Lectures by Jon Setter x Kris Provoost

About the Lectures:

Jon Setter: The Unmaking of Perceptions

In this lecture, Jon Setter will discuss how he uses photography and his way of seeing to construct a view point that may challenge traditional perceptions placed on the “ordinary” structures which many pass by or use daily without noticing. He attempts to “unmake” our perception on what’s interpreted as mundane architecture by showing how presenting it in another context may alter its defined narrative and our understanding of them – perhaps revealing to the audience that together all architecture plays a role in how a space might be experienced.

Kris Provoost: An Architect’s Look at Architecture

A look at architecture and the way we live through different perspectives by way of three different photo-essays created by photographer/architect Kris Provoost: 1) Beautified China (2017-2019) – understanding the architecture boom of China by looking at its most iconic architecture; 2) Human vs City: Chongqing (2019) – looking at density and the role humans play within a city that is built way beyond the human scale; 3) Eden of the Orient (2020) – understanding the impact of limitations in housing and the resulting juxtaposition in urban Hong Kong.

About the Speakers:

Jon Setter was born in Detroit, Michigan (1989) and is based in Sydney, Australia. He studied at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit and graduated with an MFA from The National Art School, Sydney in 2018. Setter’s work is produced as part of an ongoing exploration that attempts to reveal the unseen aspects that shape how we experience urban spaces and architecture. He is represented by galleries in Berlin, Los Angeles and Montreal and has taken part in numerous solo and group exhibitions globally. Last year he published his first photobook with Emblem Books and is currently working on a new series he hopes to premiere sometime this year.

Kris Provoost is a Belgian photographer based in Hong Kong. He has been active in Asia in the past decade, capturing buildings and cities. After graduating with a Master in Architecture, he relocated to Beijing where he started his architecture career structured around Asia. He worked for highly respected design firms including Zaha Hadid Architects, Buro Ole Scheeren and gmp before establishing himself as a photographer. Working with some of the most well-known established architects and engineers, he captures buildings through an architect’s eye.

The lectures will be conducted in English, followed by a discussion session hosted by Leon Xu. All non-CUHK participants are required to register here.