umum Reading Room

umum Event Series

「 Reading Room 」

umum objects is launching a new recurring community event series centered around reading. Start from next Saturday, our space will transform into a temporary community library, inviting everyone to rediscover the joy of reading.

For our first session, we’re exploring Photobooks—a genre that bridges the gap between the observer and the creator. Reading a photobook is both intrusion and reflection—stepping into someone else’s gaze while also seeing a part of ourselves. The way photos are arranged, the pacing, the texture of the paper—these elements create an experience beyond just looking at pictures.

Originating from the private photography movement in Japan in the early 1980s, this genre exposed personal lives through the camera lens, allowing viewers to glimpse into others’ private worlds and, in turn, find connections to their own experiences. Books become mirrors—bridging two seemingly unrelated soul.

We will be sharing selections from our personal collection, including rare first editions such as Masahisa Fukase’s “Afterword”, the artist-made book on memory “so it goes, so it goes, so it goes”, and Issei Suda’s “Family Diary”......

We’re honored to have Fabian Ong (@fabian_ong_) as our special speaker. A Singapore-based, architecture-trained photographer, Fabian has documented architecture and urbanism worldwide, working with publications like Shinkenchiku and a+u: Architecture and Urbanism. His newly published photobook, Looking from the Window, captures fleeting scenes—people on a train in Paris, landscapes from a road trip in Morocco—mirroring how we sometimes receive the world as it moves past us. At the event, he’ll share his journey, the process of curating a photobook, and the stories behind his images.

We invite each participant to bring at least one book from their own collection to share with the others.

We encourage photography books or artist books—published or unpublished, purchased or handmade. If you find it interesting, bring it along!

The event will take place at UMUM Studio in Kensal Green, London, featuring a quiet reading session followed by a relaxed drip coffee tasting, supported by our trusted roaster CALICO, paring with homemade dessert.

umum Reading Room

umum 以閱讀為契機， 開設一個新的定期社群活動系列：

「Reading Room」

我們的空間將變成限時一天的臨時社區圖書館。 邀請大家一起來重拾閱讀。

本次活動的主題是 「攝影書」。

起源於日本八十年代初開始的私攝影運動， 將個人生活透過鏡頭暴露給觀眾。 而讀者又能通過窺探別人的私生活， 找到一些與自己相關的聯繫。

書籍變成了一面鏡子， 兩個毫不相干的世界發生了關聯。

我們將分享我們的私藏攝影集， 其中不乏珍貴的初版的深瀨昌久 “Afterword”， 有關回憶的藝術家自製書“so it goes， so it goes， so it goes”， 和須田一政的 “家族日記” ...

我們邀請每位參與者也至少帶一本愛書來參與， 與大家分享。

我們鼓勵帶攝影集或藝術家書， 出版或未出版， 購買的甚至是自制的手工書， 只要你覺得有趣， 請都帶過來。

特邀嘉賓：Fabian Ong

這位以建築視角重構光影的新加坡攝影師，曾多次為《Shinkenchiku》《a+u》等建築期刊掌鏡。他將攜新作《Looking from the Window》與大家分享攝影書背後的創作手記：流動的巴黎火車乘客、摩洛哥公路上的旅人……那些在疾馳世界裡被定格的溫柔註腳，都將在現場一一道來。

活動會包含一段安靜的閱讀時間， 以及一場茶話會: 我們將提供來自CALICO的單一產地手沖咖啡， 搭配自製甜點。

What You Need to Know 

To ensure a smooth experience for everyone attending our event, please take a moment to review our key policies below: 

Registration Confirmation:

• The event price includes a set menu, with additional snacks provided. Event details, including the exact location, will be emailed to you within 24 hours upon successful booking.

  
  

Cancellation and Rescheduling: 

• Requests must be made at least 72 hours prior to the event for a full refund or to reschedule for a future date.

• Failure to cancel or reschedule in time will result in full charges.

• Event cancellations by us, due to unforeseen circumstances, will result in refunds within 10 working days.

 For any inquiries or refund requests, contact us at info@umumobjects.com.