Faces of Yangon

Faces of Yangon was inspired by an image photographer Steve Golden made of a monk at Shwedagon Pagoda in 2015. Drawn by the captivating fearlessness of the gaze, the natural illumination of the afternoon sun on his face, and the distinctly exotic surroundings of the pagoda itself, Steve Golden began planning what would be a two year photographic exploration of the city of Yangon, in Myanmar.

The result of his journey is this collection of fine art images, each is a selfcontained vignette of real life in a city of profound and numerous traditions on the brink of major change. It is a snapshot in time… a catalog of the people the photographer crossed paths with, and their environment. It is a study of natural light, of color, and texture. Visiting neighborhoods several times to record the subtle changes brought by light and weather, the photographer traversed the city by foot and was able to observe life at street level. He spent days encamped at monasteries, and would often wander without a map seeking unplanned routes and encounters.

The work in Faces of Yangon is currently being exhibited at the Leica Gallery in Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and will travel to other countries. The images have been carefully curated to give the reader the sense that they too are strolling through Yangon’s majestic and faded streets, relishing chance encounters and observing one of Southeast Asia’s extraordinary cities.