Chinese photographer takes festival by storm | reviews, news & interviews
Chinese photographer takes festival by storm
Chinese photographer takes festival by storm
Tuesday, 09 March 2010
Zhang Xiao is a young documentary photographer from Chongqing, China, who was the most talked-about exhibitor at the 2009 FORMAT photography festival in Derby. He presented a grid of 20 colour photographs under the title of Shanxi, a town he visited during a touring project to document vanishing traditions and customs viewed amongst the fast-changing lifestyles of the local people.
This week, Birmingham City Library announced that it has bought the 20 images which Peter James, Head of Photographs at the Library, says "exhibit many resonances with historical and contemporary images already in the collection".
For Zhang Xiao (pictured, with a cinematic layout of photographs) this is part two of an unimaginable story which began when the Curator of FORMAT, Louise Clements, spotted his work at the Chongqing Photography Festival, and suggested he apply to the Open exhibition in Derby, 2009. A friend wrote his application form (he speaks no English) and he was not only selected, but his work was placed centre-stage in the main exhibition, hanging between photographs by Gregory Crewdson and David Lynch.
Xiao's series of images - hung in a grid format - are magical. Obviously the colours and decorative elements of the festival are alluring and exotic, and the series has a preservation quality, but what sets them apart is the way he mutes the colours and mists the backgrounds seemingly to symbolise the retreating customs and traditional ways of life. Martin Parr - a patron of the 2009 Festival - said he saw them as "reading like a storyboard". For Louise Clements, it's the "nostalgic references and politicisation in their exploitation of the contradictions and collisions within life in contemporary China".
For Zhang Xiao (pictured, with a cinematic layout of photographs) this is part two of an unimaginable story which began when the Curator of FORMAT, Louise Clements, spotted his work at the Chongqing Photography Festival, and suggested he apply to the Open exhibition in Derby, 2009. A friend wrote his application form (he speaks no English) and he was not only selected, but his work was placed centre-stage in the main exhibition, hanging between photographs by Gregory Crewdson and David Lynch.
Xiao's series of images - hung in a grid format - are magical. Obviously the colours and decorative elements of the festival are alluring and exotic, and the series has a preservation quality, but what sets them apart is the way he mutes the colours and mists the backgrounds seemingly to symbolise the retreating customs and traditional ways of life. Martin Parr - a patron of the 2009 Festival - said he saw them as "reading like a storyboard". For Louise Clements, it's the "nostalgic references and politicisation in their exploitation of the contradictions and collisions within life in contemporary China".
- The FORMAT International Photography Festival continues until 5 April. More information here.
- The theme of the next FORMAT festival is Street Photography: Right
Here, Right Now. It runs from 4 March to 3 April 2011
more
Baby Reindeer, Netflix review - a misery memoir disturbingly presented
Richard Gadd's double traumas are a difficult watch but ultimately inspiring
All You Need Is Death review - a future folk horror classic
Irish folkies seek a cursed ancient song in Paul Duane's impressive fiction debut
theartsdesk on Vinyl: Record Store Day Special 2024
Annual edition checking out records exclusively available on this year's Record Store Day
Jonathan Pie, Duke of York's Theatre review - spoof political reporter takes no prisoners
Tom Walker in a bravura display
If Only I Could Hibernate review - kids in grinding poverty in Ulaanbaatar
Mongolian director Zoljargal Purevdash's compelling debut
The Book of Clarence review - larky jaunt through biblical epic territory
LaKeith Stanfield is impressively watchable as the Messiah's near-neighbour
Lisa Kaltenegger: Alien Earths review - a whole new world
Kaltenegger's traverses space in her thoughtful exploration of the search for life among the stars
Album: Pearl Jam - Dark Matter
Enduring grunge icons return full of energy, arguably their most empowered yet
Bell, Perahia, ASMF Chamber Ensemble, Wigmore Hall review - joy in teamwork
A great pianist re-emerges in Schumann, but Beamish and Mendelssohn take the palm
An Actor Convalescing in Devon, Hampstead Theatre review - old school actor tells old school stories
Fact emerges skilfully repackaged as fiction in an affecting solo show by Richard Nelson
First Persons: composers Colin Alexander and Héloïse Werner on fantasy in guided improvisation
On five new works allowing an element of freedom in the performance
Yinka Shonibare: Suspended States, Serpentine Gallery review - pure delight
Weighty subject matter treated with the lightest of touch
Add comment