This summer visit Edinburgh’s City Art Centre to see the enthralling ‘China: A Photographic Portrait’
This exhibition from the Guangdong Museum of Art is a remarkable photographic exhibition, both in its scale and the insight it provides into the changing lives of the people of China. Over 250 Chinese photographers provide an incredible picture of the country’s people in all walks of life in almost 600 photographs.
The exhibition records the significance of radical cultural change from the vantage point of photographers living in China, capturing images which reflect many previously unseen aspects of life in China.
“.. modern China is a place of immense wealth and absolute poverty, a fact which has been captured beautifully by this massive, enthralling exhibition of hundreds of photographs”
Duncan Macmillan, Scotsman, 04 July 08
An extensive side programme of lunchtime talks, an adult and family craft programme and an already sold out schools programme will run in conjunction with the exhibition. Admission to complementary activities is included in the ticket price. Booking is recommended
Special one hour tours telling the story behind just a few of the photographs in the exhibition are also on offer. A drop in tour will take place every Sunday at 1.30pm on a first come first served basis.
These tours can also be offered at pre-arranged times for groups. To arrange a group tour email info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk or call 0131 662 2180.
A further complement to the exhibition is a contemporary moving image project from My China Now, featuring eleven short films providing further tantalising insights into cultural and social life in a country which is home to a fifth of the world’s population.
The exhibition comprises almost 600 frank images – selected from more than 100,000 works by over 1,000 Chinese photographers – and has been loaned by Guangdong Museum of Art, where it was originally shown in 2003. Having toured in Germany for the last two years, the run at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre represents the only opportunity to catch this incredible portrait of China before it returns to Guangdong.
Natascha Gentz, director of the Confucius Institute for Scotland, said: “Bringing this outstanding exhibition to Scotland is a remarkable achievement for the Institute. The broad range of authentic images of China – revealed for the first and, possibly, only time in the UK – reflects our Institute’s aim of promoting a greater understanding of the diversity and complexity of this huge, rapidly evolving country.”
The exhibition runs till 14 September and is open seven days 10.00-17.00 with Sunday opening at noon.
Prices are £5.00/£3.50 concession; £2.50 child 5-15; £10 season ticket; £10 family ticket. Admission to complementary activities is included in the admission price.