Two Mountains : Mount Fuji & Mount Kinabalu Photography Exhibition in Tokyo.

Back in 2014, when Steven contacted me that he and Naoko (Curator for Klee Inc Japan) are going to create a project called Two Mountain and wanted me to be part of the first batch of Photographer. Without hesitation I gladly accept it.

It’s an honour because it is rare for a person like me. Who’s an Indigenous of Borneo Native and also from the other part of Malaysia which is very rare to get attention although there’s abundant of talented people.

I come up with an idea of Photographing Portrait of Villagers who are living at foothills of Mount Kinabalu. Telling a stories, showing their faces and also the surround.

A few months later, it become part of KL Photo Award Photo Exhibition in August 2014.

That’s me talking about my work, telling a stories about the people with my Murut Formal Costume.

Steven and Naoko wanted to bring this project to Tokyo. To have a exhibition and show the similarity of both ancestral mountain. It takes 3 years to finally debut in Tokyo.

Which is starts today until 24th December 2017.

I am happy to announce that the joint exhibition between Japan and Malaysia. Two Mountains Photo Project will be exhibit in Tokyo from 1st October until 24th December 2017.

This exhibition will feature the projects of Mikio Hasui, Chiaki Kano, Mayumi Suzuki, Nana Safiana and me, Flanegan Bainon. A formal reception and opening will be held at ESPACE KUU Gallery on Friday 6 October, with the Malaysian photographers also invited to attend. This exhibition has the support of the Malaysian Ambassador to Tokyo and Tourism Sabah.

Yeah, if you’re happen to be in Tokyo on the 6th October and have no planning on that day.

I would like to personally (via this diary) invite you to the opening reception of the exhibition.

Friday, 6th October at ESPACE KUU Gallery.
It’s located in Taisho University building number 5.
Just take the Toei Mita-Line and stop at Nishi-Sugamo Station exit A3 and you’ll be there within 5 mins walk.

Artist interview starts at 4pm until 5pm. Then from 5pm until 6pm with be Gallery talk/tour. 6pm onwards will be the official opening until 8pm.

Will be flying off to Tokyo on Wednesday Night.
Hope this is gonna be another exciting short journey in Tokyo.

About the Two Mountains Photo Project
Two Mountains  is a long term ‘joint friendship’ photography project initiated by the directors of KLPA Events and KLEE, INC PARIS TOKYO, Steven Lee and Naoko Ohta, respectively.
Acknowledging the iconic status of Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia, three specially selected photographers from each country will be commissioned to photograph personal photo-stories about these revered peaks.
Focussing on the peoples and communities which live ‘under their shadow’, this cross cultural project hopes to enlighten and discover the legends, folklore and traditions from each mountain.
Beginning May 2014, the project culminated in a public exhibition in August in Kuala Lumpur, and was also presented at the Mt.Rokko Photo Festival in 2015.  The second phase, known as Two Mountains 2.0 allows 6 new photographers, 3 from Malaysia and Japan each, to travel to their counterpart nations to make new photo projects of the iconic mountains.
An exhibition in Malaysia for the final part of Phase 2.0, is currently being planned for 2018.