After 6 months working on this book project, putting together the images representing the concept I’d imagined in my head for many years before, the books have finally been delivered to me this morning. I’m over the moon to be able to hold a copy in my hands and turn those pages matt artpaper. Nothing feels that good than a freshly printed photobook, and one of your very own. This is a very personal project which has taken over 10 years in the making. The first print run is limited to 100 copies only and individually numbered.
Pre-orders are taken at Zontiga. Order your copy today and receive a 8×10 inch print from the book. Price : RM150.00
International orders : please contact me for postage and shipping costs.
Copies are available for purchase at Zontiga KL, GMBB, 2 Jalan Robertson, 50150 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from mid May. Each copy is numbered and signed, and the first 30 orders also receive a 8×10 inch print of my favourite images from the book.
Thank you once again toBenedetta Donato who totally understood the my project deeply and for your illuminating introduction. Grazie mille!
Curated images by festival co-director Naoko Ohta from the project will be exhibited in a solo exhibition at the 2026 Karuizawa Foto Festival in Nagano, Japan from 1 – 31 May.
NID:SIZE:699 kB
What is Symbolik about?
We often take semiotics for granted – as if it were second nature to our existence.
We constantly communicate through signs and symbols to transmit our feelings and desires in popular culture. I have been interested in this aspect of semiosis through the photographic image. Making meaning of our world through visual cues and subtle cultural symbolism is a vital form of communication without linguistics.
Symbology is part of the overall lingua franca of communication through sight, or the visual arts and includes the study of expression likeness, allegory and metaphorical perception.
Signs and Symbols, Motifs and Meanings
I first developed the concept of Symbolik having walked the ancients streets in Rome 2008. In an alley close to the Pantheon, I came across chiselled into a stone wall were symbols and words in Latin. Possibly made hundreds of years before by an ancient graffiti artist. The idea remained in my head as I pondered who and why, and what were the meaning of the words. To Romans who live there today, these etches are a common encounter in a city steeped in history known as a living museum, the Eternal City. To a casual visitor like myself, it was tremendously significant and even poignant that symbols spanning centuries could still be read and interpreted to give meaning and direction, perhaps dulled by the passage of time, but still significant, and as a philosophical question which is deeply personal.
Over the years, I realised that every person is drawn and react to symbols differently even if their meanings are clearly unambiguous. I pondered why this is so. Could it be that their meanings and understandings lack precision or could it actually be the interpretation of them that is flawed. I concluded that cultural upbringing and self-determination might explain this, communal reactions and societal conformations are other possibilities.
Every viewer will react differently and in varying degrees to my images. They do not provide answers or explanations, nor invoke or provoke responses. However I hope and expect some viewers may react emotively, perhaps once the motifs are embedded into their mind’s eye, perhaps at a later stage, if not immediately, and a realisation is made. Perhaps a repressed thought, a lost feeling, a suppressed memory may rise to the fore. The actual meanings don’t really matter in Symbolik. Unlike reading a book from chapter to chapter to discover a narrative, my images do not ‘unfold’ or reveal one, unless you are attuned to see the world as I do – a haphazardly organised chaotic mess – visually stimulating, if you want it to be. A solipsistic existence. Enjoy!
Here’s an excerpt from the Introduction text by Benedetta Donato :
“In Steven Lee’s visual universe, photography ceases to be a mere documentation of reality and instead becomes pure semiosis – a complex operation of decoding the world through the lens. With his new project, Symbolik, the photographer – already a central figure on the international stage and a promoter of numerous cultural initiatives – embarks on a deep incursion into the ontology of the sign. The title itself, with that Latin “k”; evoking universal antiquity and an almost academic rigor, warns us that we are not facing a linear narrative or a geographic reportage, but a constellation of waypoints: necessary points of reference for an inner navigation through the chaos of the visible.”
