ARCHIVE ON ORPHANS - Jiang Jian
Chinese photographer Jiang Jian (1953-), originally from Henan province, is interested in the lower strata of Chinese society, and takes an intimate, confidential look at this section of the population, capturing the various trials and triumphs they may experience. He is recognized as both a conceptual artist and a photojournalist.
Archive on Orphans, published in 2011, documents the lives of 1036 orphans from Henan. Participating in a support campaign launched by the local charitable community and a Buddhist temple, Jiang Jian devised a system to track and record changes in the lives of 12 of these orphans by photographing them every five years. In total, this project resulted in 48 black and white portraits and 12 groups of color portraits, taken between 2004 and 2014.
"My photography expresses the individual feelings of each orphan as I confront them. Over the past decade, in communicating with these orphans and their loved ones, I see that love brings hope. Although my photography, to a certain extent, can help them, I can also see that documentary photography acts as a double-edged sword; it will never become a panacea. I had hoped that my photos wouldn't bother them too much, and so, I decided to finish this project."
Published by Verlag Kettler, 2017
Boxed set, 22.4 cm x 30.4 cm, 200 pages, very good condition
ISBN 978-3862065004
Chinese photographer Jiang Jian (1953-), originally from Henan province, is interested in the lower strata of Chinese society, and takes an intimate, confidential look at this section of the population, capturing the various trials and triumphs they may experience. He is recognized as both a conceptual artist and a photojournalist.
Archive on Orphans, published in 2011, documents the lives of 1036 orphans from Henan. Participating in a support campaign launched by the local charitable community and a Buddhist temple, Jiang Jian devised a system to track and record changes in the lives of 12 of these orphans by photographing them every five years. In total, this project resulted in 48 black and white portraits and 12 groups of color portraits, taken between 2004 and 2014.
"My photography expresses the individual feelings of each orphan as I confront them. Over the past decade, in communicating with these orphans and their loved ones, I see that love brings hope. Although my photography, to a certain extent, can help them, I can also see that documentary photography acts as a double-edged sword; it will never become a panacea. I had hoped that my photos wouldn't bother them too much, and so, I decided to finish this project."
Published by Verlag Kettler, 2017
Boxed set, 22.4 cm x 30.4 cm, 200 pages, very good condition
ISBN 978-3862065004
Chinese photographer Jiang Jian (1953-), originally from Henan province, is interested in the lower strata of Chinese society, and takes an intimate, confidential look at this section of the population, capturing the various trials and triumphs they may experience. He is recognized as both a conceptual artist and a photojournalist.
Archive on Orphans, published in 2011, documents the lives of 1036 orphans from Henan. Participating in a support campaign launched by the local charitable community and a Buddhist temple, Jiang Jian devised a system to track and record changes in the lives of 12 of these orphans by photographing them every five years. In total, this project resulted in 48 black and white portraits and 12 groups of color portraits, taken between 2004 and 2014.
"My photography expresses the individual feelings of each orphan as I confront them. Over the past decade, in communicating with these orphans and their loved ones, I see that love brings hope. Although my photography, to a certain extent, can help them, I can also see that documentary photography acts as a double-edged sword; it will never become a panacea. I had hoped that my photos wouldn't bother them too much, and so, I decided to finish this project."
Published by Verlag Kettler, 2017
Boxed set, 22.4 cm x 30.4 cm, 200 pages, very good condition
ISBN 978-3862065004
