Cultural Voice

We asked Jamaican photographer Max Earle to explain 3 of his favourite photos... AMY’S LOVE  " I was asked by Amy to create an image that primarily showed her love for horses. My interpretation was to show her in as close a proximity to her love as possible. No foreground or background to take away from the intimacy I tried to capture."         SEA STAR     "This comes from a villa shoot I was commissioned to do for the owners website and visual marketing. This image in particular I wanted the viewer to be able to imagine themselves right there at the time. This was done by using what I call “negative space” in other words…nothing of a focal point in most of the image. The power of the shot forces you see the view as if you were right there, right now."     GATE VIEW "This is a shot I literally stumbled on that caught my attention while up at Strawberry Hill on another assignment. I found i...

"Vanda 1" 2012 Kai Watson Kai Watson refuses to accept the notion of the "Starving artist" as, for him, the term represents a romanticizing of the struggle of freelance and the entrepreneurial efforts of artists. He prefers to say that he is still laying the foundation for his career and life. Kai has a penchant for the delicate, beautiful, and expressive as exhibited in his latest predilections for topics relating to dance and orchids. He also appreciates what he describes as “the graceful power of athletes.”   "All is fair in the struggle" 2012 Kai Watson   When asked whether he would switch places with any of the subjects in his paintings, Kai told Cultural Voice that he was fond of “being in his own shoes,” and added that it was the uniqueness of the individual that was special in each work. "Unbridled Joy" 2008 Kai Watson   Kai shares a rich history of artistry in his family lineage. His grandfather Barrington,...

Alessandro Balsamo loves life. In Alessandro’s interview with Cultural Voice he was quite relaxed and talked openly about the various roads he has travelled on his journey, both professionally, and personally. As a program specialist in the policy and statutory implementation unit at UNESCO's Paris headquarters, Alessandro’s has had the fortune of touring the world and assisting countries in the development of stronger Cultural Heritage frameworks. Alessandro, originally from Balsamo Torino is responsible for the nomination of World Heritage Sites and formulating the tentative list order. Though Alessandro has great experience with the subject of World Heritage, our interest was piqued by his love for music and photography. Alessandro started taking pictures from a young age and his life’s journey has involved tons of travelling which gives him the opportunity to take pictures across the globe. Alessandro’s favourite subjects are “off the gr...

We all have an identity.... sometimes it's not so easy to define... Dr Masa Mikola, Research Fellow, The Centre for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, Australia shares her cultural voice....  Dr Mikola has a PhD in intercultural studies and a background in journalism, communication and migration studies. Her doctoral work focused on migration, diversity rhetoric and the issues of space, place and social interaction in Melbourne. She is currently a research fellow on an ARC Linkage project: ‘Social Networks, Belonging and Active Citizenship among Migrant Youth in Australia’.

While in London on a trek to discover the artistic creations heralded as cornerstones of the Cultural Olympiad, a celebration of all things Artistic, I stumbled into a pile of books! It was a relatively overcast day, with  temperatures above average in the city hosting the 2012 Olympics. People paraded in greens, blues, yellows and reds, waving country flags indicating the patriotism that is especially poignant during any Olympics games. Dressed in the colours Green, Gold, and Black, I paraded along the Southbank enjoying the smells from hot dog stands and picnic areas donned with Mojitos. A guide suggested a visit to the Southbank Centre. On entering people buzzed with excitement seemingly in 'culture paradise' with the 10s of choices for artistic stimulation. I turned a corner and in the midst of the revere there they were, these books! A group of visitors approached the display, made funny faces, and walked with flashing hands, signalling their boredom wit...