SINGAPORE – Swiss photographer Hannes Schmid is regarded in Western art, fashion, film and entertainment circles as a legendary photographer and photo-artist whose work is sought after for its visceral candour.
He started out in the early 1970s documenting cannibal folk culture in the remote jungles of Irian Jaya (now known as Papua) in Indonesia.
After creating an exhaustive body of work ranging from photography to oil paintings spanning almost half a century, the 78-year-old is now pouring everything he has into what he says is probably his "last project" – The Gong, billed as Cambodia's biggest music and cultural centre.
The design of the centre is derived from the ancient Khmer gong, a symbol of resonance and cultural outreach.
The circular landmark sits on 150ha of land near Cambodia's capital city Phnom Penh. The land is owned by Smiling Gecko Cambodia, a non-governmental organisation run by Schmid, who founded it in 2014.
The Gong is dedicated to nurturing Khmer arts and culture, and is slated to open with a two-day launch on June 28.
At a recent interview in Singapore, the sprightly, tanned photographer digresses from his latest work with a vignette from his storied past.
In 1978, he was hauled up on stage by Angus Young, the mercurial lead guitarist of Australian rock group AC/DC, who would later shoot to worldwide fame with their 1979 album, Highway To Hell. Schmid had been hired by the band's management to tour with the group.
But, for nearly a month, he failed to whip out his camera because he was "waiting for a real, artistic moment". That irked Young to no end.
While hundreds of manic fans watched, Young pinned Schmid to the floor of the stage and struck a menacing pose with his electric guitar, saying: "Is this f***ing real enough for you?"
"I started clicking after that, not because I was afraid of Angus, but because at that point, his onstage persona had turned into an explosive force of nature," Schmid tells The Straits Times in an Orchard Road cafe in May.
He went on to tour with more than 250 Western bands, including The Rolling Stones, Queen and Depeche Mode, during the heyday of rock music in the 1970s to 1980s.
In the late 1990s, he created a series of iconic photographs of the Marlboro Man, commissioned by Leo Burnett Worldwide, the advertising agency for American tobacco giant Philip Morris.
But he is quick to point out that his work is centred on analogue photography. He says digital images, smartphone snapshots and selfies are not to be confused with photographs.
"I rely on sheer gut instinct when shooting. To create one photograph, I have to live in that world before I feel I am able to essay something visually," says Schmid, who prefers to process his photographic prints in the darkroom using chemical baths that help distinguish light from shadow.
"Each print is a piece of art," he says. "This is possible only after hours of poring over reams of negatives and more time set aside for darkroom processing. Analogue processing ensures that no two photographic prints can ever look alike."
His eyes light up when asked about the opening of The Gong, which will showcase local and global talents.
A highlight of the opening will be a concert by emerging local artists and Smiling Gecko's students, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Cambodia in song, dance and the culinary arts.
The celebrity line-up includes performances by Swiss soul singer Seven, also known as Jan Dettwyler, German pianist Luisa Imorde and an interactive segment by actress Isabel Karajan, daughter of late Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan, who will be performing Vivaldi's The Four Seasons accompanied by the Berliner Philharmoniker.
One of the top draws on opening night was supposed to be German-Swiss film director Marc Forster, but he had to postpone at the last minute due to an urgent meeting with Walt Disney Studios for his upcoming film.
Forster had planned to give a talk and film screening of his latest work, White Bird, starring Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson. He is best known for directing Hollywood hits such as Monster's Ball (2002) and World War Z (2013), which starred American actors Halle Berry and Brad Pitt respectively.
The director has been a long-time supporter of Smiling Gecko's projects and is nicknamed the social enterprise's "godfather".
Schmid says The Gong was designed to be a gathering place for the community, where people can come together to learn, celebrate and perform, thereby strengthening cultural identity and community bonds.
The photographer, who is mostly based in Cambodia, says that opening The Gong marks a critical moment in Smiling Gecko's journey towards reviving ancient Khmer culture, as well as maintaining sustainable development across the 150ha of land that the Cambodian government sold to Smiling Gecko.
The non-profit runs the Smiling Gecko Educational Campus, which educates children from pre-school to high school, as well as operates amenities to generate income such as a hotel, spa, fisheries and farms.
It employs more than 400 people and is home to a growing community of about 30,000 farmers, artisans and families.
"Designed with both ecological integrity and cultural homage, The Gong is set to become a cornerstone of cultural exchange and an emblem of Cambodian resilience.
"It stems from the need to preserve the rich traditions nearly lost during past political upheavals in Cambodia," says Schmid, who is married to Singaporean Hillary Huang, 49, and has two children with her. Ms Huang lives in Switzerland with their daughter Anna, 24, and son Max, 21.
Schmid adds: "The Gong aims to promote Cambodia's artistic legacy by serving as a cultural bridge, connecting the Cambodian people with one another as well as with the wider world."
The Gong is designed by atelier oï, one of Europe's acclaimed architectural and design studios.
Founded in 1991 in La Neuveville, Switzerland, by Mr Aurel Aebi, Mr Armand Louis and Mr Patrick Reymond, the firm has been working with Smiling Gecko since 2018 to develop the Smiling Gecko Educational Campus' facilities, such as its secondary school, with a transdisciplinary team from Switzerland.
Its latest facility, the circular Gong building with a 40m diameter, features a central rainwater collection system and uses locally available materials, putting a premium on traditional craftsmanship.
Materials such as concrete, steel and bricks offer durability in Cambodia's humid climate, while the architecture and design of the roof and outer shell promote natural ventilation. Work started on The Gong in 2023.
The Gong also houses a state-of-the-art recording facility called the Sonic Studios, where traditional Khmer music can be documented and archived for future generations, ensuring that the nation's cultural treasures are not lost.
Its facade incorporates air slots, a technique developed with local builders, while a double building envelope shields the recording studios from direct sunlight, reducing heat absorption.
There is also a 100-seat auditorium – suitable for live performances, dance workshops and educational programmes – that provides a platform for both the local arts community as well for international artists.
Mr Aebi says: "If you want to invest in something sustainable, investing in people and education is the best way.
"That's why we've been committed to these community-building projects since 2018 with our creative energy."
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