Capturing Where We Have Started

Jiang Shigao Photography Exhibition

Preface

Here are the old images of Shenzhen between the 1980s and 1990s.

The photographer, Jiang Shigao, is the first photojournalist in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. Under Jiang’s camera, the development and changes Shenzhen underwent within the early stages of reform and opening-up as well as major political and historical events were vividly recorded and reported. Comrade Deng Xiaoping visited Shenzhen in 1984 and 1992, and Jiang accompanied him to record these visits with meaningful photos. The photos taken by Jiang Shigao have far-reaching influence because of the significancece of the recorded events and the sheer splendor of his works, some of which have become classics in the annals of history. In 2006, the Chinese Photographers Association awarded Jiang Shigao for his outstanding contribution to photography.

From the pictures shown, we can genuinely feel how difficult it was to start a business from scratch and how courageous and undaunted theses ground-breakers were in undertaking what had not been done before, which fills us with gratitude and respect to them. Of course, we can also glimpse many traces indicative of where we have started. In the past 40 years, Shenzhen has developed from a small county with a population of 350,000 and an industrial output value of 60 million yuan to a first-tier city today, thanks to the joint efforts of hard-working people from generation to generation. Reflecting on the past and the present, we are even more confident that under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core and the provincial and municipal party committees, we will blaze new trails, unite and forge ahead, and work hard to achieve the great goal of building a pilot demonstration zone for socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Curator: Zhao Qing