The Umbrella

• Photographer
  John Ma, Australia

Without teachers or friends, John played alone and taught himself, with the imagination he had and the inherited abilities from his painter father. It was no easier in Shanghai than it was in Sydney. Assimilation and traditional Chinese values only added fuel to the flame of rebellion that was already deep inside. Years spent breaking every rule meant going places, seeing things, and doing things that was great for life fully lived but not so much for the faint of heart. Years spent lost meant that once he was found John was focused and ready, with a bag full of tales. In the last ten years John has sold his images and poetry while writing stories for the screen. His photography has been published and his short films have won awards, and today John continues to pretend that no one ever tried talking him out of it all.