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Liam Wong
TO:KY:OO

A photographic, cyberpunk-inspired exploration of nocturnal Tokyo

  • Funding ended
  • 2633 backers
  • £140,648.14 of £30,000.00 pledged
Funded 468%
  • Funding ended
  • 2633 backers
  • £140,648.14 of £30,000.00 pledged
Funded 468%

Overview

‘Photography has taken me out of my comfort zone, led me around the world, connected me with people, opportunities and helped unlock creativity within me that I never knew existed,’ so describes one of the youngest ever videogame art director’s new-found passion. Born in Edinburgh, educated in computer arts at Dundee’s University of Abertay (a cauldron of videogame talent), transplanted to Canada to work at Ubisoft at the age of 25, Liam Wong was always destined to produce eye-catching work of substance and originality. His videogame work took him for the first time to Tokyo, where he discovered the ethereality of floating worlds and lurid allure of its nocturnal scenes. ‘I got lost in the beauty of Tokyo at night,’ he explains.

When an opportunity to take a break from his design work presented itself, he picked up his camera and headed to Japan in 2015. Through the combination of self-taught camera work, the influence of creative masters such as Syd Mead and Hideo Kojima, his videogame designer’s eye and the development of his own software techniques, he created images that render Tokyo’s particular nightlife in a surreal form all his own.

His visions have earned him global attention from international news outlets, and legions of fans across social media, the videogame world, photographers and designers alike. TO:KY:OO captures a unique body of work by a uniquely talented artist and designer.

Genre

Photography

Designer

Darren Wall

Specification

280 x 220 mm (upright)
256 pages
Two panoramic gatefolds
Printing in 7 colours

Rewards

Book

A copy of TO:KY:OO

  • Your name in the book
  • Exclusive updates

Closed£35.00

Book Signed

A copy of TO:KY:OO, signed by Liam Wong

  • Your name in the book
  • Exclusive updates
  • Personally inscribed by the author
  • Custom-designed tote bag

Closed£45.00

Book + Signed Poster

A copy of TO:KY:OO and a 60 x 40 cm print of Memories in Green, both signed by Liam Wong

  • Your name in the book
  • Exclusive updates
  • Personally inscribed by the author
  • Large-scale gallery-quality print
  • Custom-designed tote bag

Closed£85.00

Special Edition

A deluxe edition of TO:KY:OO, signed by Liam Wong

  • Your name in the book
  • Exclusive updates
  • Personally inscribed by the author
  • Custom-designed tote bag
  • Exclusive neon slipcase

Closed£125.00

Online Workshop

A signed copy of TO:KY:OO, and a private online workshop with Liam Wong

  • Your name in the book
  • Exclusive updates
  • Custom-designed tote bag
  • One-on-one interaction with the author
  • Develop your own photography work and exchange tips

Closed£295.00

Book Early Bird

A copy of TO:KY:OO

  • Discounted price
  • Your name in the book
  • Exclusive updates

Sold out£30.00

The Works

A signed deluxe edition of TO:KY:OO, signed 60 x 40 cm print of Memories in Green, and a private online workshop with Liam Wong

  • All previous rewards

Sold out£395.00

Funding successful. This project closed on Sunday, April 21 2019 6:00 pm UTC +00:00.

All pledges will be refunded in full if the funding goal is not met within the allotted time.

The Book

‘I want to take real moments and transform them into something surreal, to make the viewer question the reality depicted in each photograph. This body of work encompasses my three years as a photographer and ultimately the completion of my debut photo series,’ writes Wong.

A testament to the deep art of colour composition, this publication – art directed by Wong himself and produced to the highest printing standard – brings together a complete and refined body of images that are evocative, timeless and completely transporting. Rounding out the book’s special treatment is the first publication use of the 45/90 font, designed by Henrik Kubel, of London-based A2-TYPE.

The book also features a section that reveals the creative and technical process of Wong’s method, from identifying the right scene to composition, from capturing the essence of a moment to enhancing colour values and deepening an image’s impact – insights are invaluable to admirers and photography enthusiasts alike.

Wong’s grasp of story illustrated as a ‘place to be’ is remarkable. I applaud the balance of brilliant colour, precise placement of picture elements, and the overall exhibition of expert technique.

Syd Mead, Visual Futurist (Blade Runner, Aliens, Tron)

Special Edition

Volume will produce a deluxe special edition of TO:KY:OO, with an exclusive cover design featuring the phrase ‘the beauty of night’ in Japanese type embossed on real cloth, and housed within a fluorescent plastic slipcase that evokes the neon lightscapes of Tokyo’s nighttime scenes.

This edition is only available during the limited funding period: true fans of Wong’s visions will not want to miss out on this exceptional and covetable production.

