LAWRENCE SUMULONG

MANILA GOTHIC

As a work in progress, “Manila Gothic” begins its narrative in the disquiet of what appeared to be a brief pause in the Philippine president’s brutal war on drugs through the lens of the impoverished men, women, and children who violently lost loved ones via extrajudicial killings. I used the techniques of forensic photography to capture a mixture of IR and UV light for the still imagery. The resulting uncanny colors express the ubiquitous and lingering grief of the bereaved. This story doesn’t traffic in spectacle, but interprets trauma and its portrayal in a personal light. The invisible scourge of addiction extends far beyond the alleged drug abuse. As a series of altered states, “Manila Gothic” concerns itself with the opiate of violence afflicting the Philippines, its people, and its perception.


LAWRENCE SUMULONG
Born 1987, United States.
Lives and works in New York City, United States.
  • Institutional partners

    • République Française
    • Région Provence Alpes Côté d'Azur
    • Département des Bouches du Rhône
    • Arles
    • Le Centre des monuments nationaux est heureux de soutenir les Rencontres de la Photographie d’Arles en accueillant des expositions dans l’abbaye de Montmajour
  • Main partners

    • Fondation LUMA
    • BMW
    • SNCF
    • Kering
  • Media partners

    • Arte
    • Lci
    • Konbini
    • Le Point
    • Madame Figaro
    • France Culture