Open Theme nominee

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar, the first Malaysian who traveled to space made a statement that resonated with me;

“I looked out through the tiny window and there it was, the unmistakable third rock from the Sun we call Earth, floating in the inky darkness of space. It was more beautiful that I could have imagined. My heart felt like it had stopped and my eyes didn’t blink. I looked in awe, amazed by the beauty of space. The moment was worth dying for.”

That statement did not only triggered my inner childhood dream to go space but refocus my thoughts on what it is to observe space beyond a spatio-temporal dimension of reality.

My understanding of the celestial space lies above, guided by the abundance of photographs captured using satellites and astronomical machines. As my fascination to go space was dismissed by limitations, I’ve engaged an alternative vision that shifted my periphery to a much familiar landscape and gravity – re-channeling my focus to an epistemological foundation.

By entering several space facilities in Malaysia, I’ve garnered photographs that remind us not just of the representation of these machines and landscapes as functional objects but an extensive reinterpretation of “space” on Earth.

Jack Yong's photographs traverse amongst the disparate environments, fragmented nature and the duality of nature - culture dichotomy. He explores the contrasts and contradictions of the delicate balance within urban life and expand the wonder of both natural and constructed elements in contemporary environment as a central focus in his artistic endeavours.
Jack is a winner of the Nikon D5100 Extra Ordinary Angles Competition and received a Nominee Award for Photogrvphy Grant 2nd Edition Culture Category in 2017. At the same year he was awarded as a Merit Winner of Art & Science Open Series Category by NTU International Photography Awards. His work has also been featured in Adobe Creative Class Video - a collaboration between Melcher Media, Prologue and Erik Natzke. Jack has participated in three group exhibitions, namely, TOUCH at LKW International Branding Gallery Cyberjaya Malaysia, CONFLUENCE at Nikon Centre Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and NTU IPA 2017 at School of The Arts Art Gallery Singapore. His works has also been featured in a publication by Hastag Photography Magazine Issue 3 and a book cover for Cien Días de Felicidad by Fausto Brizzi.