“As Lee himself emphasises in his introductory reflections, semiotics is often taken for granted, as if it were a second nature to human existence. Yet, we constantly communicate through symbols to transmit desires and sensations. In an era saturated with a pornography of pain and photographic chronicles that often slip into the self-celebration of the witness, Lee chooses the path of abstraction and silence. His work belongs to a noble lineage of Surrealist descent: one can detect echoes of Man Ray’s pure forms, the almost sculptural and symbolic precision of Ralph Gibson – his ideal mentor – and Lee Miller’s ability to transform everyday objects into enigmas.”
“The project is rooted in a decade-long archive, a journey through various locations – from Rome to Florence, from Paris to Tuscany, and as far as Japan – yet it never falls into the trap of a travel diary or nostalgic memory. Lee does not document places to say “I was here”; he captures the essence of a visual culture layered over centuries. His images of eroded architecture, material textures, and seemingly insignificant details are visual cues that reveal their meaning only to those willing to dig beneath the surface of the obvious, recognising that beauty often resides in the trace – in the texture of passing time.”
“The beating heart of Symbolik lies in the structure of the diptych, understood not as a simple juxtaposition, but as a dialectical synthesis. Lee does not just place two photos side by side; he creates a third image, a synthetic identity born from the clash, connection, or embrace of two shots distant in time and space. It is a practice of conceptual editing that transforms the book into a dynamic object, where meaning is not locked within the frame but flows through the white space between the pages.”
“Ultimately, Symbolik challenges us to slow down our visual pulse. In a world that consumes images at the speed of an infinite scroll, Lee forces us to stop before a fragment of a wall, a reflection on glass, or a body of stone. He teaches us that every vision is an ethical choice and every juxtaposition is an act of semantic creation. This book is proof that photography, when it renounces the claim of reportage to embrace the path of the symbol, becomes the only language capable of speaking directly to the conscience, transcending every geographical barrier. It is an invitation to recognise those signals – the waypoints – that, while remaining before our eyes every day, wait only for an attentive gaze to reveal the profound meaning of our shared human journey.”
My takeaway from the World Press Photo 2025 awards.
When the interpreter was holding back, choked by tears and paused her Arabic to English translation, finding it difficult to speak, I sensed this tender moment was pivotal for me in the whole World Press Photo Awards ceremony.
After all Mahmoud Ajjour, 9 lost both his arms in the Gaza war, and his portrait by photojournalist Samar Abu Elouf, from Gaza is now Picture of the Year. The interpreter continued after a coy exchange of glances with each other.
With Samar Abu Elouf.
Samar was recounting stories gained from her time spent with his family. Immediately after the attack, Mahmoud who was badly injured told his mother and sister to run for safety. He thought he was going to die.
Later a question from the fellow journalist Kiana Hayeri asked Samar if Mahmoud had seen his winning portrait which has now won a major award.
Samar said that Mahmoud acknowledged the award and was hopeful that it being seen across the world, would help bring Gaza back into focus, and also it could help his fund raising for prosthetic limbs.
She instantly received a huge applause from the audience, which was probably directed at Mahmoud.
His lifetime suffering is a burden for us all to bear. Hope through suffering. This is a most honourable gesture. His outlook is clear.
Earlier in the day, I visited the FOAM photography museum. The historical haunting images taken by a cohort of ‘stealth’ photographers towards the end of WW2 in Amsterdam, who risked their lives if caught, moved me immensely.
The Underground Camera exhibition is a powerful testimony that war and violence always affects the innocent. Families are torn apart, women and children starve or die of hunger, men are imprisoned or killed.
The picture of a hand sewing a Jewish Star emblem onto a coat to identify one’s Jewish ethnicity, as commanded by the occupying Nazis was a symbol of persecution and ultimately a death warrant to so many Jews in Europe.
These harrowing images from WW2 serve as a reminder of the inhumanity of mankind and I’m glad to be able to see them 80 years on, as archival photographs. I acknowledge the brave men and women who felt it was their duty to take these images as a record and memory of a grim time in Europe.
The Underground Camera
Is history repeating itself? Do we ever learn from history? A little boy today can only provide hope that it doesn’t.
As I complete this post, I’m sitting across the canal of Anne Frank’s house, now a steel and glass structure to shepherd the thousands of visitors through the prewar home, once a secret safe space for this extraordinary story.
