The past few years have seen several private and public endeavours that have re-assembled photographic archives of China. Of particular interest is Sheila Zhao’s “China Lost and Found” project that focuses on vernacular photographs, in other words mundane and utilitarian photographs taken by common people. Zhao is a Shanghai-based photographer who has been trying to make sense of the innumerable disposed-of candid prints she has been unearthing in flea markets. In order to do so, she has created an Instagram account, which has already gathered hundred of nicely digitized photographs. Her reconstructed archive encompasses snapshots covering almost the entire twentieth century.
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