Noorderlicht Photofestival 2006: Another Asia

South and South East Asia are rapidly becoming central actors on the world stage. The economic growth there overshadows that of Europe and the United States, and new Asian capital plays an increasingly important role in Western economies.

Its economic success is accompanied by serious friction between modern and traditional social structures, and the great and long-standing contrasts in the political, economic, religious and social realms are becoming sharper. These changes impact radically on everyday life – and are reflected in the turbulent growth of photography.

Asia is generally associated with China, South Korea and Japan. For the first time, Another Asiais offering a comprehensive picture of the other Asia. In over 700 photos, from portraits to landscapes, from poetic to documentary, photographers from India, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, The Philippines and other countries provide a surprising picture of this region, from the inside. They sketch the success story – and the stories that it hides.