Liam’s ‘photos’ are not just photos. In his ‘photos’, you can feel what cannot be normally seen, layered structures of evolutions and decadence of the cities, the atmosphere of the people who had lived and died there. A single ‘photo’ holds a balanced harmony of beauty and the disordered.

Hideo Kojima, Game Creator (Death Stranding, Metal Gear Solid, Snatcher)

Choose your rewards

To fully enter the world of Wong’s photography, Volume supporters have a variety of ways to participate. The first is with a limited-edition poster, signed by Wong, that will animate any setting or space.

Perhaps the most exceptional offering connected with backers of the book is an opportunity to connect with Liam Wong directly, through a private 30-minute one-on-one online session, to review your own work, to learn insights on techniques and composition, or simply to share experiences of Tokyo with Wong himself. For photography enthusiasts seeking feedback, or for visually minded creatives of any persuasion, an encounter with Wong will surely change the way you see the world. Limited to five backers.

And for those seeking the complete TO:KY:OO package, Volume offers the Works: a signed collector’s edition, signed poster and a one-on-one online session with the master himself.

With an aesthetic inspired by science fiction classic Blade Runner and directors such as Gaspar Noe and Wong Kar-wai, a move into film surely can’t be far away.

BBC

Meet the author

Liam Wong is an award-winning art director, currently based in Japan. Graphic Designer, Game Developer and Photographer, he is best known for defining, designing and directing visual identities and was listed as one of Forbes magazine’s influential 30 under 30.

The beauty of night

13 comments

I want to communicate my huge thanks to you for pledging for a copy of TO:KY:OO. Incredibly, the project was successfully funded after just 48 hours and we are now well over the 200% funding mark with a month left on the clock. Needless to say, I’ve been thrilled by the response to this, my first photography monograph.

From the moment I became interested in photography, I knew it might lead me to making a book. Creating a publication about my Japanese nighttime photos has been on my mind ever since I set about work on the series. But never having made a book before, I was overwhelmed with questions: How should it look? What should I include? How big should it be? How can I make it special?

With the help of Lucas and Darren at Volume, who carefully guided me through the process of bookmaking, we developed a slick package and an elegant, futuristic design approach. From the book’s dramatic fold-out pages, to our neon slipcased limited edition version, to contributions from the inspirational Syd Mead and Hideo Kojima, we believe TO:KY:OO will be something really unique. Needless to say, your support in making this concept a reality will not go unnoticed, as each and every backer will see their name printed in the book’s Benefactor section for posterity.

I look forward to sharing visual updates with you, right here, as we work through the process of getting TO:KY:OO into your hands. I hope you are as excited as we are to be embarking upon this journey.

Please feel free to leave a comment below or get in touch with the Volume team if you have any questions.

Liam Wong
💜

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13 Replies to “The beauty of night”

  1. lucicarboserra

    Can’t wait to have this piece of art on my hands. I’m a huge fan of your work since the very begining and I’m so happy for you. Congrats and keep up with it! <3

  2. marcus_vi

    Hey Liam! Huge fan here from Brazil. I tried on Instagram, but I’ll post here too.
    I already pledged one “Book + signed Poster” copy, but I’m really inclined to get “The Work”Pledge too. So my question is: what is the content of the workshop with you?

    Thank you for your work!!!

    1. Liam Wong Creator

      Hi Marcus – I only saw this now so I’m not sure if you managed to get it. I’m keen to chat with the people and discuss their work or interests and then give any tips or advise they see as necessary – if you missed out I am looking to do a more general YouTube account this year.

  3. tsukitenicela

    Long time follower on insta, just saw the posting about the book and immediately backed a limited edition. I cannot wait to see it. Congrats on the book. I look forward to more awesome photos in the future 🙂

    1. Liam Wong Creator

      Thank you so much for the support!!

  4. shnoogy

    All the way from dystopian Israel, I wanted to congratulate you on creating this book. looking forward to getting it 🙂

    awesome work mate.

    1. Liam Wong Creator

      Thank you @shnoogy! Been a long time coming but glad it’s finally near!

  5. d_kurzawa

    i made a decision to back it in 5 minutes after i saw the info. Cannot wait to get my copy.

    1. Liam Wong Creator

      Thank you kindly! I’m excited to finally be able to put it out there!

  6. stefano.tetsuo

    I’m happy to contribute to this, and very excited to see how it will take shape.

    1. Liam Wong Creator

      Thanks so much for backing it! Looking forward to sharing more updates soon.

  7. pevangelista

    Im so psyched and cannot wait to get my limited edition. I was hoping from the very beginning that you would create a book, and it’s an honor to contribute to it. <3

    1. Liam Wong Creator

      Thank you bud! I’ll make sure you get something extra special!

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