There are a great many photographers that I admire and appreciate and each month, my favourites list seems to get longer and longer. One artist who is at the top of my list, is Dutch photographer, Tuen Hocks. Similar to photographer Cindy Sherman, Hocks uses "himself" as the subject matter for his photography - portraying himself as a middle-aged man in the most absurd circumstances. I love the satire and quirkiness of his style and the fact that he leaves it up to the viewer to decide whether to regard his art as irony or something more serious.
Tuen first sketches his ideas to paper, as this helps with the creation of the concept. He builds and paints all of the backdrops - then takes his own photo, enlarges it, tones it sepia and then adds oil paint to the image. He does all of this without the help of assistants - he presses the remote shutter and tosses it to the side, out of the way of the camera.
I love powerful, dramatically staged landscape images and drool over lovely fashion photography - but Tuen Hocks makes me smile and draws me into his world and imagination. Part irony, whimsy and maybe truth even.