Life as an artist starts with passion and continues with determination. Struggle, honesty and artistic retreats serve as inner-linings to a lifestyle of freedom. The culture allows no tricks; no negative critiques and the notion of “chances” are embraced like hugs at a family reunion. Nobody is wrong in the realm of self-expression. Yet, art from his “slanted vision” is simply the natural happenings of life. For Thi Chien, his captured depictions of humanity are simple reflections of being human. With sincerity, his camera plays the role of his eyes- snapping shots of opportunity, engaging in the expressions of the forgotten and bridging the gap between dreams, reality and failure. For Thi Chien, art has no regulations or boundaries. Art simply is.
At the age of 11, Chien arrived to Philadelphia, PA with nothing but Vietnamese traditions, stories of his past and still memories of hard work, poverty and struggle. On the arm of his mother and his father already settled in the U.S., Chien watched more than he spoke and learned English while listening to Biggie Small mix-tapes and his visuals inspired by Terry Richardson and Richard Avalon.
Art influenced his progression.
After purchasing his first camera in July 2007, the native Vietnamese visionary has not only had his work grace the pages of international publications like XXL Magazine and GQ Online, but he’s co-produced Busta Rhyme’s video “If You Don’t Know” featuring Big Tigga and he’s currently working on the “Life As…” series which spotlights the life and times of pop-cultural icon and entrepreneur, Damon Dash. Being self-taught and progressive, the now New Jersey dweller has captured everybody from superstar Kanye West and Mike Epps to Dipset’s Jim Jones and Juelz Santana to urban sensations like Fabolous, The Clipse and The Roots. From cover art to advertisements, videos to stock photography, Chien is consistently working toward his dream.
Inspired by people and their potential, Chien is also involved in charity and non-profit donations with local community centers and foundations. Along with his contributions to the public, Chien will release the Addiction series in promotion to create drug awareness and prevention. The 24-year-old photographer has also had courses studied on his Addiction collection in Roatan, Honduras.
“I want to be able to travel the world, capture culture and bring it around the world with me,” says Chien. “…Show, teach and invoke thought.”
With his eyes open, detached from his personal biases, this innovative photojournalist is courageous with his pursuits and determined to produce physical frames that project various interpretations, perspectives and most of all, truth. Art is: his Slanted Vision. - Thi Chien -
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Written By Dominque Howse
http://www.myslantedvision.com
