Anders Petersen • Surprised by the Unpredictable

Bangkok • March 03-10, 2012

The word photography means so many different things depending on time, the social situation, the public and specially who is behind the camera. I believe the only approach to your reality is to illuminate it through yourself so whatever you take pictures of it has to be as close as self-portraits. That kind of platform is never riskless, but absolutely stimulating. And I want you to have fun, having a good time not just looking for the Good picture but the believable picture showing yourself. To capture things and entering new rooms in your personality that seem to be valid the way you se them. During this workshop I have only the simple wish that you get close to yourself, naked and vulnerable, when meeting people, being surprised by the unpredictable.

We will work everyday with assignments showing contacts but in the beginning I’m looking forward to see your personal portfolios. And of course I’m showing pictures myself. One week of personal photography. Workshop in simple English. Prepare yourself; please be koko and thoroughly rested.

“Anders Petersen has been involved in Swedish photography since the late 60’s. He is one of its central figures, and no one else has made a stronger impact on a younger generation. Yet, he hardly gives the impression of being a father figure. If anything, he is the eternal boy, traveling through an alien wonderland with its secret love encounters and bewildering adult conflicts. His pictures of the world out there somehow seem to be taken in a state of permanent amazement. “Is this what it looks like”, he seems to utter as he points his camera at lovers in the night and at people in the street — or at inmates in Swedish prisons and patrons in a Hamburg bar.
His pictures are intimate, and yet they disclose no all too unpleasant details concerning the people involved. The photographs are taken by the subjects’ consent and with a probing, somewhat detached eye. In the world of Anders Petersen, all things remain incomprehensible and strange — while still indecently enticing.
One of the secrets in Anders Petersen’s photography is his indication of a possible route of escape, a kind of alternative movement through the city, which could lead to a different story. A woman’s gaze into the camera turns into an unsettling invitation, often of the forbidden kind.”

So writes Peder Alton, a Swedish art critic.

Anders Petersen

Anders Petersen was born 1944 in Stockholm, Sweden.

14 years old his family moved to Karlstad in Värmland, where he met the artists 
Karin Bodland and Lars Sjögren.

In 1961 he stayed for some time in Hamburg in order to learn German and trying to write and paint. He didn’t take any pictures.

Five years later he met Christer Strömholm and became a student at his School of Photography in Stockholm. Strömholm was not just his teacher but also a close friend. Their friendship influenced him for life.

In 1967 he starts photographing a bar called Café Lehmitz in Hamburg, close to Zeughausmarkt. He was photographing there for a period of almost three years and in 1970 he had his first soloexhibition over the bar in Café Lehmitz with 350 photographs nailed to the wall.

In 1973 he published his first book “Gröna Lund”, about people in an amusementpark in Stockholm. In 1974 he graduated from the Swedish Filmschool,Dramatiska Institutet, in Stockholm. In 1978 he published “Café Lehmitz ” in Germany.

In 1984 the first book in a trilogy about locked instituations was published. The three books were about people in a prison, a nursing house, and a mental hospital. After photographing the mental hospital for three years he oriented himself towards a more free approach in a kind of diarylike photography.

During 2003 and 2004 Anders Petersen was appointed Professor of Photography in the School of Photography and Film at the University of Göteborg, Sweden. He regularly has workshops and exhibitions throughout Europe, Asia and in the USA. He has received numerous grants and rewards since the seventies.

In 2003 Anders Petersen was elected the “Photographer of the Year” by the International Photofestival in Arles.

In 2006 he was shortlisted as one of four for the “Deutsche Börse Photography Prize”.

In 2007 he received the “Special Prize of the Jury” for his exhibition “Exaltation of Humanity” by the third International Photofestival in Lianzhou, China.

In 2008 he received the “Dr. Erich Salomon Award” by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Photographie, Germany.

“The Arles Contemporary Book Award for 2009″ went to JH Engström and 
Anders Petersen’s collaborative book “From Back Home” by Max Ström.
The book was nominated to “The Best Photographic Book in Sweden, 
year 2009″ and also Winner of Design Bronze Lion in Cannes.

In 2010, he was in the jury for the BMW Prize at Paris Photo.

