With his first photobook Hong Kong, The New York Times’ photo editor Mikko Takkunen captured one of the world’s greatest metropolises during a time of political uncertainty and the pandemic. As the city was still recovering from the aftermath of the anti-government protests of 2019, Takkunen began to concentrate on the purity of seeing and capturing the world anew. Inspired by the masters of the New York School, like Faurer, Stettner, and Leiter, the Finnish photographer sought to capture Hong Kong in a fresh and innovative way, revealing hidden perspectives and moods that many have yet to see. His photos are both documentary and subjective, creating a narrative of the city that‘s as captivating as it is beautiful. From the vibrant colors to the stunning tonalities, each photograph is carefully curated to take you on an offbeat journey through the magnificent city.
Besides pictures by Takkunen, the book also features an essay by Geoff Dyer, an author of three books on photography: The Ongoing Moment, The Street Philosophy of Garry Winogrand, and See/Saw.
Commenting on Takkunen’s colourful images, Dyer asks — where do the colours in the book come from? Then, he offers a poignant explanation: “from Hong Kong, but also from history: from William Eggleston inevitably; from the smeared and steamy palette of Saul Leiter’s condensation drenched New York windows; from the implacable black shadows and reflexively fractured geometries of Alex Webb’s world-wide web of street scenes.”
It is this rich network of influences and visual vocabularies that combine in Takkunen’s images to make them irresistibly original. Such is the signature of an author who saw the “visual jazz” of Hong Kong before setting off to new challenges.