Prints of China

Each of these six participating photographers explore different subjects using,in most cases,different mediums of photography. But China,which has been rapidly expanding for decades,remains the common thread in their photo series. Photographer Ma Kang’s series,for instance,titled “Forbidden City”,gets its name from the former Chinese imperial palace located in the middle of Beijing. Blurred almost to the point of being indecipherable,these archival digital prints include those of a policeman standing before a Tiananmen Gate Tower,one of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and even a picture of Mao Zedong.

Yang Yongliang’s series of five photographs,titled “Heavenly City”,are constructed photo collages that appear to be traditional landscape paintings combined with images of skyscrapers and other urban settlements,all engulfed in thick plumes of smoke. One untitled photograph,for instance,shows a thick tower of smoke rising up from the middle of the city and from the midst of this smoke appear to emerge roads,cars and buildings.

Yan Xinfa’s photographs,however,move away from city life and chronicle the villages of Henan Province. His are also the most “straight” photographs in the exhibition,in that they aren’t constructed or digitally enhanced images. For 30 years,Xinfa wandered through these villages,photographing what he believed was a representation of their lives. The result is a series titled “People”.

Contemporary photography in India is also believed to have reached its highest point in the last few years,but Gaskell points out that there are definite differences between contemporary Indian and contemporary Chinese photography. “Indian contemporary photography generally tends to be more traditional and documentary-like than Chinese,” he says,adding,“The latter is more changed — more constructive and manipulative.”

With a civilisation that is one of the world’s oldest,art in China has been flourishing for perhaps as long as anywhere else in the world. Yet,Gaskell believes now is the correct time to bring these photographers together for the exhibition. “Art in China today has come a long way from where it was a few decades ago,” he explains,adding,“Also,now there’s a lot of interest in India in contemporary photography,so this is the right time for the show.”