I cannot help but imagine the strength and courage of these young children like Mahmoud and Anne Frank, and countless innocent war victims, also Kim Phuc the ‘napalm girl’ in which she appeared as a terrified child horribly burnt, running away naked with her family from a US bombing raid. This famous image is now the subject of an authorship dispute.
Who are the aggrieved and who are the aggressors? Peace is fragile.
PLEASE HELP NOW. In 2010, I ran an appeal for donations for the Pakistan floods in return for free prints and managed to raise a few hundred dollars for dec.org.uk, thanks to your generosity. In 2022, KLPA donated 100% of its entry fees of $5,000 to the plight of Ukrainian refugees feeling war. Today, we cannot sit idly by at the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
I have made available a selection of prints from my archive and from colleagues and friends who share a similar urgency and concern as photographers at the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.
Three simple steps
1.Donate : Simply donate (any amount) to any legitimate registered charity that has pledged or is on the ground to supply medical, shelter, water and food to the needy, eg. dec.org.uk, Oxfam, MAP, ICRC, MSF, Mercy Malaysia and others.
2. Confirm with receipt by sending a pdf or screengrab with your postal info on this form or to info@explorenation.net , with your name and address and choice of image.
3. Receive a free print : Your choice of a 10″x 8″ print will be posted to you as soon as possible.
AMIRUL JOHARI Malaysia | Amirul is a hobbyist street photographer who captures the facets of street life around Kuala Lumpur and the wide spectrum of cultures in Malaysia. @mirulstreet
AISHA NAZAR Malaysia | Aisha Nazar is a documentary photographer whose work focuses on stories of community and self-identity with a personal interest in narratives on the diaspora. @aishanazar
STEVEN LEE Malaysia | Steven is the blog owner and is the founder-director of KLPA, co-founder of Exposure+ Photo festival. He is a regular portfolio reviewer and serves as a jury in several international photography events. @stevenvllee
BALQIS TAJALLI Malaysia | Balqis Tajalli, the founder of Studio Sunprint, specializes in a cameraless photographic process called cyanotype, where she focuses on creating nature-inspired works. @studiosunprint
NADIRAH ZAKARIYA Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur-born and NYC-trained photographer, Nadirah Zakariya received her BFA in Photography and Digital Imaging from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and is currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Nadirah is an internationally published and exhibited independent photographer. @nadirahzakariya
The theme of sisterhood is a recurring theme in Nadirah’s works, from Daughters Ago (2010) to GIRLHOOD (2016). The works explore a connection that cannot be described, but one that is understood. The wonders of the relationship between sisters and the strong bond that they share together. Images of daydreams, hopes, fears, secrets and the layers of emotions shared between sisters are depicted, honouring the magical ties shared between one another. For Sepat Sisters, this theme is depicted through floral arrangements as an homage to the relationships forged during the Art Girl Rising artist residency – an all-women artist residency in which these photographs were created in 2020.
ANTONIO FACCILONGO Italy | Antonio Faccilongo is an Italian documentary photographer, filmmaker and photography professor. He is a Fujifilm X-Photographer ambassador and is represented by Getty Reportage. He focuses his attention on Asia and the Middle East, principally in Israel and Palestine, covering social, political and cultural issues. @antonio_faccilongo
PRESTINE DAVE KHAW Malaysia | Prestine Davekhaw dedicates her years to documenting cultures that are disappearing in the face of technological advancement and rapid cultural shifts. Founder of @disappearingjobs
More than the pursuit of the perfect image, it is an obsession to see more, understand more, and encounter more.
Photography is a journey to discover what exists, and can exist, if we see with our hearts and feel with our minds. Writers write and artists paint, starting with a blank canvas. With photography, the difference is subtle. We start with a canvas that is already full of life and colour. It is as real as it gets. Photography, by its very definition, cannot exist without light as there will be nothing to photograph.
