnormal and LGBTQ+ representation was really lacking. There was one gay themed television shows that aired in Mainland China at the time, and it left the air quickly after getting banned by authorities. It wasn't until Edison traveled to New Zealand when he was 16, that he began to see and realize that being gay was ok in other parts of the world.
Today the business owner, model and father is a light for many young boys, in Asia and around the world. As far as many of us think we have come, there are still only a handful of successful and openly gay men to look up to as examples of success for reinforcement and inspiration. Edison Fan has gone from needing one, to being one.
12 Days: Byron Pang and Thomas Price in Amphetamine
'There is no way to quit a fateful love.'
First off, I should share I watched Amphetamine without any English subtitles. Even without the however, it was a story I quickly understood and was absorbed in. In addition, the character of Daniel works at what I'm guessing was an American based bank, so there was English spoken off and on throughout the film.
Set in 2008, just after the financial collapse, banker Daniel is openly gay and in the process of deciding whether to return to Australia. It is then, that he meets Kafka. Kafka is a swimming and fitness instructor who proclaims to be straight. I certainly saw Kafka as sexually confused, and definitely in the closet, but from their first meeting, I saw Kafka as drawn to Daniel, as Daniel is to him. The shower scene in the video occurs shortly after the two first meet.
The two men very quickly fall in love and believe their love can bridge any issues, including their difference sexuality. Kafka however, has other issues he's struggling with and his drug use increases as the film and story progresses. Daniel has no regrets about falling in love, but Kafka struggles to return his love, especially sexually.
Their relationship is complicated by Kafka's erratic behaviour, stemming from habitual abuse of amphetamine. Also a contributing factor is his impotence, which can be attributed to a trauma. This is where I felt the emotional pull of the film felt a little off to me. Given the location, and Kafka's culture, being closeted would be enough to lead to anxiety, possibly depression and even addiction. I didn't understand why Danny Cheng Wan-Cheung., aka Scud, both the writer and director, added such a drastic, and unnecessary trauma into the mix.
The trauma is a shown in flashbacks with Kafka being violented raped by three men. It's a difficult scene to watch, and again, I felt it wasn't needed as complications and drama were already present. The scene was also odd as the men were originally planning on raping a woman. When Kafka intervenes to help, the woman runs away and it's then Kafka who is stripped, beaten and raped by the three men.
Thing getting even more confusing after the death of Kafka's mother. he goes into a tailspin, raping Daniel's best friend, Linda, and flooding his and Daniel's apartment. When Daniel tries to console Linda, the two end up having sex, and Kafka sees them. The next morning, Daniel does amphetamine with Kafka, and Kafka confesses that despite everything he's done wrong, he still loves Daniel. Daniel affirms their relationship by asking Kafka to return to Australia with him, where they can get married, but Kafka asks for more time.
At Daniel's going away party, Kafka appears totally naked, painted with silver body paint, calligraphy and wearing a large pair of Angel wings. After a series of climatic events, which call back to Daniel and Kafka bungee jumping earlier in the film, Kafka ends up in the hospital. I won't give away the ending, but in Kafka's mind, he and Daniel end up together in the end.
Although I had a few issues with the story, and some of Scud's story choices, I was really engrossed in the story, the characters and their relationship. Both actors were excellent and both carried the story, although in very different ways. Byron Pang, (Kafka) was heartbreaking during Pang's scenes of breaking down, and I didn't need subtitles to understand and feel his pain. I think it was Thomas Price's Daniel however, I was most drawn to. Price is an incredibly beautiful man, and his love for Kafka, despite the obstacles, was what really drove the story for me.
Both actors had plenty of nude scenes although Byron Pang, (Kafka) carried the full frontal load. Due to the nudity, and the subject the matter, the film met met controversy in Hong Kong when the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority asked for several shots of anal intercourse to be cut before public screening.
Scud protested against the authority's decision and complained to the Chief Executive The shots in concern were finally blackened-out but with sound in public screening as a protest by Scud. If you haven't seen any films from Scud, this is a good one to start out with. Although there's a few complications in the story, the film keeps it's focus on the two main characters and the relationship, and the two actors, the beautiful direction and cinematography, made it addictively watchable.
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