Bangkok through the dreams of Italian photographer, Antonio Saba

Reality and dream are two separate things. Sometimes, dreams can be so good that some people might prefer dreaming than living. However, what would it be like if we merge dreams and reality together?
 
Italian photographer, Antonio Saba is a dreamer who travelled through Bangkok and dreamed about different places. Then, he combined his dreams to the reality in this city of angels in two photographs that are featured in Memoirs of Bangkok: A Photograph Timed Auction on www.rcbauctions.com and www.invaluable.com until 21 August 2021 at 6 p.m. (Bangkok time).
 
From looking at your photographs, I feel like I was looking at Surrealist paintings as well. Are you inspired by Surrealism? 
 
Yes, I am inspired by art in general, meaning paintings, especially from Renaissance. Surrealism is also a big thing for me. If you look at my photographs, there are some elements that remind you about this art movement. At the mention of the word surrealism, the name that often comes to mind is Salvador Dali. Personally, I am not really into Dali that much. I prefer artists like Marc Chagall more.. 
 
What is your photographic process? 
 
I get inspired by the locations. I often travel around the world and when I come across places that I like, I would imagine what would happen there. For example, I imagined that a girl from the future landing on an old car in a photograph, ‘Time Travellers #0; Lot 42’. In this photograph, I saw a beautiful spot in an old part of Bangkok and imagined this story. After I have an idea, I would draw it roughly on a piece of paper. Moreover, my process of taking a photograph is like a commercial work. I have to hire makeup artists and a model. Every picture I take is like a production in a movie. 
 
What do you do to make your photographs look like they were taken in a fashion set?
 
This is also a part of my photographic process. Everything is staged. I use artificial light in taking a photograph. I also use a flash, the one that has been used in fashion sets which gives a glossy appearance to my photographs. 
 
As you created photos for commercial purposes, did it influence you in taking photos in this way?
 
Actually, I earned my income from producing commercial photographs. I used to work with a leading fashion brand, Versace. However, I couldn’t say that I was a fashion photographer since I took more lifestyle photographs. For the past 5-6 years, I have been producing a lot of artworks and they started to serve me very well. My dream is to create art more than produce commercial works.  
 
As a photographer, is there anything you see in Bangkok but others might not see it? 
 
I don’t know what others see but what I see is the energy in this city, the city of angels. The river is also a very strong feature to me. I was fascinated by the flowing of the Chao Phraya River. I was hunting for locations in the areas around the river and there were so many corners that inspired me. I like the location where I took ‘The Catfish and the Woman at the Gingerbread House; Lot 43’ the most. I can imagine many stories only from this location. 
 
The photographs in timed auction were taken in Talad Noi where River City Bangkok is located. Why did you decide to take photos in this particular area?
 
As I mentioned, I was fascinated by the areas around the Chao Phraya River and Talad Noi is among this area. It is like a cultural hub around River City Bangkok. The studio that printed my photos is in this area as well. It is a small place but their work is top international quality.  No wonder this area is called the Creative District of Bangkok. If I go back to Bangkok, I would definitely stay in this area. 
 
What are the results of combining dreams and reality together particularly in the Bangkok series? 
 
The reality is the scenario. The dream is the story. For example, the story in ‘The Catfish and the Woman; Lot 43’ is about the Goddess of the river who takes a bath with her boyfriend which is a catfish. The story is totally surreal. However, it is a dream that I envision like it was real. In my imagination, the owner of this beautiful piece of architecture on the riverside is the Goddess of river. She is swimming away to take a bath with her lover which is a huge 40 kg. catfish. What I like to do is to give emotion to the viewers and see what my photographs make they feel. My goal is to give some minutes of happiness to the viewers who look at my works and take them away from the ugly things of reality.  
 
 Sometimes, a person’s dreams can go far beyond our imagination. Surrealist photographs by Antonio Saba are featured in Memoirs of Bangkok: A Photograph Timed Auction on www.rcbauctions.com and www.invaluable.com until 21 August 2021 at 6 p.m. (Bangkok time).