The Chinese

The presence of contemporary Chinese artists on the international art market has steadily increased in recent years: China made a major presentation at the Venice Biennale in 1990, and Chinese artists have been celebrated at numerous exhibitions in their own country and abroad since then. Photography, which plays an important role in Chinese art, has become the leading medium for the representation of rapidly changing social realities and the problems of identity associated with them. This lavishly illustrated volume presents 18 photographers and their works, and offers unprecedented insight into China's lively photography scene. The Chinese focuses mainly on photographers between the ages of 30 and 40 who, through a wide range of styles--from documentary to straight photography, respond to the world around them. They shed light on the issues facing Chinese society: rapid urban growth, the cultural clash of socialist Chinese culture, and the world of capitalism and consumption.