 |
 |
"Chai Wan Fire Station by Chan Dick was originally published in 2015 in a small edition of 100 copies. After winning several notable awards, the book quickly went out of print. Now, thanks to Case Publishing, the book has been beautifully re-designed and is available once again.
For fifteen months, Chan Dick photographed the Chai Wan Fire Station in Hong Kong through the window of his bathroom. Standing on his toilet, he would point his camera downward to the events occurring 150 feet below him. The result may be one of the more successful photographic series I have seen in quite some time.
Set on a tennis court, Chan Dick’s photographs show the firemen’s training exercises, volleyball games, and school tours — all with the same green clay tennis court as a background. Paint and fire hoses alike create formal geometric lines and shapes while evaporating water and tire tracks subtly demonstrate the passage of time. The uniforms of the firefighters provide a theatrical formalism to these candid shots. Despite the striking similarity in the photographs, the book never becomes tedious — each photograph is truly unique and captivating.
Chai Wan Fire Station’s brilliant use of minimal geometry is merely a foundation for this breathtaking photo book. Masterfully made, this book doesn’t rely on design gimmicks or an emotional backstory; rather, it excels because of its elegant simplicity. From 1,500 photographs, the final edit was reduced to a mere 39 images, transforming the book from yet another monolithic taxonomy into a poetic reflection of time and space. Chai Wan Fire Station is a breathtaking photobook that should be celebrated." — Forrest Soper
Purchase Book
 |
 |
Forrest Soper is an artist and photographer based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Forrest is the editor of photo-eye Blog, a former photochemical lab technician at Bostick & Sullivan, and a graduate of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design.