Fan Ho - The Living Theatre - 人生舞台 | 何藩 by Fan Ho - 2021

San Francisco: Modernbook editions, 2021. 7th edition. Hardcover. NEW/no dj as issued. NEW, in publisher's shrink-wrap. Modernbook editions, 2021, fourth edition. Text in English. 24.13x 27.94 cm
176 pages, 150 duo-tone plates
In English and Chinese
Sewn binding. Cloth over boards.

Ships from Hawaii with free Priority Mail or UPS upgrade. The 2nd book: 'The Living Theatre' by Fan Ho continues the story Mr. Ho began in his first book, 'Hong Kong Yesterday'. Focusing on the people of Hong Kong in the 1950s and 1960s this book takes a closer look at his beloved city. This is a unique series of images with no image duplication between the other two books, 'Hong Kong Yesterday' and 'Fan Ho: Hong Kong Memoir'.

Fan Ho, nicknamed 'the great master' earned his fame as one of Asia's most beloved street photographers capturing Hong Kong in the 50's and 60's. He was born in Shanghai in 1937; immigrated to Hong Kong as a child in 1949. His photographic career started at the early age of 14 when given his first Kodak Brownie for his birthday from his father. Within the first year, he won his first award. Fan Ho passed away in 2016.

-- Fan Ho (1931-2016) was a legendary photographer whose stunning black and white images captured the essence of mid-20th century Hong Kong. With a keen eye for composition and a deep appreciation for light and shadow, Fan Ho's masterful works transcend the boundaries of documentary photography to become works of art in their own right.

Famed self-taught photographer, film director, and actor Fan Ho received his first camera, a Rolleiflex, from his father when he was thirteen years old. Ho, well known for chronicling Hong Kong during the 1950s-60s while it emerged into a major metropolitan center, was born in 1932 in Shanghai.

He immigrated with his parents to Hong Kong when he was eighteen. Stricken by severe migraine headaches while a student at St. Paul's College (now St. Paul's Co-ed College), Ho discovered that the only cure for his pain was breathing fresh air while walking the streets of Hong Kong. To alleviate his boredom, he took photographs. Captivated by Hong Kong's daily drama of crowded marketplaces, robust street life, and hidden alleyways, Ho found that photography not only relieved his headaches but was also a potent medium for his artistic vision.

Fan Ho's photographic career started in Shanghai at the early age of 14 when given his first Kodak Brownie for his birthday from his father. Fan Ho moved to Hong Kong with his family at the age of 18. It was there that he began to hone his craft, exploring the city's streets and alleys to capture the people and places that would come to define his oeuvre. Fan Ho was most prolific in his teens and 20's and created his biggest body of work before reaching 28. His work didn't go by unnoticed at his time. He won close to 300 local and international awards and titles in his day through competing in the salons. His talent was also spotted by the film industry where he started out as an actor before moving to film directing until retiring at 65. Over the course of his career, Fan Ho published several photography books and won numerous awards for his work.

Fan Ho's photographs are characterized by their striking use of light and shadow, which creates a sense of drama and depth in each image. He often incorporated architectural elements into his compositions, using the lines and angles of buildings to frame his subjects and draw the viewer's eye through the image. He never intended to create a historic record of the city's buildings and monuments; rather he aimed to capture the soul of Hong Kong. As per Mr Ho; 'I love Hong Kong and I love Hong Kong people'' ; the hardship and resilience of its citizens.

第二部曲《人生舞台》延續了何藩先生於首部著作《香港追憶》的故事。 本書聚焦五、六十年代的香港人民日常，進一步深入了解他最深愛的城市。 獨特的影像記錄了逝去光陰中的各種場景及肖像，與另外兩本著作《香港追憶》和《香港‧往日情懷》所收錄的作品各有不同，當中未有重複。

何藩在攝影界有「一代宗師」之名，更被譽為「東方布列松」。1931 年出生於上海，自14歲生日時獲父親所贈 Rolleiflex 雙鏡頭相機開始，便與攝影結下不解之緣，更在第一年便獲得首個獎項。其後他於1949 年移居香港繼續追尋攝影夢，於2016年去世。.