The Museum of Photography in Lianzhou, China, presents in as his inaugural program the work of Chinese photographer Zhang Haier.
Zhang Haier, who got international acclaim in the 1980s, is an important representative of modern Chinese photography. When his work entitled Girls first made an appearance within the Chinese photography circle, people were intrigued by these images that were quite different from most of the other works during that period. Before him, very few Chinese photographers documented and expressed femininity with such intensity and intimacy. In front of his camera, the female subjects have put down their usual guards to embrace their inner selves with self-confidence. With the explosive energy and passion exuding from his works, people looking at these pictures would naturally be very curious about the person behind the camera, constantly wondering what kind of fantastic exchanges far beyond gender and stereotypes were taking place when they were being taken. In a world where self-identity has been diminished and devoured, what lies behind those pictures is in fact a relentless self-defense. On the other hand, the photographic language being presented perfectly complements the spirituality of the works themselves. A precise language and intense emotions are what made Zhang Haier a completely different photographer at a time when Chinese modernist photography was awakening.
Duan Yuting
Duan Yuting is an author, photo editor and curator specializing in photography and the director of the Lianzhou International Photo Festival. She lives and works in China.
Lianzhou Foto / Lianzhou Museum of Photography
No.14 Tuanjie Rd., Overseas Chinese New Town,
Yuexiu district, Guangzhou, P. C. 510095
China
