Random Excellence: Ferit Kuyas

Ferit Kuyas, Restaurant Boats, Changjiang River, Chongqing, China 2005

This to me has a curious, somewhat contradictory mixture of festiveness and foreboding, liveliness and quietude, color and solemnity, light and darkness. Thought you might like. It's part of a series called "City of Ambition" by Ferit Kuyas—yet another interesting Turkish-born photographer—whose website is here.

Mike

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Original contents copyright 2011 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Comment by The Lazy Aussie: "Beautiful photo. Many of those boats are divided into small rooms, each with an automatic mahjong table and choking with high tar cigarette smoke. By the way, if you've never seen an auto mahjong table, they are quite impressive to watch in action."

Comments

[A. Nonymous]

James Fallows: Greatest Front Page Ever

At: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/05/greatest-front-page-ever/238488/

Direct to image: http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/mt/assets/jamesfallows/assets_c/2011/05/292500378-thumb-560x693-50164.jpg

[Zaan]

Having lived in China for a few years, I'm struck silent with both exhilaration and dread. Thanks for posting this one, Mike.

[Zaan]

Actually, checking the pictures again, I can add I've lived downstream from this (in Nanjing, also on the Changjiang or Yangtze) for about a year. It's a strange thing, China does to a man, so garish, so foul, and yet I yearn for it so.

[Albano]

As we have the ruin porn trend now, it seems we also have a platoon of large-format-chinese-landscape-photographers. Tons of them.
Nice photo anyway. I think it depicts the same situation we have here in Buenos Aires, since gambling is forbidden in the territory, they put floating casinos. Clever guys

[Stan B.]

Yes, a totally whimsical fairy tale floating in a magical snow globe surrounded by impending doom. A lighthearted Blade Runner.

And his other work ain't chopped liver either- Incredible stuff!

[James]

Sorry, Mike, but I tried to view his website twice and gave up both times after it hijacked my browser window, resized it, and then sat there twiddling its thumbs and doing nothing.

[Michael Farrell]

Amazing front photo. Once one digs inside though, the photographer's grim single-mindedness in showing similar scenes of blighted foreground fronting a distant smog-shrouded cityscape becomes repetitive. I understand thematic consistency, but when the page landed on one of the more tightly framed images containing elements of saturated color, I felt relief.

[Bron]

Zaan,

Great comment. I have felt the siren call as well; 12 years ago my wife and I were in Kunming; I felt I could just disappear into the country; not sure how to say it, but your comment brought back the very powerful allure.

Bron

[Ed]

Great shots, thanx Mike, my list of tags just got one tag longer. Ferit knows what he's doing, went to see Struth's China pictures the other week. Maybe.......these are even better. More poetic, softer, and more mysterious.....more a menace to society even?

[scott kirkpatrick]

Looking at the glow of the restaurant boats, I realize where the inspiration come from for the boats from which all the spirits decamp for R&R at the otherworldly amusement park in Miyashi's "Spirited Away."

scott

[cb]

Yep, but it is heavily distorted.

[Edi Weitz]

If there's one thing I hate, then it's a photography website that resizes my browser window without asking me. I'll make sure to not go there again, no matter how nice the photos might be.

[The Lazy Aussie]

Whoa, featured comment first! Thanks mate. The most frightening part is how Chongqing has almost unnoticed turned into one of the world's biggest metropolises. And you can travel the stunning Yangtze from Wuhan or wherever passing the three gorges and stunning beauty, but never see more than the inside of the gambling rooms if you want. Here's a shot if you'll permit the link.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazyaussie/448231227
And just saw in the news that boats are getting stuck on the river due to drought.

[How To Check Computer]

Reminds me of a amusement park they had here in Kansas City.

[Dennis Allshouse]

Not sure what a nonymous post is doing here.

[Kerstin]

I love this shot. The combination of the sky light, water reflections, boats, and the ugly foreground is wonderful.

Thanks for sharing this. The fellow's website is SLOW, but worth the wait.

[Rosie]

One of Ferit's best pieces! His work is available for purchase at our gallery, Bau-Xi Photo, or for viewing if you live in the Toronto, Canada area. Please contact us if you have any questions about Ferit Kuyas' work or background. Thanks for the feature!