Zhang Kechun

Yellow River: In Eyes of Zhang Kechun  

Bohnchang Koo

After the Yangzi Jiang, the Huang He – the 'Yellow River' that crosses China from West to East – is the country's longest waterway. To the Chinese it is also known as 'Mother River' and 'the cradle of Chinese civilisation'.

In recent years Kechun Zhang has spent a lot of time strolling the banks of the Yellow River with his large format Linhof camera and he carefully sees the landscape as it really is,he gives his subject the necessary breathing space respectfully,not forgetting to mention that he gave attention to little as human relating to. By tinting the air of atmosphere, he found the time to capture as quiet, soft, calm, stillness and indulgent moments poetically yet feeling of sympathy for the devastating floods in fast changing phenomenon of China.

Zhang’s delicate eyes observe the intriguing trivial, devote to miniscule and reflect to small progresses that are often undetected. Documented environment destruction as a sculptural work is deserted that cases people’s everyday activities in timeless stage. Though his quiet voice of statements that made in this series screams louder and stronger ever than pronounced announcements, tensions in between and the growing environmental emergency. Likewise, this series brings up the question about capitalism to all of us not just to China, we endlessly pushes us to new and shifts. We become addicted to a vague desire, soulless fast forwarding and more and more worldly goods.

In imitable view that he collected is rather poetic, graceful sonnet – the immobility of the river in its calmer moments. It’s a river but not only a river in his images, dark side of a booming China; human beings seem microscopic in gigantic nature in this larger than life setting; strangeness and an artificial scenes contrast gradually in vast landscape like chasing a mirage. Despite of splendid sceneries in his images, depressing reality underneath from struggling moments comes in anytime. However he still hopes that nature and human will be able to work together endeavor for the upkeep.

April 30, 2014

Zhang Kechun



1980    born in Sichuan, China

Lives and works in Chengdu, China

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:

2014 
"Yellow River", ThreeShadows +3 Gallery, Beijing, China
"Against Nature", Gallery HO, New York, American
"Contemporary Photography in China 2009-2014", Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2013
"The 4th edition of PHOTOQUAI world photography biennale", Musee de Quai Branly, Paris, France
"The 6th L'Iris d'Or Award Exhibition", Somersethouse, London,UK
"Collection Exhibition, 1st Beijing Photo Biennial", The China Millennium Monument, Beijing, China
"Delhi International Photography Festival", Delhi, India
"The 5th Dali International Photography Biennale", Dali, China
"The 6th LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph", Charlottesville,USA
"The 3rd Chengdu Multi-dimensional View Photo Exhibition", Fanmate Art Museum, Chengdu,China
"Remote Places, Close Spaces", Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow, UK
"The 1st Future Master Exhibition", Winshare Art Museum, Chengdu, China
"Crossover: The 2013 Three Shadows Photography Award Exhibition", Three Shadows Photography Art Centre,Beijing

2012
"Get It Louder", Sanlitun Village, Beijing, China
"The Interactions Yixian International Photo Festival", Yixian, China
"The 8th Angkor Photography Festival", Siem peap, Kampuchea
"THERE Photographic Exhibition", Cork City, Ireland
"The 4th Jinan International Photography Biennale", Jinan, China
"CAFAM · Future Exhibition", CAFA Art Museum, Beijing, China

2010
"Right In Front of Your Eyes Exhibition", Chengdu International Photography Center, Chengdu, China
"Southern Documentary Photography Exhibition", Guangdong, China

AWARDS:

2014    Winner of Prix Decouverte 2014 of Arles Photography, France
2008    Winner of National Geographic Picks Global

COLLECTION:

Chinese Image and Vedio Archive, Canada
Williams College Museum of Arts ,USA
CAFA Art Museum ,China
Sam Neill,Hollywood actor

Zhang kechun’s works have been collected internationally by many other museums and private collectors from U.S.A, France,Germany, Japan and China.