Internationally acclaimed film director Abbas Kiarostami will open Rossi & Rossi's new gallery space with his first solo show in Hong Kong. Photographs from the Snow Series is an exhibition comprised of 50 photographs taken by the artist in 2002 through which Kiarostami offers a contemplative observation of nature.

"Nature captivates suddenly, occasionally, unexpectedly, powerfully, such that a familiar landscape can suddenly attract us, captivate us" - Abbas Kiarostami

Having originally trained as a painter, Kiarostami says, "My discovery of the camera has perhaps replaced the therapy of painting." For him, the act of photography is primarily a form of existential introversion, a restorative reflection and connection with his self. This is articulated in his explicit wish to connect the object of his photograph "with the substance of his dreams".

On 25 May, two of Abbas Kiarostami's award-winning films, Taste of Cherry and Wind Will Carry Us, will be shown at HK Arts Centre agnès b. cinema, follwed by a seminar attended by the artist.

About the artist:

Abbas Kiarostami (b. 1940) studied at the College of Fine Arts of the University of Tehran. He co-founded the cinema division of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children & Young Adults (Kanoon) in Tehran. Kiarostami is an internationally renowned filmmaker and has received some of the most prestigious awards in the industry including the Prix Roberto Rossellini at the Cannes Film Festival (1992), the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his film Taste of Cherry (1997), and UNESCO's Fellini gold medal (1997). Abbas Kiarostami is a screenwriter, film director, poet and photographer. He currently lives and works in Tehran.

Image: © Abbas Kiarostami, Courtesy of Yallay Space