This is the story of a young man in Bhutan who is fascinated by Hip-hop and dreams of a better future.
This series follows the life of Kunzang Chogel, an 18-year-old from Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. His parents got divorced, and currently lives alone. Through hip-hop, he forged new friendships and gained hope for a better life.
In Bhutan, the unemployment rate of young people is high and has become a social issue. As prices rise, there are fewer and fewer jobs that can provide a sustainable level of income. As a result, young people grow more concerned over their uncertain future.
Hip-hop has become very popular among young people in Bhutan. Traditionally a conservative Buddhist country, there is a tendency to disregard the youth culture. However, their passion for hip-hop thrives in spite of their fundamental dissatisfaction with society.
This work incorporates documentary photos of Kunzang and the hip-hop community he has immersed himself in. “OF HOPE AND FEAR” interweaves photographs and street art to demonstrate how hip-hop has equipped Kunzang with newfound hope for the future.
Kensaku Seki was born in 1983 in Chiba, Japan, and is currently based in Tokyo. He graduated from Juntendo University, in the Sports and Health Science Division. Kensaku was the winner of the Yōnosuke Natori Award for Young Photographers in 2017. His monograph, OF HOPE AND FEAR, received a Portfolio Review Special Prize at the KYTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival and was a nominee for Photobook Week Aarhus Dummy Award in 2018.
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