Underage is an award-winning photographic documentation aimed at understanding the minds of underage male prostitutes in Thailand in a most candid and visceral way. Photographer Ohm Phanphiroj uncovers the life, choice, and consequences that these young boys are experiencing. Underage prostitution results from several reasons, from being molested by family members and/or relatives, poverty, being a runaway, and drug addiction. Underage has been exhibited worldwide, among others at Newspace Center for Photography (2011), Sommerblut International Art Festival (2011), Noordelicht Photo Festival (2012), The Kinsey Institute (2013), Tally Beck Contemporary (2014), Miami Art Festival (2014), and Documentary Arts Asia (2014). The photographic project received multiple awards, i.e. Lightwork (2012), Newspace Center for Photography (2012), Documentary Arts Asia (2014), Columbia College fellowship (2015), Noor-Nikon (2015), Society for Photographic Education (2015).

Eight years after his critically-acclaimed NIGHTHAWKS, Ohm Phanphiroj returns with THE SPACE BETWEEN US, a limited edition (1000 copies) photo-memoir from new publishing label Portfolio 1000. A photo-journalistic journey of his life and the men he's encountered - some intimate, some casual, some shameful - SPACE explores that strange side effect of human interaction: The more we try to get close to someone, the more distance we feel between us

Looking in the Dark Corners Hunter O'Hanian Art can change lives. However, like other facts of life, it is not always given the opportunity to reach its full potential. Many artists seek to have their work mean something profound, but more often than not, either they miss the mark or fail to find a way to reach those who can effect change. Without question, the work of Ohm Phanphiroj never misses its mark and clearly impacts the world around him. Child prostitution in Thailand goes back to the 15th century. It is alive and well today. It is considered to be a significant contributor to the local economy. Western men travel to the area to connect with women and men of an age that many in their own communities would consider incapable of providing consent - especially in a sexual context. In many cases, these men are not able to have similar sexual relationships in their own countries, as local laws strictly prohibit sexual contact with underage individuals. Thankfully, most societies outlaw sexual relations with people under a certain age. It is considered so taboo that if an adult is found guilty of having sex with an underage person, years of imprisonment can follow as well as a lifetime of societal banishment. We live in such a male-dominated, sexist society that we generally think about prostitution only of women. However, male prostitution dates back to the Old Testament. It was prevalent in ancient Greek and Roman times - a period when business models allowed male brothels to survive. There is no question that gay men in the 20th century, and certainly up to the present time, have discovered ways to connect in a commercial setting. It seems clear, however, that over the centuries, male prostitution has been more prevalent in Eastern societies, including, Afghanistan, India, Japan, and elsewhere. Today, Thailand is considered to have the worlds worst record for the sex trafficking of children. Some studies suggest that nearly ten percent of the prostitutes in the country may be underage. Many face serious health threats. Drug abuse is not uncommon. Although the United Nations has acknowledged the problem and sought ways to solve it, because many do not want to even acknowledge its existence, there are few resources to help those in need. Since its inception, photography has played a role in understanding such social problems that our culture seeks to avoid. Danish-born artist Jacob Riis (1849-1914) was a New York-based reporter who found that he could effect change by documenting the living conditions of children and the poor in the tenements and factories of Manhattans Lower East Side. He sought to show his contemporaries (and document for all time) the crime-filled conditions that existed while refined cultural institutions thrived only a few blocks away. He documented life in New Yorks tenements at the time when the infant mortality rate was as high as ten percent. He showed us poor, dirty, children, clothed only in rags, living in squalor. These children worked in sweatshops, lived in horrific conditions and were paid only a pittance. They were often made to work in unsafe and unhealthy conditions. This virtual enslavement was designed to increase the financial profits for the owners of local mills and factories. And the Looking in the Dark Corners Hunter O'Hanian Art can change lives. However, like other facts of life, it is not always given the opportunity to reach its full potential. Many artists seek to have their work mean something profound, but more often than not, either they miss the mark or fail to find a way to reach those who can effect change. Without question, the work of Ohm Phanphiroj never misses its mark and clearly impacts the world around him. Child prostitution in Thailand goes back to the 15th century. It is alive and well today. It is considered to be a significant contributor to the local economy. Western men travel to the area to connect with women and men of an age that many in their own communities would consider incapable of providing consent - especially in a sexual context. In many cases, these men are not able to have similar sexual relationships in their own countries, as local laws strictly prohibit sexual contact with underage individuals. Thankfully, most societies outlaw sexual relations with people under a certain age. It is considered so taboo that if an adult is found guilty of having sex with an underage person, years of imprisonment can follow as well as a lifetime of societal banishment. We live in such a male-dominated, sexist society that we generally think about prostitution only of women. However, male prostitution dates back to the Old Testament. It was prevalent in ancient Greek and Roman times - a period when business models allowed male brothels to survive. There is no question that gay men in the 20th century, and certainly up to the present time, have discovered ways to connect in a commercial setting. It seems clear, however, that over the centuries, male prostitution has been more prevalent in Eastern societies, including, Afghanistan, India, Japan, and elsewhere. Today, Thailand is considered to have the worlds worst record for the sex trafficking of children. Some studies suggest that nearly ten percent of the prostitutes in the country may be underage. Many face serious health threats. Drug abuse is not uncommon. Although the United Nations has acknowledged the problem and sought ways to solve it, because many do not want to even acknowledge its existence, there are few resources to help those in need. Since its inception, photography has played a role in understanding such social problems that our culture seeks to avoid. Danish-born artist Jacob Riis (1849-1914) was a New York-based reporter who found that he could effect change by documenting the living conditions of children and the poor in the tenements and factories of Manhattans Lower East Side. He sought to show his contemporaries (and document for all time) the crime-filled conditions that existed while refined cultural institutions thrived only a few blocks away. He documented life in New Yorks tenements at the time when the infant mortality rate was as high as ten percent. He showed us poor, dirty, children, clothed only in rags, living in squalor. These children worked in sweatshops, lived in horrific conditions and were paid only a pittance. They were often made to work in unsafe and unhealthy conditions. This virtual enslavement was designed to increase the financial profits for the owners of local mills and factories. And the Looking in the Dark Corners Hunter O'Hanian Art can change lives. However, like other facts of life, it is not always given the opportunity to reach its full potential. Many artists seek to have their work mean something profound, but more often than not, either they miss the mark or fail to find a way to reach those who can effect change. Without question, the work of Ohm Phanphiroj never misses its mark and clearly impacts the world around him. Child prostitution in Thailand goes back to the 15th century. It is alive and well today. It is considered to be a significant contributor to the local economy. Western men travel to the area to connect with women and men of an age that many in their own communities would consider incapable of providing consent - especially in a sexual context. In many cases, these men are not able to have similar sexual relationships in their own countries, as local laws strictly prohibit sexual contact with underage individuals. Thankfully, most societies outlaw sexual relations with people under a certain age. It is considered so taboo that if an adult is found guilty of having sex with an underage person, years of imprisonment can follow as well as a lifetime of societal banishment. We live in such a male-dominated, sexist society that we generally think about prostitution only of women. However, male prostitution da...