Bryan and Maxine Kong traveled to the ends of the earth to capture the otherworldly terrain of one of the most unforgiving and uninhabitable, yet deeply riveting places on the planet Bryan Kong , a Chinese-Filipino photographer, restaurateur, and drummer of indie rock band Taken by Cars , and his entrepreneur wife, Maxine Kong , journeyed to the northernmost human settlement on earth, Longyearbyen. Located in the Norwegian territory of Svalbard, the remote settlement is home to about 2,500 residents, approximately 200 of whom are Filipinos. Amidst the bitter Arctic cold, Bryan and Maxine met with a number of Filipinos who, through the years, have integrated themselves within the social fabric of Longyearbyen and our fellow countrymen whose stories have largely remained untold.
“Although a great number of people in Longyearbyen come and go, several Pinoys have been based there for over a decade. Some have been living there for around 16 years. Some already built families,” says Bryan.
Armed with his film and digital cameras, drones, iPhones, and camcorders, Bryan photographed the otherworldly terrain of one of the most unforgiving and uninhabitable yet deeply captivating and riveting places on the planet. Of all places, why did you decide to embark on an expedition to Longyearbyen? BK: Ten years ago, I stumbled upon a documentary featuring a lone Russian tour guide who remained in an abandoned mining town near the North Pole. What fascinated me was the thought of someone c.
