Zooming in on China's historical and social changes
A young couple in People's Park, Shanghai, in 1978
For top photographers, finding the "decisive moment" is essential.
A few seconds actually require years of professional experience, an acute awareness of surroundings, as well as personal interpretation of life and aesthetic preferences.
Liu Heung Shing excels in all of the above.
"Lens-Era-People" is his first large-scale, exhaustive retrospective exhibition to open at the Museum of Art Pudong.
The show includes approximately 200 pieces divided into sections such as "Face," "Body Language," "Timing the Moment," "Benchmarks," "Crowds," "Place" and "Archive," with over half of them on display for the first time.
"Among them, 187 photos span nearly half a century," Liu said.
Unwittingly, these images ring a bell, especially for visitors who have witnessed the changes in society over the last decades.
The exhibition includes Liu's iconic photographs of historical events, social people's portraits, and ordinary life in several countries.
A young woman is seen on the beach in Beidaihe resort, Hebei, in 1982.
American fashion designer Roy Halston and models have fun on the Great Wall, Beijing, in 1980.
Liu, who was born in Hong Kong in 1951, moved to Fuzhou, Fujian Province, at the age of 3. He returned to Hong Kong at the age of 10 and later went to the United States to complete his studies.
He began his photojournalism career in 1976 and has been TIME magazine's and The Associated Press' chief photojournalist in Beijing since 1978.
His broad educational and cultural experiences have heightened his cultural acumen, while his profound understanding of China has enabled him to present the global journalistic community with a unique perspective.
Liu was one of the first international photojournalists to chronicle China's reform and opening-up. Following his tenure in Beijing, he worked as The Associated Press' lead photographer in Los Angeles, New Delhi, Seoul and Moscow, experiencing a number of significant historical events in each city.
He has picked up several awards along the way, notably the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News and the Overseas Press Club Award in 1992.
From state leaders to ordinary people, and from eye-catching events to daily routines, his works highlight how he recorded historical moments and delivered aesthetic expressions of strong personal interest.
A young PLA soldier, Beijing, 1980
Among the seven sections, "Face" ranges from young people in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, who were influenced by the pop culture of that time to Pu Jie (younger brother of Pu Yi, China's last emperor), who's sitting inside the Forbidden City.
"How do the subjects live and fall in love? What are their interests? This is what I need to keep in mind when I shoot a photo," Liu explained.
"I focus more on the details. It can be difficult for a photographer to quickly build rapport with a subject in only a few seconds."
Despite tremendous changes over time, these faces elicit a sense of resonance for individuals who have lived through the changes.
"If you want to record the era, you have to ask yourself what kind of images it has to be. In fact, most of them displayed here are not your typical news photos."
Chinese actress Zhou Xun, Beijing, 2021
"The various faces, gestures, and body language reveal the joy derived from life's details, while, on the other hand, they reveal the significance of a broader aspect of history and life."
"The Crowd" section uses the prism of "group portraits" to gain insight into the pulse of society by documenting the juxtaposition of street scenes in several cities, from morning tea at the Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai in the 1970s, afternoon tea in a Western restaurant in Beijing in the 1980s, to afternoon tea on the Bund, Shanghai, in 2012, revealing the unconscious details of the times.
Besides photos about China that local audiences can immediately empathize with, this exhibition also includes Liu's photographic documentation of historical events he witnessed in the United States, India and the former Soviet Union.
Some photographs document significant events, such as the resignation speech of former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev.
"It is neither the beginning nor the end of history," Liu said of the picture that earned him acclaim. "In fact, it is the passing of history."
A sense of action is recreated on-site to showcase Liu's unique photo-developing experiences, vividly re-enacting how news images were created, selected, and distributed during his time.
Exhibition info:
Date: Through December 17, 10am-9pm
Venue: Museum of Art Pudong
Address: 2777 Binjiang Ave
滨江大道2777号
Click the pictures to read past stories ↓
Editor: Fu Rong
Designer: Shi JingyunWriter: Wang JiePhoto: Ti GongSource: Shine