Long considered a song, our mother, or the birthplace of the soul, the Yellow River has become the subject of jokes and has faded from our memories.
The tumultuous pleasures of modern life having turned us away from the winding river, we no longer take the time to serenely contemplate it. This is why I decided to follow its rhythm. Even if I think that mountains and rivers elude a photographer’s commentary, it was high time to break the silence in which my soul took refuge and go observe its waves over the seasons. Nothing seemed more appropriate, in this deafening world, than a stroll in the open air to honor its legendary history, its energy, the grandeur of its color.
The idea of this project came to me while reading the novel River of the North by Zhang Chengzhi. Once I started, the current of reality submerged my spirit. The river which previously was the source of so many myths no longer existed. Its future does not remain less radiant, in the image of this immense country with its thousands of years of history. This weak moan will soon be drowned by cries of joy; we would be wrong to not be optimistic.
Zhang Kechun
Born in 1980 in Sichuan, China, Zhang Kechun is a photographer currently based in Chengdu.
