Chinese “Stories” from the Hinterland
Every picture tells a story, and that’s the main criterion I use to determine whether a painting or photograph is interesting or meaningless for me. Unlike many experts or professionals who delight in technical details, I focus on the narratives – or even spirit – behind the images.
While my last few articles were text-intensive, and since every picture tells a story, this article provides a more visual journey. In this article, we dive into the rich tapestry of Chinese minority people, captured in photographs from the hinterlands of northwest China, specifically Qinghai and the border area with Tibet, taken between 1979 and 1982. I have a good Chinese friend with whom I share similar interests and so we also shared many of our photos. Photos that nobody really liked back then. Well, that’s just how it is.
You might wonder why these photos aren’t technically better. Well, to avoid uncomfortable questions, the photos were developed in-house in China using equipment that was quite simple and outdated at the time. But as is often the case in life, everything has a positive side and perhaps it was precisely the poor conditions that gave the photos even more narrative flair and let each telling its own story from the Chinese hinterland.
Most of the photos show Tibetans (བོད་པ་) and Qiang (羌族).
Have fun looking through them and creating your own stories!
Another article with old photos from China: Andy Warhol, a Corpse, Opium, and a Botched Tribunal. related: The Gift of the Green Snake
Explore more: Discover original works on FriedrichZettl.com or Saatchi Art
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