The Photo Vault: A journey into Vernacular Photography, Archives and Photobooks Podcast By Lukas Birk cover art

The Photo Vault: A journey into Vernacular Photography, Archives and Photobooks

The Photo Vault: A journey into Vernacular Photography, Archives and Photobooks

By: Lukas Birk
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About this listen

Welcome to The Photo Vault.

Our host, Lukas Birk, takes you on a voyage filled with exclusive on sight interviews featuring renowned artists who draw inspiration from vernacular photography, collectors who have dedicated their lives to amassing incredible troves of images, and curators who curate exhibitions that bridge the gap between past and present.

The Photo Vault steps into a hidden world filled with forgotten snapshots, dusty family albums, and gems of visual history to be uncovered. Join us as we embark on an exhilarating tour into the heart of collecting, curating and creating artworks and photobooks with archival materials around the globe.

The Photo Vault is part of the Vernacular Social Club, a platform that brings together people who share a common interest in the Vernacular world www.vernacularsocialclub.com

The host:

Lukas Birk, is an Austrian researcher, artist, and publisher who primarily focuses on archival narratives and edits stories from South and Southeast Asia. He founded the Myanmar Photo Archive, the Afghan Box Camera Project, SewonArtSpace in Yogyakarta, and the Austro Sino Arts Program in Beijing. As well as a boutique camera Manufacture producing the Instant Box Camera and an independent photobook publishing project called Fraglich Publishing.

© 2025 Lukas Birk Art Literary History & Criticism World
Episodes
  • KURT TONG - books that inspire you / Bram Stoker / Mike Flanagan / Philip Pullman

    KURT TONG - books that inspire you / Bram Stoker / Mike Flanagan / Philip Pullman
    Mar 8 2025

    Welcome to the Photo Vault, featuring books that inspire you! Today, we’re exploring the work of one of my favorite storytellers in the form of a photo book that uses a lot of vernacular photography—Kurt Tong. Listen to this episode to gain insight into why he values these three bodies of work.


    Dracula - Bram Stoker

    The Haunting of Bly Manor - Mike Flanagan

    Philip Pullman - His Dark Material



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    4 mins
  • ROY NG - neo-colonialism / cultural agenda / photography

    ROY NG - neo-colonialism / cultural agenda / photography
    Feb 1 2025

    In this episode, I take you to Singapore, where I attended the Singapore International Photo Festival with the Myanmar Photo Archive. During my time there, I met Roy Ng, a curator at the National Gallery Singapore. Our conversation quickly turned into a deep dive into the evolving cultural landscape of Singapore—how the city-state is positioning itself as a regional cultural hub, the complexities of representation, and the role of institutions in shaping artistic narratives. Roy shares his insights on decolonization, the challenges of curating national identity, and the global structures of art history. Join me as we explore these themes and more in a fascinating discussion about art, institutions, and cultural memory.



    National Gallery
    Myanmar Photo Archive
    The Buddhist Archive
    Rumah Abu: Death and the Photographic Medium in Straits Chinese Ancestral Halls



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    @Vernacular Social Club
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    37 mins
  • CHIARA CAPODICI - Creating accessibility for photo books

    CHIARA CAPODICI - Creating accessibility for photo books
    Jan 7 2025

    In this episode of The Photo Vault, we speak with the wonderfully insightful Chiara Capodici about her experience in the photobook world. From the "mythical times" in Europe 20 years ago to today's bookselling landscape, portfolio reviews, and photobook publishing, Chiara shares her journey and perspectives.

    Chiara runs Leporello Books in Rome, Italy—a bookshop primarily devoted to photography, graphic design, architecture, and illustration. It also serves as an exhibition space focused on books and images, promoting a multidisciplinary approach to visual culture.

    In addition, Chiara teaches, curates, and creates across a broad range of photography-related topics.

    Find links here to people and places mentioned in the episode:

    Leporello Books

    Sebastian Hau

    Sugarpaper

    Markus Schaden & Frederic Lezmi


    Follow us on Instagram:
    @Vernacular Social Club
    @Lukas Birk

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    Show more Show less
    43 mins
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