Fan Ho (1931- 2016)

Fan Ho (1931-2016) was a legendary photographer whose stunning black and white images captured the essence of mid-20th century Hong Kong. With a keen eye for composition and a deep appreciation for light and shadow, Fan Ho's masterful works transcend the boundaries of documentary photography to become works of art in their own right.

Born in Shanghai in 1931, Fan Ho’s photographic career started in Shanghai at the early age of 14 when given his first Kodak Brownie for his birthday from his father. Fan Ho moved to Hong Kong with his family at the age of 18. It was there that he began to hone his craft, exploring the city's streets and alleys to capture the people and places that would come to define his oeuvre. Fan Ho was most prolific in his teens and 20’s and created his biggest body of work before reaching 28. His work didn’t go by unnoticed at his time. He won close to 300 local and international awards and titles in his day through competing in the salons. His talent was also spotted by the film industry where he started out as an actor before moving to film directing until retiring at 65. Over the course of his career, Fan Ho published several photography books and won numerous awards for his work.

Fan Ho's photographs are characterized by their striking use of light and shadow, which creates a sense of drama and depth in each image. He often incorporated architectural elements into his compositions, using the lines and angles of buildings to frame his subjects and draw the viewer's eye through the image. He never intended to create a historic record of the city’s buildings and monuments; rather he aimed to capture the soul of Hong Kong. As per Mr Ho; ‘I love Hong Kong and I love Hong Kong people’’ ; the hardship and resilience of its citizens.

The work of Fan Ho is often compared to the iconic French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, who is widely considered one of the most influential photographers of all time. Both artists shared a deep appreciation for the decisive moment, that fleeting instant when all the elements of a scene come together to create a perfect composition.

Like Cartier-Bresson, Fan Ho had a remarkable ability to capture life as it happened, often waiting patiently for the right moment to snap his shutter. His photographs are characterized by their spontaneity and energy, as well as their careful attention to detail and composition.

However, while Cartier-Bresson is known for his candid street photography, Fan Ho's work often has a more deliberate, almost cinematic quality. He was a master of using light and shadow to create mood and atmosphere, and his images often have a sense of drama and storytelling that sets them apart from the work of his contemporaries.

Despite these differences, both Fan Ho and Cartier-Bresson shared a deep respect for the art of photography, and their work continues to inspire and influence generations of photographers to this day. Whether you are drawn to the raw energy of Cartier-Bresson's street scenes or the elegant beauty of Fan Ho's Hong Kong, both artists represent the very best of what photography can achieve.

From bustling street scenes to quiet moments of contemplation, Fan Ho's photographs capture the essence of a bygone era with an elegance and grace that is truly timeless.

Today, Fan Ho's work can be found in galleries and museums around the world, where it continues to inspire and captivate viewers with its beauty and artistry. Whether you are a photography enthusiast or simply a lover of fine art, Fan Ho's photographs are sure to leave a lasting impression on all who see them.

Fan Ho is a Fellow of the Photographic Society and the Royal Society of Arts in England, and an Honorary Member of the Photographic societies of Singapore, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy and Belgium. He most recently won a 'Life-time Achievement Award, the 2nd Global Chinese Int'l Photography Award, China, 2015' by the Chinese Photographic Society (Guangzhou).

During his long career he has taught photography and film making at a dozen universities worldwide. His work is in many private and public collection of which most notable are: M+ Museum, Hong Kong, Heritage Museum, Hong Kong, Bibliothèque National de France, Paris, France, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, USA, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, USA and many more.

Fan Ho, ‘In a Chinese Street’, Hong Kong 1959, silver gelatine vintage print signed, titled and dated in ink and pencil, stamped with artist’s chop 39 x 49 cm (currently not available)

Links to official pages:

Fan Ho estate website run by Fan Ho’s family/Trust: https://fanho-forgetmenot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanHoForgetMeNot/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fanhoforgetmenot/ and

Warning: please note that Blue Lotus Gallery is the ONLY gallery/agent authorized by Fan Ho and his estate (Fan Ho Trust) to deal in Fan Ho’s works. Fan Ho lawfully terminated his previous gallery/agent, Themes+Projects (T+P, sometimes known as Modernbook) in October 2015. Notwithstanding demands by Fan Ho and the Fan Ho Trust, T+P has refused to return inventory and pay over proceeds and royalties from sales of prints and books to the estate. Frustrated by T+P’s actions, the Fan Ho Trust had no choice but to sue T+P, as well as Mark Pinsukanjana and Bryan Yedinak (the general partners of T+P), earlier this year. The full complaint can be downloaded and viewed here. If you have any concerns or require more information, please contact us.

