Another Shining Cultural Card of Shenzhen

News source: Shenzhen Evening News             6/23/2017 Vol. A03

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The launch of the 1st Shenzhen International Photography Exhibition creates an international communication platform for photographic art

On June 22, the leaders and guests pressed the shutter to launch the 1st Shenzhen International Photography Exhibition.  Photographed by Chen yu, Shenzhen Evening News reporter

Shenzhen Evening News (reporter: Chen Li) On the morning of June 22, the 1st “Shenzhen International Photography Exhibition” hosted jointly by China Photographers Association and Shenzhen Federation of Literary and Art Circles was launched at Hall 6 of Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center. It is reported that, the exhibition in the main venue will last until June 25. The general public enjoys free admission. Other than the main venue, there will be 10 sub-venues respectively located in Futian, Luohu, Nanshan, Bao’an, Longgang, etc.

This is the largest comprehensive photographic event since the founding of Shenzhen city, and it is also one of the important projects of "The Innovative Development of Shenzhen Culture 2020 (Implementation Plan)", planning to be held once a year. The 1st Photography Exhibition, using “Urban Presence” as its theme, reflects the presence of the city, explores the humanity relationship between the image and the city from different perspectives through photography.

The main venue consists of 4 sections. “Invitational Exhibition on Special Subject” presents 15 excellent photographer’s urban themed works; “Master’s Photography Invitational Exhibition” presents 112 representative works of 36 Chinese famous photographers; “Exhibition of Contributes” received 14889 contributes in total since its launch, and 295 of them were finally selected to meet the audience; “Exhibition of Photography Industry” presents both the most advanced and the most antique photographic equipment, to showcase the historical development of photography.

Deputy mayor Wu Yihuan attended the opening ceremony.

Shenzhen has become an important city of photography in China

Li Ruiqi, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of Shenzhen Federation of Literary and Art Circles as one of the organizers, said in the speech that, Shenzhen International Photography Exhibition is one of the important projects of <The (Implementation Plan of) Innovative Development of Shenzhen Culture 2020>. The purpose of holding this exhibition is to carry out the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at Symposium on Literary and Artistic Work, and the 10th National Conference of the Representatives of Literary and Art Circles, to carry out the central government’s suggestions on the prosperity and development of socialist literature and art, strive to build a modern, internationalized innovative city aiming at becoming a culture advanced city, push forward the innovation of literary and art, thrive urban culture, and promote the sharing of literary and art. At the mean time, base in Shenzhen, a frontier and a window of reform and opening up, to create a new position for the dissemination and communication of international and domestic photography, to drive the development of photography and related industries, and to keep on exploring and making new contributions to the development of photography in China.

Li pointed out that, the exhibition reflected the development and level of the photography in Shenzhen from different perspectives. It is known that, as an important city of photography in China, Shenzhen now has more than 60 photography associations and societies of different types, with over 10,000 members, not to mention countless amateurs. The field of creation for Shenzhen photography is vast and fruitful. Scenery photography, documentary photography, cultural photography, contemporary art photography, advertising photography, and commercial photography comprehensively develop, with some ahead of its peers nationally. Gradually Shenzhen’s photography industry has formed its own characters, style and group, and it comes with strong social atmosphere and solid mass base.

Any aspect of Shenzhen can be under the lens anytime

Zhu Xianmin, Exhibition Judge, Photography Artist and Consultant of Chinese Photographers Association, stated in his speech at the opening ceremony that, he himself had been fond of recording the Yellow River, but after the reform and opening up, one more important focus had been added, which was the development and changes in the Pearl River Delta, where Shenzhen was his main focus, and was the city he recorded.

In the history of photography in China, Zhu has been an photography artist with special status and influence. He has spent decades on the life of Chinese people, concerned about the people’s livelihood, always focusing on the ordinary people, and recording the changes of Chinese society; the image he made was real and powerful.

“I love Shenzhen very much; its culture and spirit are of strong vitality. Here, a photographer’s creative passion is always ready to be inspired. Any aspect of this city can be under the lens of a photographer, and every shot records the wonderful things about the Chinese dream”

Zhu highly praised the photographers of Shenzhen for their “historical feelings and enthusiasm for the reality”, saying they have both “the calmness and optimism as artists”. He believes that, Shenzhen photography has initially presented its unique perspective, thinking style and temperament, and can already form a school in the eyes of many peers in the photography industry - Shenzhen School of Photography.

The exhibition will promote the integration of regional culture

At the opening ceremony, Peng Wenling, Member & Deputy Secretary General of the Branch Committee of Chinese Photography Association, read a congratulatory letter from Li Qianguang, Member of Branch Committee, Vice-chairman and Secretary of the Secretariat of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles.

Li said that, “the successful holding of the first Shenzhen International Photography Exhibition is another important step in the construction of Shenzhen culture; there should be such forces, responsibilities and undertaking in the literary and art circles; you had a good start; it will not only play a positive role in the development of Shenzhen photography, but also in the development of Chinese photography”

Peng said that Shenzhen is an international city with wide influence, and it is the window of China’s reform and opening up; it is a city which developed with a surprising “Shenzhen speed” being witnessed by the world, and it made remarkable achievements. Shenzhen’s rapid development and comprehensive integration also provided a solid fertile soil and diverse subjects for the photographic art.

She believed that this exhibition not only reflects the living environment and cultural pursuit of ordinary people of different countries and nationalities, but also plays an important role in promoting understanding, integration and common progress of different cultures and regions.