Anders Petersen has his darkroom in Stockholm, Sweden.
www.anderspetersen.se
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Dates: MARCH 03-10, 2012
Location : Bangkok-Thailand
Visa: no Visa required for American and European citizens.  If in doubt, please contact the closet Thailand Embassy

Workshops costs: €  1.360
includes workshops fee, 2 dinners
Accomodations & Meals : we have reserved rooms at the Hotel that will be our center for the workshop. Costs vary according to the size of the room and  number of persons in the room. Aprox € 60 per night with breakfast.Once you confirm the participation, we will confirm your room and you will pay the hotel directly. Meals, except for 2 common dinners, will be independent and paid separately. Eating out in Bangkok is a great culinary experience, and not expensive at all!
Meeting  points : we will meet the participantas at our hotel in the afternoon (4 pm) of the day of the beginning of the workshop  The workshop is over at noon on the last day
What to bring:
Bring your laptop, with everything  that goes with it: cables, chargers, card readers, and your photo equipment. Bring an extra body, in case something happens to your camera, and we suggest to bring the minimum amount of lenses .
Consider an external hard disk to make a back-up of your daily shooting.

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La parola fotografia può assumere diversi significati a seconda del tempo, della situazione sociale, dal pubblico e specialmente da chi è dietro la macchina fotografica.

Credo che l’unico approccio alla propria realtà sia di illuminarla attraverso se stessi in modo che, qualunque sia il soggetto delle proprie foto, deve avvicinarsi il più possibile ad un autoritratto. Questo approccio non è sempre indolore e senza rischi, ma è totalmente stimolante. E voglio che vi divertiate e siate a vostro agio, ricercando non solo la Foto Perfetta, ma quella che sia onesta e riveli voi stessi. Voglio che catturiate le cose ed entriate in nuove stanze della vostra personalità che mostrino come voi vedete queste cose.
Durante questo workshop ho il semplice desiderio che vi avviciniate a voi stessi – nudi e vulnerabili – quando incontrate gli altri, e che vi lasciate sorprendere dall’inaspettato.
Lavoreremo ogni giorno su dei progetti, ma vorrei vedere subito i vostri portfolio, e naturalmente vi mostrerò il mio lavoro. Sarà una settimana di fotografia personale. Preparatevi e rilassatevi.

“Anders Petersen è una figura centrale nel mondo della fotografia svedese dalla fine degli anni 60. Nessun altro ha avuto un impatto così forte sulla generazione successiva.. Tuttavia, non dà l’impressione paterna. Sembra l’eterno ragazzo, che viaggia in paese delle meraviglie alieno con i suoi incontri amorosi segreti e struggenti conflitti da adulto. Le sue fotografie del mondo sembrano fatte in uno stato di continuo stupore. “E’ quello che sembra” pare mormorare mentre punta la macchina fotografica agli amanti notturni e alla gente della strada – o ai detenuti di una prigione svedese e ai frequentatori di un bar di Amburgo.

Le sue foto sono intime, tuttavia non mostrando dettagli spiacevoli. Delle persone coinvolte. Le foto sono fatte con il permesso del soggetto e con un occhio distaccato. Nel mondo di Anders Petersen, tutto rimane incomprensibile e strano, e tuttavia indecentemente seducente. Uno dei segreti della sua fotografia è che mostra una possibile via di fuga, un movimento alternativo attraverso la città, che può portare ad una storia differente. Lo sguardo di una donna all’obbiettivo diventa un incerto invito, spesso del tipo proibito…” Peter Alton, crico svedese.

Il primo libro di Anders Petersen, Café Lehimitz, che rappresenta la vita di un Bar di Amburgo, fu pubblicato in Germania nel 1978. Da allora ha pubblicato altri 22 libri.

www.anderspetersen.se

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INFORMAZIONI PRATICHE

Date: 03-10 Marzo , 2012
Location: Bangkok-Tailandia
Visto: nessun visto per i cittadini italiani.
Costi del Workshops: € 1.360 per settimana Include la tariffa workshop e due cene comuni.

Pernottamento e Pasti: abbiamo riservato un numero di camere preso un piccolo hotel nel centro di Bangkok. I prezzi variano a seconda del tipo di stanza e numero di occupanti…Mediamente € 50 per notte con colazione. Una volta confermata la partecipazione, vi confermeremo la prenotazione della camera e potrete saldare direttamente l’hotel. I pasti, a parte le due cene comprese nel fee, sono indipendenti e  e pagate individualmente. Mangiare a Bangkok è un’esperienza unica, la cucina locale è una delle più raffinate al mondo , e i costi sono molto contenuti!. Comunque, secondo l’esperienza di altri workshop, finiremo col trovare insieme nuovi ristoranti ogni sera….
Punto di Incontro : incontreremo i partecipanti al’Hotel, nel pomeriggio del primo giorno e il workshop terminerà a mezzogiorno dell’ultimo giorno
Cosa portare:
Portate il vostro computer portatile con tutto quello che è connesso: cavi, batteria e carica-batteria, lettore di schede e la vostra attrezzatura fotografica. Portate un corpo extra, nel caso succeda qualcosa alla vostra macchina fotografica, cavi e caricabatteria e schede di memoria, e un hard disk esterno per fare una copia delle vostre immagini durante il viaggio.