People in the Thai photography industry were excited when the photography community HOP – Hub Of Photography, was established at Seacon Square in the Srinakarin area. Located on the third floor, HOP features two photo galleries -- HOP Photo Gallery and Whoop! as well as the HOP club, a library area for photo books and the sale of merchandise. HOP is run by three established photographers -- Sirima Chaipreechawit, Theerachat Potisit and Marisa Rungroj.
"Seacon Square executives wanted to renovate the department store in order to attract people from three areas -- photography, coffee and food. They looked for community builders and contacted three of us to establish HOP – Hub Of Photography. HOP is a huge and long-term project which has excited people in the photography industry because they feel there are investors who believe in photography. People in the community see it as a success and have high hopes about this project," said the creative director and one of the co-founders, Sirima.
Kittima Chareeprasit, from Waiting You Curator Lab, who curated the exhibition "Objects" by Atit Sornsongkram showcased at HOP Photo Gallery, said she felt thankful for HOP.
"There is no project that supports photographers and provides financial support to art exhibitions like HOP. The investors finance the setting up of exhibitions, which includes a budget for printing and installing images. HOP will be a turning point for Thailand's photography industry," said Kittima.
Foto Info Learning Center.
Unlike most art galleries which are located in stand-alone venues, HOP Photo Gallery and Whoop! are located in a shopping mall which is an advantage since people of all ages can easily visit. The curator, Kittima, commented that HOP is an art space that the Srinakarin area did not have in the past.
"HOP's goal is to build a creative community which can attract more people to view art since Srinakarin did not have any exhibition space before. HOP is the only space in the area where people can view art free of charge," said Kittima.
"HOP aims to help the general public connect to the art of photography, so people can feel that visiting exhibitions is a normal part of life. When people who hang out at Seacon Square walk past and stop at the galleries, they will feel at ease. Even though most visitors to the exhibition 'Objects' are adults, teenagers at the mall also drop in. HOP is open to a varied group of visitors," Sirima added.
While HOP Photo Gallery is showcasing "Objects", Whoop! is exhibiting "It's So Bright And Confusing" by Tang Tawanwad. The creative director, Sirima, explained the differences between these two galleries.
"HOP Photo Gallery is the main gallery where exhibitions must be curated. An artist who showcases his/her photos in this gallery must be an established photographer. This gallery aims to inspire visitors and set photography standards to the international level," said Sirima.
Whoop! gallery is hosting ‘It’s So Bright And Confusing’ by Tang Tawanwad.
"Photographers who exhibit at Whoop! are upcoming artists. They probably have never taken part in an exhibition, but their works are unique and intriguing. Whoop! is their kickoff. It is a space to showcase their work and meet viewers," Sirima added.
As a curator, Kittima feels that organising a photo exhibition at HOP is an excellent opportunity.
"Organising a photo exhibition is challenging because there are requirements and conditions. For example, glass frames can cause reflections. Thus, we must use proper lighting, so that each photo stands out but there is not too much reflection. HOP designs lighting especially for exhibiting photos, so it can be adjusted in several ways. The HOP crew really thought through the lighting system," said Kittima.
Another space, the HOP Club, is divided into two sections -- a library for photo books and the merchandise section. At the library, 200 photo books will be available soon for viewing, but not borrowing, however more books will be added every month. The library area will be free of charge. The merchandise section displays various products with information for interested buyers to contact the creators to make a purchase.
"Books come from Vacilando Bookshop, Hardcover and Bangkok CityCity. We will provide a QR code for each book, so visitors can contact and purchase them directly. We also held an open call for independent photographers who have published photo books. We will purchase some from them and put them in the library," explained Sirima.
From left, Sirima Chaipreechawit, Theerachat Potisit and Marisa Rungroj, the founders of HOP – Hub Of Photography. (Photo © HOP - Hub Of Photography)
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many photographers are having a hard time, especially wedding, concert and event photographers. Some have created merchandise with their photos such as drinking mugs and mouse pads. These will be displayed at HOP Club.
"Merchandise details including price and contact details are provided on the products, so people interested can contact the photographer directly," said Sirima.
A studio, Foto Info Learning Center, is a part of the Hub Of Photography, but it is not run by the HOP founders. The Foto Info Learning Center provides two hours of studio time with lighting equipment free of charge. Customers must bring their own cameras and make a reservation in advance.
The opening of HOP received positive feedback from photographers and people in the industry and that inspired Sirima to think about making a space for international artists.
"Many photographers want to showcase their works at HOP, especially at Whoop!. Curators told me that they were inspired by HOP's exhibition standards. Experienced photographers told me the 300m² at HOP Photo Gallery is large. Not many photo galleries in Asia cover this size. If we continually create exhibitions with excellent content and show people our standard, HOP can be a space for artists in Asia. We may even hold a contest or an open call internationally," said Sirima.
HOP is something Sirima has dreamed of and she hopes the outcome will be similar to her ultimate goal.
"I have been in the photography industry for a decade and HOP is my dream project. When I heard about the vision that Seacon Square executives had for HOP, I was thrilled. I felt hopeful to know there are people who believe in the talents of Thais and the Thai photo industry. They also believe that the three founders can build HOP. I want to make my dream of HOP becoming an international platform a reality," concluded Sirima.
For more information on HOP – Hub Of Photography, visit facebook.com/hubofphotographybangkok. For Foto Info Learning Center, call 095-881-1148.
