Description

Jacob Aue Sobol first came to Bangkok in 2008, and has returned several times since. The pictures taken here are emotionally intimate; he rarely photographed anyone from much more than a metre away; needing to “feel the person’s presence and use that as the starting point.” He felt a connection with the people on the narrow side streets rather than the fancy shopping centres, those who were able to share a brief moment of closeness. “However, I could also often feel the distance between us,” he says. “And so I often found myself in the role as the spectator photographing the constantly changing scenarios in the city. Underlined by the difference in language, race and social status, it was a continuous struggle to create an equal meeting. But when this succeeded, it was often in this encounter on a one to one basis – that I got the feeling of the closeness and intimacy I was searching for.”

 

I photograph everything I see. When I walk down the street, I'm completely open. I try to block my thoughts and be as irrational as possible

Jacob Aue Sobol
© Jacob Aue Sobol | Magnum Photos

Jacob Aue Sobol was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1976. He lived in Canada from 1994-95 and Greenland from 2000-2002. After studying at the European Film College, Aue Sobol was admitted to Fatamorgana, the Danish School of Documentary and Art Photography in 1998. There he developed a unique, expressive style of black-and-white photography, which he has since refined and further developed.

Aue Sobol is known for his unique, expressive style of black-and-white photography, which focuses on the universality of human emotion and the search for love within oftentimes harsh surroundings. He has made significant work in Tokyo, China, Greenland, Guatemala and along the Trans-Siberian railway. Aue Sobol became a member of Magnum Photos in 2012.

© Jacob Aue Sobol | Magnum Photos

Get Magnum news and updates directly to your inbox

Stay in touch
Monthly updates on the latest assignments, photographer projects and collaborations with brands.
Know when our quarterly 7-day square print sale is coming.
Learn about online and offline exhibitions, photography fairs, gallery events, plus fine print news and activities, on a monthly basis.
Get fortnightly tips and advice articles, find out about the latest workshops, free online events and on-demand courses.
Be the first to know about recent Magnum Shop drops. From new books and limited editions, to special offers, you can find it all on the weekly Magnum Shop newsletter.
Stay up to date every Thursday with Magnum photographers’ activities, new work, stories published on the Magnum website, and the latest offerings from our shop.