This photographic series explores the close relationship between animals and their human masters. Humans tend to anthropomorphize their pets considering them as members of the family and projecting human-like characteristics onto them. In this “Cocks” series, the photographer - Goh has vividly captured these characteristics through his realist portraits of ornamental chickens known as Serama chickens bred for competition by many in Malaysia. The breeding of Serama as pets has become more popular in the last decade. Serama breeding clubs have emerged in Indonesia, Thailand, North America and even European countries such as Britain and France. Malaysia is the hub of this cultural phenomenon.
The Serama have often been mistaken for fighting cocks – a common misconception because most people tend to associate any rooster competition with the cruel sport of cock-fighting. Serama competitions are in fact a beauty contest. Held almost every week in different villages in Malaysia, the competition sees judges sit around a square table to inspect each chicken for a few minutes, trying to determine a champion specimen in its own weight class based on its stance, showmanship and physical assets like wings, tails and comb.
At first it was strange to see the type of showy display of splendour from chickens that is usually expected of peafowls. But only after observing the Seramas did the photographer start to understand the uniqueness of this animal as well as why Serama owners often regard their chickens as warriors ready for battle.
Awards ICON de Martell Photography Prize Discernment Award 2012