I’ve immersed my entire adult life in this magic light trick, and now I take a step back. Long flights and drives allow me to think. Having just completed co-organising a third photo festival, even if it’s a minor one in comparison to others I’ve been to, I cherish the high moments and dread the lows. But there is no middle ground. It comes as a package deal.
The connections I’ve made in the name of photography over the past years have been fulfilling and rewarding. It has brought me to far flung places and closer ones to, meeting incredibly talented artists and wonderful people who are open minded and dedicated to the practice.
I’ve reviewed countless portfolios and continue to do so, and nominated artists to international awards. The takeaway I’ve learnt from all this is, there are stories to be told. Every photographer wants to tell a story. Even if it’s just one incredible image, without a story the image just hangs on the wall soulless.
The audiences to these are picky and may not be all too appreciative, however. It is very easy to overlook and brush less striking work aside and go for the visually popular images. After all, today’s society prefers repetitive and spoon-fed visuals that are easy to understand, aesthetically pleasing and requires no thinking. We like ‘hi-fi’ photography, where bass and treble are set to the maximum, loosing the subtleties and nuances in between.
I started KLPA because I am interested in the face and how every portrait is a reflection not only of the sitter, but the photographer as well. We just celebrated the 15th back-to-back edition of the KLPA and therein lies a dilemma. Is interest waning? At times I feel a responsibility towards the photo communities, to its followers, and to the past winners, to retain KLPA’s vision and standards, year in and year out. This is not easy to maintain. I have good years and lesser ones. Ebbs and flows. 2023 was a good year. The finalists received record worldwide views. But there is a constant fear that KLPA is not being sufficiently visible, especially locally. Perhaps it’s just my expectations on what I would have liked it to become.
Similarly as festival organisers, do we alienate certain interest groups to the benefit of others? Or do we keep to our mission and yet be inclusive. Like an ocean liner, once the course is charted, we set sail, avoiding the icebergs along the way. And the people we cater to are the paying passengers. Or do we pick up new passengers along the way and explore new destinations?
I photograph less nowadays. Perhaps I have no stories to tell, yet I have unfinished projects that need to be completed and these are being put off year after year. There are always stories to tell.
Visited the Wicklow Mountains, Ireland, just south of Dublin last weekend, the landscape is not unlike that in Scotland or the Moors in Yorkshire. Heather survives the harshest elements Mother Nature can throw at them.
I just returned from Leica HQ at Wetzlar after attending the Celebration of Photography 2022 event in conjunction with the announcement of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA) 2022 winners. Concurrently, Leica also revealed two new products, firstly the re-issue of their best selling film body, the Leica M6 released in 1984 and a new silver coloured Summilux M 35mm f1.4 lens. Responding to the current resurgence of analogue users amongst the photographic community worldwide, I think the 2022 M6 is a great idea and a brave move. I do wish Leica would bring back a lower priced entry level CL version to make it more accessible to enthusiasts.
These images were from a trip to Marrakesh in 2002, taken by my M6 bought used in 2000, on Fujifilm Neopan 400, my favourite black & white film and self-processed.
Temperatures reached over 40C in July, the highest ever recorded in the UK, and much of the country hasn’t seen substantial rainfall since. Many parts of the country have officially declared drought status where restrictions on domestic water use will be enforced.
I love peering into shop windows at night when walking in the city. Last weekend, I was at the Photolux Festival in Lucca, a medieval walled city in western Tuscany, Italy, home to Giacomo Puccini, who was born in 1858. I came across this wedding dressmaker’s store in one of the many narrow cobbled streets. The illuminated dresses in a darkened store caught my eye as I peered into the shop and took this picture. Captured for posterity, these dresses might one day be walking down the aisle in one of the many tens of churches to the delight of a wedding party.
This other photo (L) is more atmospheric and was obtained because I rushed. A mistake. Not remembering I had set the exposure compensation dial to underexpose earlier, I simply took this picture and accidentally caused a blur due to the slow shutter as it was a very dark scene. I was looking back at this image on my camera and about to hit the delete button, but on closer inspection, I think I rather like it.
explorenation.net ~ photography posts, workshops, writings and thoughts by Steven V-L Lee 
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