Biography
Alain Tjiong (The Netherlands, 1991) graduated in 2016 as a Master of the Audiovisual Arts (film) from the School of Arts (KASK) in Ghent, Belgium.
An elegant seduction
His award-winning shorts play with the dominant ideology of Hollywood cinema. Exploring themes around romantic desire (Blank Girl) and the male gaze (Voyeur). Using the aesthetic of low-key high contrast photography the images are imbued with a sense of mystery and glamour. A glimmering surface that is as seductive as it is an illusion.
An aesthetic that is also on full display in his fashion films. A master of moods Alain switches smoothly from the high fashion surreal mystery of Human 2.0 (a collaboration with fashion photographer Kurt Anthierens) to the nostalgia of a family holiday in the Terre Bleue campaign films. By evoking a sense of longing you are drawn into a world. A world more in harmony with our desires and our dreams.
Celebrating untold stories
In his documentary work Alain is focused in making visible stories of people who are less represented in society. Celebrating different perspectives, ranging from the LBTQ+ community who need a space to express themselves during Covid-19 (POSE! In collaboration with photographer Harmen Meinsma) to a theatershow where people with dementia are engaging with the local community through music and performance (Café Black-Out). Taking a fly on the wall approach, Alain aims to let the richness of the people speak for themselves.
Come with me and you’ll see…
As David Lynch once put it film is images and sound flowing together in time. It travels beyond ordinary consciousness straight to our emotions, deep into the twilight room of the soul. The work of Alain Tjiong invites you to embark on a journey through these emotional landscapes. To discover and experience the diverse range of who we are as human beings.