Welcome to the 59th issue of Elska, our second Thai adventure. Made without any prior planning, having turned what was meant to be a holiday in Thailand into a shoot trip, this issue brims with passion and a lust for film. One of our more dare-we-say frivolous issues, you won't find much politics or social commentary (well, maybe just a little bit) — mostly just nice pics of nice men and their city.
Elska Krung Thep Maha Nakhon is also a really quirky issue, revealed even in its very long name, which is actually a shortened version of the Thai capital's official name, which comprises twenty-one words! But the quirk goes beyond the title and into the horticultural realm. When the first guy we met happened to have a name that meant ‘pumpkin’, the next guy we were scheduled to meet had a name that meant ‘peach', and the third rocked up with a banana hanging from his handbag, a fruity theme had started to develop. So when the fourth guy randomly took us through a fruit market, I demanded he buy his favourite fruit — custard apples — and “use” them during our nude shoot. If this sounds crazy, then just go with it — crazy can be fun!
Each of the men get their own chapter full of photos as well as a story. This includes stories written by the men themselves and published in their original languages, in this case Thai and French, with English translations following. These help you get to know the men at an even more intimate level, transporting you directly to them.
Elska Krung Thep Maha Nakhon also includes loads of analogue photography, bringing a truly unique aesthetic. Films used for this issue include: Agfa APX 400, 乐凯 “Lucky” C200, Eastman Double-X 5222, and Kodak Gold.
Elska Krung Thep Maha Nakhon features ten chapters and the following elskans: Fakthong S, Naris K, Ark Saroj, Quentin M, Bon Markel, and Juno C.
