New Photo - Ten Years is the inaugural exhibition of Three Shadows Photography Art Centre. It will reproduce New Photo, an independently published contemporary photography journal created by the artists Liu Zheng and RongRong from 1996 to 1998 and realized through the collaborative efforts of artists working towards a common goal. The group exhibition is presented by 16 Chinese artists and photographers, including Liu Zheng, Jin Yongquan, RongRong, Wang Xu, Liu Anping, Zhuang Hui, Yan Lei, Gao Bo, Zhao Liang, Qiu Zhijie, Jiang Zhi, An Hong, Hong Lei, Guan Ce, San Mao and Zheng Guogu. Curated by Prof. Wu Hong and Mr. Zhang Li, the exhibition attempts, in the greatest possible way, to reproduce the situation of Chinese contemporary photography ten years ago. With a considerable number of artworks produced at that time, the exhibition reflects a landmark transformation in the development of contemporary Chinese photography.
The exhibition aims to promote the serious research of contemporary Chinese photography by displaying and creating a dialogue on the journal New Photo and such artistic situations which it represented. Its objective is neither a nostalgic yearning for the past, nor simply an attempt to foster discussion between like minds. Instead, it seeks to present an occasion for the public to engage directly with these works in a way that could not have happened ten years ago. It provides a renewed opportunity for discussing the position of these pieces historically, and reflects a critical turning point in contemporary Chinese photography. In this way, it presents us with the material for writing a new chapter in the history of Chinese photography.
The exhibition fully embodies the interrelationship between the original impetus behind both New Photo and Three Shadows. It serves as a beginning of a successive series of exhibitions and research programs towards its commitment and mission, which will continuously facilitate its contributions to contemporary Chinese photography.