Quite a project, indeed. I am looking forward to see the book. 55 top photographers, each a different assignment “illustrating every imaginable aspect of Thailand today”. Very interesting indeed.
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Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom, a photographic book commemorating the auspicious occasion of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 80th birthday, will be launched in December 2007.
With over 350 photos illustrating every imaginable aspect of Thailand today, including the economy, the regions, rural and city life, urban development, tourism, fashion, arts and crafts, and various other aspects, the book will be a dramatic record of the change and development that have been achieved in Thailand during the reign of His Majesty.
A team of 55 top photographers from 19 countries are in the Kingdom of Thailand from January 14 to 22, 2007. They include 11 Thai and 44 international photojournalists from Europe, America and Asia, portrait photographers, documentary photographers and specialists in fields such as aerial, nature, lifestyle and underwater photography.
All these photographers have been given their individual assignments, allowing them to capture images of life throughout Thailand according to their talents. Mr Surat Osathanugrah, Chairman of the Editorial Advisory Board, said: ‘Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom is not just an ordinary book, but a “visual time capsule”.’
The book Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom will be produced in full colour, with 288 pages, 255 mm x 355 mm (portrait) and published in English, Japanese, French and probably several other languages, and will be sold around the world. In Thailand, the book will be on sale by December 2007 at a price of 1,750 Baht.
The publisher Editions Didier Millet, and sponsors of the project will jointly donate Baht 9,000,000 to His Majesty the King for charitable use. [source]
James Nachtwey: I went to Lop Buri, to Wat Phra Baht Nam Phu, and focused on the work of one of the volunteers in the AIDS hospice, Father Michael Bassano. I wanted to focus on one person rather than take on subject superficially. I didn’t conceive of this book, I just conceived of what I wanted to do. I don’t work from the point of view of trying to make things look good, or even try to make them look bad. I try to make them look as I perceive them to be. There’s nothing good about AIDS or tuberculosis and yet the man I photographed is doing a great deal of good in the midst of a tragic situation. Father Bassano is a paradigm of positive life force, an amazing human being. He’s a very, very inspiring man. I was privileged to spend a week with him [source]
Steve McCurry: I chose Buddhism. I’ve been interested in Buddhism as a way of thinking for a long time. Over the last 20 years, I’ve been to Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Laos, Thailand, Nepal… It’s a reoccurring theme in my work. So I thought, why not do a book about it and come back to Thailand. You need to delve into it, not just scratch the surface. To go beyond clichés, you need to spend time. If you breeze through a temple, they all seem the same. You need to go into the backrooms, the living quarters. It’s all about discovery, seeing things, wandering around. The fun, the joy, the reward is the journey. You just wander around and wait for serendipitous situations. I don’t think too much. Things must touch me. [source]
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