New exhibition at UCLan showcases images of major Chinese cities
Major Chinese cities will be seen in Preston thanks to the latest exhibition at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).
Brilliant City is a new exhibition showcasing new work of three contemporary photographers from mainland China and is on display in UCLan’s PR1 Gallery until 16 November.
The exhibition of Haohan Zheng, Cuilixin, and Ratsberry’s photos, who are all graduates of UCLan’s MA Photography course, highlights a diverse range of responses from this emerging generation of image-makers to the ever-expanding urban world around them.
The distinctive bodies of work offer unique insights into the new experiences and mutable environments produced by these emerging Chinese cityspaces at this distinct historic moment of change.
UCLan Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Baldwin spoke at the exhibition’s private view and said: “We have such a strong and long-term relationship with partners and colleagues in China, which has always been so very successful.
"This fantastic urbanisation that has led to this economic growth which is now consistently maintained across China."
“Back when we pioneered these partnerships with universities in China in the early 1990s people would tell me that Shenzhen was full of green fields and yet now, we know it is the economic powerhouse that it is and that is what these photographs have captured.
“This fantastic urbanisation that has led to this economic growth which is now consistently maintained across China.”
Prior to the private view, two of the photographers took part in a symposium which featured additional talks by Yan Preston and Sarah Fisher of Liverpool’s Open Eye Gallery, and was attended by members of the Chinese Consulate.
Brilliant City, which was made possible through the generous funding of UCLan's Confucius Institute, is curated by UCLan’s John van Aitken and Adam Mead and is produced in collaboration with UCLan’s School of Journalism, Media & Performance and LOOK 19.
