Times gone in a snap
Wheat Harvesters by photographer Hou Dengke records a group of people who made their living on cutting wheat for farmers in Northwest China in the 1980s before the use of machines.CHINA DAILY
Photography exhibition highlights the nation's profound changes over the past four decades and the people that drove them.
In the 1980s, in an era before machines were widely used, wheat harvesters were a common sight in northwestern China. Then, in the 1990s, migrant workers flocked to areas with concentrated populations, helping China build modern cities.
When the new millennium began, with China's accession to the WTO, a wave of desire to study abroad seemed to wash over the nation's students. In the 2010s, residential environments were increasingly improved and buying a property moved to the top of most people's bucket lists.
Nowadays, people live a good life, with few, if any, real shortages. Consumerism, as a result, has taken on a new urgency.
All these trends and phenomena can be seen in photos displayed at the Phoenix Center in Beijing. Since China's reform and opening-up in 1978, the great changes that have taken place are reflected in 40 Years of Chinese Photography. The exhibition presents more than 400 photos from about 40 photographers, demonstrating the profound changes China and its people have experienced in the last four decades.
"Photography has totally transformed people's relationship with the world," says Zhu Qingsheng, curator of the exhibition and also a history professor with Peking University. "It has two important functions. One is to document what happens and the other is to express emotions of the photographer."
Related articles
Who is Jacob Zuma, the former South African president disqualified from next week's election?
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Former South African President Jacob Zuma was barred Monday from running for Par2024-05-21Scores of Syrians return home after years at camp housing people linked to the Islamic State group
AL-HOL CAMP, Syria (AP) — Scores of Syrian women and children linked to the Islamic State group left2024-05-21Met Opera hosts 4 female conductors in landmark week
NEW YORK (AP) — Oksana Lyniv, Speranza Scappucci, Marin Alsop and Xian Zhang filled their lockers in2024-05-21Former Las Vegas casino executive to be sentenced in bookmaking money laundering case
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former top executive for major Las Vegas casinos was set to appear before a fed2024-05-21Siblings trying to make US water polo teams for Paris Olympics
WALNUT, Calif. (AP) — Chase Dodd started swimming when he was just a kid. Once he began playing wate2024-05-21Families of the victims of attacks on displaced people in Congo mourn their dead
GOMA, Congo (AP) — Families of the victims of last week’s bomb attacks on two camps of displaced peo2024-05-21
atest comment