Lei Kaibin

raylei21@163.com

THE largest photography exhibition in Shenzhen’s history was held in Hall 6 of the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District from June 22 to 25.

Themed “Postures of City,” the first Shenzhen International Photography Exhibition (SZIPE) exhibited 295 pieces, both artistic and documentary, that explore the relationship between images and cities from different perspectives and reflect on the changes caused by urbanization over the past decades. The pieces were selected from 10,000 submissions by photographers around the globe.

“‘Postures of City’ is a meaningful theme that resonates with Shenzhen, which is a city that acts as a pioneer for China’s economic reforms and has experienced massive changes over the past decades,” said Zhu Xianmin, a counselor to China Photographers Association.

Famous photographer Lin Guanglin selected rarely seen photos that give a comprehensive look at Singapore’s development for the exhibition. Lin spent years documenting the country before and after it became developed.

The curator of Lin’s exhibition, Huang Yimin, said that another good example would be Finnish photographer Kalervo Ojutkangas, who took photos of people in rural and urban Finland over a long period of time. Ojutkangas even photographed the same place over time to demonstrate the extent of the change.

The Masters’ Invitation Area has 112 city-themed works contributed by 36 prestigious Chinese photographers on display. The photographers, who are either professionals or experienced photojournalists, have utilized different tools to showcase a diverse array of cultures and values. Their subjects cover a wide range from the past 40 years, such as construction scenes during China’s drastic economic reform era, cityscapes and people from various social strata.

Apart from works resonating with the main theme, photographs that relate to environmental ecology, folk customs and nature were also included in the exhibition.

SZIPE, organized by the China Photographers Association and Shenzhen Federation of Literary and Art Circles, will be an annual event.