Photographic duo Ning Kai (1987, China) and Sabrina Scarpa (1991, Netherlands) are working as a freelance photography duo, after they have been living together in Zhengzhou, China, for four years. With their series The Land Between Us, they wish to surround themselves by places that bring out the core of humanity, to aim for a state of being in which the boundary between their cultures and backgrounds seems to blur. In order to remove borders, they seek out diverse places, from east to west. The work they dropped along their journey mark their footsteps towards the paradise-like world they wish to create together.
How did you meet each other and what triggered the idea of working together?
We met and became a couple in 2013 in Beijing. Ning Kai was there for an exhibition and Sabrina did an internship at Three Shadows Photography Art Centre.
Our creative collaboration has organically grown from our relationship. For us, it maintains a freshness that feeds the process and makes it a lot more fun and interesting. We believe that, by joining forces, we can expand and enrich each other’s lives, passion and creativity. It allows us to build bridges. To stay connected.
Introduce us to your project The Land Between Us
We see the series as one growing body of work. The Land Between Us was born from our experience traveling between east and west. It represents our journey and celebrates the earth as our common ground. It is an ode to the essence of our existence and reflects our attempt to convey the intense experience of beauty and the timeless harmony and simplicity of the natural world.
Where did you take these pictures?
The past few years we have been visiting Sri Lanka, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, China, The Netherlands, Laos, Cambodia, Italy and France.
What was the common interest to creating this series?
“We like to see our work as a conversation between us, as two human beings, and nature.”
To create something universal; a language beyond words, a journey beyond borders, unity beyond differences.
What matters most to you, the subject or the texture?
Atmosphere and lighting are very important to us, because it reflects our feeling of awakening and enlightenment. We try to capture the soul or aura of nature rather than nature herself.
Are pictures taken by each of you and then added to the series following a common guideline or you both previously think about an image and then make it happen together?
We make works individually, while slowly moving around together. Sometimes, we combine efforts to create certain images. We like to see our work as a conversation between us, as two human beings, and nature.
ningkaisabrinascarpa.com for more photographs.
