80's Hong Kong style prewedding shoots
Celebrations, although born out of the desire to be close to those we love, go beyond the simple act of getting together: they are a way of telling a story. Not only that of two people as a couple, but of who we are as individuals, who formed us and where we come from. In Public Projects, we are interested in observing aesthetics that, far from responding to fashions, reveal a deeper sensibility towards history and the past. One of them, which has recently captured our attention, is the prewedding shoots inspired by Hong Kong in the 80's: sessions that move away from the idealized to explore the nostalgic and imperfect.
Photographs obtained from the Instagram of photographer Vũ Thụy Khuê.
The eighties were a cultural watershed in music, art and cinema, and therefore, in the way we relate to each other. Despite having happened 40 years ago (incredible to formulate in a written sentence that the eighties happened 4 decades ago), there is something in that cultural break that is still latent in the post-contemporary world in which we live; so much so, that there are those who take it as the basis for the look and feel of the pre shoot of their I do day.
Pre-wedding shoots are those sessions that take place months before the big day, without the rush of the typical wedding minute by minute.
And if we talk about the eighties, it is worth highlighting an aesthetic that has gained strength: that of Asian-inspired eighties weddings. Although inspired by almost theatrical sessions, with painted backdrops and rigid poses, today they are reinterpreted with ease, humor and melancholy.
Here are two sessions that caught our attention from the second one:
The first session corresponds to the Vietnamese photographer Vũ Thụy Khuê, better known as Kemmie the Cat. The shoot, titled. "Around You, Around Saigon", spread on social media in a way that was unexpected for the author, reaching audiences far beyond Vietnam. You can view the photos on her personal Instagram account here.
Photographs obtained from the Instagram of photographer Vũ Thụy Khuê.
The second session is by Korean photographer Yeo Woon, whose work focuses on non-traditional prewedding shoots. Woon captures couples in everyday spaces, with natural light, texture and a remarkable economy of poses. You can see the rest of the photos here.
Photographs obtained from the Instagram of photographer Yeo Woon.
In both sessions, the reference is clear: they look like scenes out of a Wong Kar-wai film, whether it's the color palette, the grainy textures, or the street lights at night. Suddenly, all these elements make the photos almost audible. But what unites these sessions is not the scenography, but the sensibility: adesire to capture something that cannot be posed. Something that is about to disappear, and just because of that, it becomes unforgettable.
Photographs obtained from the Instagram of photographer Vũ Thụy Khuê.
For many couples, Asian or not, this aesthetic connects with their history, their childhood, or simply with a different way of representing love: less idealized, more real. At Proyectos Públicos we are driven by this same search: to find value in languages of the past and to give them a place in the stories of the present.
