Commemoration of the Passion of the Lord, Bao Loc 2024 Photograph - Limited Edition of 10

Lam Buu was born in BaoLoc, Lam Dong on the 20rd of Febuary, 1996. My early exposure to film sets ignited my passion for photography. In my photographic practice, images are not only the embodiment of time but also an analytical tool, reflecting social structures, material realities and spiritual expressions. Like the greeting “good morning, midnight” – the intersection between light and dark, between reality and fantasy – each frame becomes a “duet” that opens up a space for subtle dialogue. Through observing human behavior, from public spaces to private spaces, as well as in changing indigenous spaces, I build a visual language to depict the complex relationship between matter and spirit, like a “functional sculpture” staged by light and shadow. My work raises important issues of masculinity, sexuality and nationalism, opening up “decontextualized narratives” – stories that are both found and staged. In this process, I continuously employ decontextualization and deconstruction methods, thereby exploiting “unfinished actions” and “tense gestures” as a temptation of consolation. Each work, like a two-act play, reveals multifaceted roles – from the “flâneur” who observes, to the “hunter” who hunts for moments, and “un homme qui dort” who quietly exists – expressing the multidimensionality and ambiguity of personal experience in the context of contemporary society. Through this process, photography is not only a simple record of phenomena but also a means of reconstructing and decoding the relationships between individuals and society, affirming human values ​​in an era of constant change. Each image is a piece of the “half-scene”, inviting viewers to question the boundary between what can be realized and the hidden, present memories and emotions. I am also a filmmaker with an auteur style, by practicing free-flowing and unconventional moving images. I committed photographer, cinematographer both in my own moving images practice and in collaboration with other select artists and directors. Projects included independent narrative and non-fiction films, large studio-produced feature films, episodic network TV and commercial advertising.