Hong Kong photographer Jada Poon brings out the softer side in her powerful subjects to show how similar we all are in our hopes, fears and desires
In the summer of 2020, Jada Poon held an exhibition of photos she had taken of ten influential Hong Kong women, displayed alongside written accounts of a poignant moment in their lives. Poon, a photographer and creative director, excels at depicting women in a way that not only conveys sensuality and softness, but also strength and spirit. She started her #RealWomen project in 2016 to share stories of women from the city and, in the years since, the collection has become a space for people to connect and empathise with each other.
Her intention, she says, is to “show a vulnerability that encourages others to pursue their own meaning in life and shows them how similar we are ultimately: in the way we fall and restore, in the way we experience love and fear, hope and insecurities.”
For the above photograph, taken at the height of the pandemic, Poon used the inspiration of “beautiful chaos” to capture model Anastasiia Koll, fuelled by “the desire to share a message of going inwards for strength and anchoring [oneself] amid external chaos”, the artist says. “In the past two years, while many of us battled an internal pandemic as well as a global pandemic, I have felt driven to create a space of connection and resonance. When we feel seen and recognised, we also become stronger in our unity.”
Here, in her own words, Poon describes where she finds inspiration and the causes that drive her.
You're reading Through Her Lens, our series showcasing the female visual viewpoint—and launched in partnership with The Women's Foundation, which strives to challenge gender stereotypes, empower women in poverty, and increase the number of women in leadership roles
I have always been fascinated with finding ways to express and connect through art. As a child, I would draw under my bedsheets after lights-out, creating characters and stories in my mind. During my teenage years, I channelled my desire to express into fashion design and went to fashion school. After going to law school and qualifying as a lawyer, I slowly discovered that my desire to tell stories and connect with people through creating translated beautifully into photography. It has transformed me immensely in the way I’m able to connect directly with people through it; how I am inspired by stories of people I seek out and encounter; and how it has taught and trained me to see the world and humanity in the best light (literally and figuratively) and, through that, bringing impact and hope into others’ lives.
I held my exhibition, “Not a Superwoman”, at The Landmark in 2020 to share the stories of ten women in Hong Kong. The title “Not a Superwoman” explores going beyond the surface of women who appear to be successful and are outwardly portrayed as ‘superwomen’. It aims to explore our shared humanity—that behind every ‘successful’ appearance are essentially the same fears and insecurities, hopes and desires, falling and restoring—manifested in different forms and stories.
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