In an intimate snapshot style, he captures the physical
and emotional aesthetic of his daily experiences, while luminously
documenting Soho’s gay melting pot
London, UK – May 2nd , 2005 – Critically-acclaimed
photographer Kobi Israel, in the follow up to his 2003 debut best-selling
success “Kobi Israel VIEWS”, will release in April his latest photography
book, “Intimate Strangers,” a vibrant collection of images revealing
his exploration of intimacy and the experiences of being a gay ‘foreigner’
in London.
A launch event benefiting Stonewall, the UK gay,
lesbian and bisexual rights organisation, will be held at The Box
Café Bar & Gallery in central London on April 27th
and will be attended by the photographer and several ‘models’ from
the book. The event kicks-off a month long exhibition
of the project during which 50 percent of profits from limited edition
print sales and all profits from autographed copies of the book available
exclusively at The Box will be donated by Kobi to Stonewall.
The “Intimate Strangers” project was inspired by
the Israeli-born photographer’s move in 2002 to Soho,
the heart of London’s
cultural and gay community. He began
documenting with his camera his personal encounters, capturing the
vulnerability and honesty of life’s intimate moments.
“I was fascinated by the amount of strangers in a
place where we were all strangers,” said the photographer. “Coming
from Israel,
I was a foreigner like so many others who came over from another country
or another city. We are all foreigners among foreigners here. Everyone
you lay your eyes on is a mystery, an enigma. I was immediately
taken by Soho’s vibrancy, with its endless
encounters in the streets where so many eyes meet and then quickly
move away. There are so many stories, languages, gestures and trapped
feelings behind those faces.”
His candid, often raw, shots capture the feelings
of loneliness, excitement, fear, passion and self-discovery, all aspects
of being a foreigner in a big cosmopolitan city.
The ‘voyeuristic’ snapshot style hardcover photography book
captivates the viewer on 96 pages in an impressive horizontal format.
Kobi’s selection of Stonewall as the Charity Partner
for “Intimate Strangers” builds on his successful previous work with
the organisation. In 2004,
his image “1700” raised £3,750 at the Stonewall Charity Auction. A limited edition print from “Intimate Strangers”
has been donated by the photographer to Stonewall’s 2005 auction.
Kobi studied cinematography and still photography
in New York and Israel. He has received many prestigious industry awards
around the world including the Judge’s Choice Award at the Association
of Photographers 2003 Open exhibition. His photo “1700” was a finalist
in the National Portrait Gallery’s 2003 Photographic Portrait Prize.
His first book “Kobi Israel VIEWS” brought him worldwide
acclaim and lead to his nomination as one of the hundred most intriguing
gay people in 2003 by OUT magazine (USA).
For further details on Intimate Strangers, the book
and the exhibition, please visit www.kobi-israel.com.
INTIMATE
STRANGERS
THE BOOK
Photobook, 96
pages, full color
Hardcover, 28,5
x 21,7 cm / 11.25 x 8.25”
US$ 36.95 / £
22,95
€ 31,95 (F) /
€ 28,95 (E) / € 29,95 (I)
€ 31,95 (NL)
/ € 26,95 (D)
Release date
Europe: April 2005
Release date
USA:May 2005 |
INTIMATE STRANGERS
THE EXHIBITION
“Intimate Strangers
at The Box”
Running April
27th - May 29th
The Box
32 - 34 Monmouth St,
Covent
Garden,
London WC2H 9HA
Tel: (020) 7240
5828
www.boxbar.com
Opening times:
Mon - Sat 11:00am till 11:00pm
Sun 12:00pm till 10:30pm |
IMAGES
FOR PRESS
Images for editorial
are available HERE
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PRESS ONLY:
Contact:
press@kobi-israel.com |
