His subjects are artists with special needs who have discovered to express themselves using different mediums of art
“Beauty, pure without vanity!” That is how Filipino photographer Nico Sepe describes his latest exhibit dubbed “Co-Labs.” Opened at the Bangkok Art & Culture Center (BACC), the collection showcases his recent works in collaboration with 10 different Thai artists. His subjects are artists with special needs who have discovered how to express themselves using different mediums of art. The photographs highlight the wet plate collodion process, an early type of photography using glass as negative dating back to 1854.
“We choose this medium because it has historical relevance. This wet plate collodion became popular in mid 19th century (1850s) and years after came the discovery of down syndrome by English physician John Langdon Down and they made use of wet plates to record the people or patients they were handling.” Nico said in his speech. “ just want to raise the awareness and recognition of people with special needs. This is a kind of tribute to them. This is not just art for art‘s sake, but this is more to raise awareness and to give importance to people who have this condition. This project is dedicated to my nephew Emilio Sepe who also has down syndrome.”
Running until April 24, the exhibit is part of the whole concept titled “Co-Labs: Collaboration.” Nico worked on the portraits from October 2021 to February 2022, which was made possible with the help of the Rainbow Room Foundation, a special needs awareness center.
Through his camera, Nico captured painters Catleeya Asavanant, weaver Krailas Skuldist, miniature sculptor Pakchanya U-Pratya, poetry reader Petchlapa Chevamongkol, sculptors Yaipoeng and Naipran, round neck traditional-style tops “kor krachao” maker Peerach Panayothakul, “khim” musician Chanita Thamthatpimol, eurithmy (expressive movement art) performers Korakot and Tanayu Teerasawad, and saxophone player Jittipat Thongprasert.
One of the guests who attended the opening of his exhibition was Than Phu Ying Sirikitiya Jensen, a member of the Thai Royal Family, a granddaughter of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and a niece of the reigning King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand. Khun Sirikitiya is an avid photographer herself like her grandfather, the well-revered King Bhumibol.
According to his bio, Nico began his photography journey in the late ‘70s documenting lives in the underground movement and the fall of the Marcos dictatorship. He worked mostly on commissioned assignments by non-government organizations and even self-funded some of his documentary projects.
Watch the story of “Co-Labs” here:
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