Abstract of the accomplished photographic work
Lingering Garden captures the villages abandoned by farmers in the process of urbanization, which will be devoured by nature and digressed back to the primitive state as time goes by. During rapid ur-banization, the number of cities increases at the expense of the disappearing villages.
In recent years, China has concentrated its resources towards cities. This country, which once flour-ished in agricultural culture, is currently undergoing rapid urbanization. Millions of migrant workers flood into cities, forcing both rural and urban societies to experience unprecedented transfor-mations. As new comers to the city, the migrant workers find that the acquaintance ties and the ge-ographical relationship collapses, and they urgently need to adjust and adapt to the new environ-ment, which will redefine their identity. Witnessing this process of urbanization, I have been follow-ing these transformations through my photographic works. In sharp contrast to the cities, the images in Lingering Garden series recorded the landscape of the abandoned villages, exploring the marginal-ity of the countryside, be it evident or invisible. Through a lens that is so sharply opposite to urban experience and consumerism, these works reflect the tension between Modernity and tradition.
Installation shot
Description of the project you intend to pursue through the Prize
Lingering Garden is a project of taking photographs of the villages that were abandoned because of urbanization all over the country. Starting from 2015, I go to all these villages to take photographs every summer, by now I have took photographs of 192 abandoned villages. I plan to take photographs of abandoned villages in every provinces in China within five years.