Feast for eyes as works of over 150 artists to be displayed at Photofairs Shanghai
Photofairs Shanghai, Asia Pacific's leading fair for photo-based and digital artworks, will hold its ninth edition at the Shanghai Exhibition Center from April 25 to 28.
It will have 46 exhibitors, including local and international galleries, arts groups, and cultural partners. The exhibition, which features the works of over 150 artists ranging from well-known to rising talent, remains a hub for photography in China, attracting a carefully selected roster of exhibitors from across Asia Pacific and beyond.
Here's a sneak peek at some of the standout works. It ranges from ethereal landscapes that reveal secrets about the natural world to deep portraits that look into the soul, challenging the viewer's senses and inviting them to dwell in the realm of shadow and light.
Trompe l'oeil, Greetings from Giza, 29 Octobre 2021, 07h52, Giza, Egypte
JR, a French artist known for his striking large-scale, black-and-white photography installations, will hold a solo exhibition with notable works such as "Ballet" and "Trompe l'oeil." JR's work easily crosses the gap between artistic creativity and activism, transforming streets and cities into large canvasses for display. Among the prominent works is "Trompe l'oeil, Greetings from Giza, 29 Octobre 2021, 07h52, Giza, Egypte," a compelling piece that invites spectators to consider the intersections of perception, location, and time.
Breakfast with Stephen Shore – 1977
Anastasia Samoylova, a Russian-American photographer, is bringing her "Breakfast" series. Samoylova, who uses a gentle style to explore numerous issues, dedicates this series to the photography greats who have influenced her work. During the intimate and relaxed moments of breakfast, she delves into the portfolios of luminaries like David Hockney, Stephen Shore, and Saul Leiter. She recreates legendary photographs from the history of photography using daily goods such as fruit, bread, eggs, cutlery, and beverages, leading viewers to a visual feast where the ordinary meets the exceptional.
Things From the Heat 3
Singaporean artist Robert Zhao Renhui's solo exhibition "It Takes Time" will feature 13 photographic images from a diverse series that demonstrate the motif of "temporality" in both his artistic process and thematic studies. Zhao's work deviates from the traditional photographic concept of the "decisive moment," demonstrating his long-term observation of natural ecosystems. His systematic and archival approach to production is an intentional contrast to photography's instantaneous nature, prompting viewers to reflect on the profound relationship between time and observation.
Migration of Silver
Alan Butler and Aoife Shanahan, two Irish artists, use scientific lenses to question the fundamental nature of the photographic medium. Butler photographs the delicate details of plant life using the antique cyanotype method, infusing his botanical subjects with a haunting blue tone that portrays their ethereal outlines. Shanahan goes on a microscopic journey, exposing photographic film to bacteria. The work exposes the abstract beauty of bacterial development patterns, alluding to microorganisms' invisible but essential presence in the realm of photography.
Frida Kahlo With Magenta Rebozo, "Classic" (2nd Edition)
Nickolas Muray uses his lens to depict the multifaceted personality and complex emotional entanglement he shared with Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. His images are a valuable visual record, enriching Latin American art history with intimate looks into Kahlo's milieu.
The fair also features a selection of documentary photographic works, including early masterpieces by renowned photographers Lu Yuanmin, Yong He, Meng Minsheng, and Xu Haifeng. These artists have created deep visual narratives that capture urban life in China during the second part of the 20th century, providing a glimpse into the past through their lenses.
Shanghai Faces at the Turn of the Century
Xiao Xuan'an collection centers on the Three Gorges, a monumental work that goes beyond ordinary historical narration. The series combines magical realism to create a visual universe that exists alongside reality, providing a profound commentary on one of China's most significant geographical transformations.
Wu Gorge of Yangtze River in Autumn
Photographer Tian Lin presents his series "Yamalik Mountain," which, through portraits of residents taken between 2005 and 2015, reveals the unique cultural landscape of this area in Urumqi as a temporary foothold for immigrants from both southern and northern Xinjiang, while Ma Hailun's latest series "Kashgar Youth" focuses on youth culture in China's westernmost city.
Kashgar Youth
Date:
April 25, 2-8pm (Collector Preview)
April 26, 12-8pm (Collector Preview)
April 27, 12-8pm (Public Day)
April 28, 12-6pm (Public Day)
Venue: Shanghai Exhibition Center 上海展览中心
Address: 1000 Yan'an Rd M., 延安中路1000号
Admission:
