Cao Zhen caozhen0806@126.com IN an age of rapidly scrolling images on mobile phones, a new art space in Shenzhen invites viewers to slow down and see the world differently. Here, photography is not merely a record of reality — it is a way of reconstructing it and imagining beyond it. Fotografiska Shenzhen opened at Shenzhen Bay MIXC with five exhibitions — “ToiletFotoPaperGrafiska,” “Morphing Equilibrium,” “Transcendent Realities,” “Festa,” and “Storm.” Visitors can immerse themselves in TOILETPAPER’s surreal imagery, Michael Najjar’s striking videos of melting glaciers and erupting volcanoes, Prix Pictet photographers’ reflections on global crises, Shi Guowei’s festive yet solitary photographs, and more large-scale works by artists from around the world. Together, the five exhibitions offer distinct ways of seeing and experiencing the world. Founded in Stockholm in 2010, Fotografiska is a contemporary museum of photography, art and culture. Developed in partnership with Shenzhen Bay MIXC, Fotografiska Shenzhen is the institution’s fifth location worldwide, following Stockholm, Tallinn, Berlin and Shanghai. Among the five exhibitions, “ToiletFotoPaperGrafiska” is perhaps the most playful. Founded by Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari, TOILETPAPER presents a surreal world of highly saturated colors and imaginative installations. Visitors can wander through absurd scenes and discover hidden details, exploring how humor, allure and unease can coexist. The duo’s distinctive visual language draws on the polished aesthetics of advertising photography while disrupting familiar narratives of consumption and desire through unexpected combinations of everyday objects. Another visually compelling exhibition is Michael Najjar’s “Morphing Equilibrium,” which features videos of melting glaciers and erupting volcanoes. Shown on large screens surrounding viewers, the videos create a 360-degree immersive experience. Venturing into extreme environments, Najjar uses photography and digital techniques to reconstruct the landscapes he encounters, placing the Earth’s vitality and vulnerability within the same frame. The flow of lava and the rupture of ice transcend natural spectacle, becoming powerful visual metaphors for the current state of “dynamic imbalance” in the world. Najjar is also presenting “Netropolis | Shenzhen | 2024” in the “Transcendent Realities” exhibition. In 2024, he photographed Shenzhen in the four cardinal directions from an elevation of 440 meters atop the KK100 building, then merged the images into a single pictorial space. Urban villages, high-rises and mountains are compressed together, creating a fabric-like structure. “Transcendent Realities” also brings together works by Fan Xi, Tan Yingjie, Marco Brambilla, Cooper & Gorfer, and Viviane Sassen, on display in a hall with ceilings rising to 8.5 meters. “Storm,” the latest exhibition from Prix Pictet, a leading global award for photography and sustainability, features works by the 12 photographers shortlisted for the award’s 11th cycle. The exhibition connects storms in the natural world with social upheaval, environmental crises and individual lives. Chinese artist Shi Guowei’s solo exhibition, “Festa,” draws on festive traditions in urban and rural China, as well as the quiet emotions of everyday life. His photographs are rendered in vibrant colors, yet a sense of loneliness can be felt beneath the surface. The exhibition explores how collective celebration and individual solitude intertwine. Dates: “ToiletFotoPaperGrafiska”: Through March 14, 2027; “Transcendent Realities”: Through Oct. 1, 2027; “Morphing Equilibrium”: Through Jan. 17, 2027; “Storm”: Through Nov. 29; “Festa”: Through March 14, 2027 Venue: C Zone West, Shenzhen Bay MIXC, Nanshan District (深圳湾万象城C区西苑) Metro: Line 2, 11 or 13 to Houhai Station (后海站), Exit K1 | 