"The Bliss of Conformity" by Yingguang GUO. Limited edition of 800 copies, 47€. Velour cover, 287mm x 205mm x 14mm, 86 pages. Photographs in black&white and colors
The boyfriend’s parents can’t accept her age after all, and their relationship ended there. That’s how Chinese photographer Yingguang Guo (b. 1983) became single at the age of 33, a “left-over woman”, considered by the eyes of contemporary Chinese society. Burdened by all of the questions she could not find answers to, Guo went to the People’s Park in Shanghai to perform as her own “matchmaker”, holding a sign with her own accomplishments, while the parents come sniffing around to assess her suitability for their children.
In addition to being a place of relaxation, Shanghai People’s Park is also a well-known market for matchmaking that has been in existence for ten years. Hundreds of parents gather there every weekend regardless of weather, clutching succinct summaries of their children on single information sheets that contain their age, height, education, job, salary etc. all in an effort to find an “acceptable” partner for their child to marry.
By photographing daily scenes and details of personal adds at the matchmaking corner, Guo also uses photo-etching techniques to create a series of abstract images that reveal the turbulent truths of arranged marriages beneath the seemingly calm surface depicted by peaceful images of the park, such as traditional intergenerational relationships and views of marriage, as well as discrimination against the so-called “left-over women”.
This publication was spotted at "La Maison de Z", an on-going project focusing on Chinese contemporary photography and independent publications. Founded by French-Chinese artist Zhen Shi in 2015, the project allows a growing audience the discovery of the most recent works of emerging Chinese artists.
Guo signed her publication on Thursday 5th July at Cosmos Arles Books. She has also an exhibition at the Maison des Lices, which is coproduced with the Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival.
Fashion Eye Shanghai - Wing Shya. Book edited by Patrick Rémy, 50€, 23.5 cm x 30.5 cm Printed on opaque coating paper
The “Louis Vuitton Fashion Eye” collection evokes a city, region or country through the eye of a fashion photographer. “Fashion Eye” establishes a dialogue between emerging talents, seasoned photographers and fashion photography legends. This volume offers a unique vision of Shanghai by Wing Shya, where he lives part time. He serves as exclusive photographer for Wong-Kar-wai (Happy Together, In the Mood for Love, Eros, 2046). At the crossroads of art, fashion and cinema, Wing Shya develops an aesthetic approach that is all about sensuality and style.
More information: www.rencontres-arles.com