關於攝影師：

被譽為「一代宗師」的何藩因拍攝五、六十年代的香港而聞名，成為亞洲最受歡迎的街頭攝影師之一。何藩1931 年出生於中國上海。自14歲生日時獲父親所贈 Rolleiflex 雙鏡頭相機開始，便與攝影結下不解之緣，更在第一年便獲得首個獎項。其後他於 1949 年與家人移居香港，繼續追尋攝影夢。

何藩被譽為「東方布列松」。拍攝中，他常以極大的耐心等待「最佳時機」，等待人物形象與幾何結構和線條精心構建的背景不期而遇。他還喜歡用背光效果或結合煙霧與光線來營造戲劇感和氛圍。海上或街頭生活、黃昏時被太陽拉出細長斜影的巷道和市場是他最愛的取景點。

何先生對香港民生的熱愛讓他的攝影作品充滿人文氣息。在他的照片中我們可以看到苦力、商販、沿街叫賣生果和蔬菜的小販、在街上玩耍或做功課的孩童等等。正如何老所說：「我愛香港，我愛香港的人們。」他從未想過記錄香港的城市建築和名勝，而是努力捕捉香港的魂，記錄香港人的苦難和堅韌。

青少年時代到二十八歲前是何藩最為高產的時期。他的作品在當時已獲得廣泛關注，通過參加畫廊比賽贏得近 300 個地區和國際性大獎。他的才華對電影業亦產生了不小的影響。他曾參演多部電影，之後轉作導演直至 65 歲退休。

何藩是英國皇家攝影學會及英國皇家藝術學會會員，亦是多國攝影學會榮譽會員，包括新加坡、阿根廷、巴西、德國、法國、意大利及比利時。2015年，他更獲得了第二屆全球華人攝影大獎所頒發的「年度致敬人物獎」。

過往曾到多國大學教授攝影及電影製作。其作品獲眾多私人和公共機構收藏，其中最著名的包括：香港 M+ 博物館、香港文化博物館、法國國家圖書館（Bibliothèque National de France）、舊金山現代藝術博物館（San Francisco Museum of Modern Art）、美國聖巴巴拉藝術博物館（Santa Barbara Museum of Art）、美國克利夫蘭藝術博物館（The Cleveland Museum of Art）。

Selected works by Fan Ho:

Images are displayed for reference only. For availability, please contact us. All rights are reserved by © Fan Ho Estate.

Fan Ho, Approaching Shadow, Hong Kong 1954

Fan Ho, As Evening Hurries By, Hong Kong 1955

If you wish to receive Fan Ho’s latest e-catalog, please submit the form here below:

Books:

Books are available from our online shop.

Photo-book: Portrait of Hong Kong 念香港人的舊 | Fan Ho 何藩

HK$890.00

Published by WE Press, Hong Kong, 2021

Fourth Edition

220 pages, 153 illustrations

264 x 328mm

Hard Cover Case Binding

English, Chinese

ISBN: 978-98879340-8-0

Quantity:

Add To Cart

Photo-Book: The Living Theatre 人生舞台 | Fan Ho 何藩

HK$690.00

Published by Modernbook Editions USA , 2021

Fourth Edition

24.13x 27.94 cm

Cloth-bound hard cover

176 pages, 150 duo-tone plates

English and Chinese

ISBN-13: 978-0980104431

Quantity:

Add To Cart

sold out

Last copies! Photo-Book: Hong Kong Memoir 香港‧往日情懷 | Fan Ho 何藩

HK$890.00

Published by Modernbook Editions 2020

24.1 x 27.9 cm

Cloth-bound hard cover

128 pages, 101 dual-color plates

English and Chinese

ISBN: 978-0-9908712-0-0

Add To Cart

Video's:

The Art of Photography by Ted Forbes on Ho Fan In this video - we're going to look at the work of Fan Ho. Fan Ho was born in Shanghai in 1937. After learning how to develop images using the family bathtub he went on to be one of the most notable street photographers and finest artists China has produced.

Film director Ho Fan, began his career as a photographer, capturing the light and the reality of Hong Kong in the 1950s and 1960s, a time when the harbour was much larger and the buildings much smaller.

Fan Ho collected by M+

Interview by M+ with Fan Ho can be viewed here.

Fan Ho: Visual Dialogues | Hong Kong through the lens of Fan Ho

13–30 June 2017

Organised by Sothebys with the support of Blue Lotus Gallery and the Fan Ho Estate

'Not many artists can get as many hearts racing as Fan Ho can. The legendary young photographery shook the world with with his dramatic shots of Hong Kong street scenes in the the 1950's. Over 30 works are exhibited and up for sale at Sotheby's, gathering what is one of the most comprehensive retrospectives of the artist. Among vintage works, the public will also be able to see Ho's precious Rolleiflex camera used throughout his lifetime, as well as check out the brand new book. "Fan Ho: Portrait of Hong Kong", published by WE PRESS available for sale at the exhibition' CNN

All images are courtesy of Sothebys.