Muge from Chengdu, China has some amazing portraits of strangers taken in the streets in his series, Silent. Set against the background of rapidly growing China, most of the images possess a melancholic feel; individuals lost in their seas of thoughts, trying to understand an absurd world.
While the subjects’ contemplation seem to reach some sort of philosophic nirvana, I believe that it reflects the photographer’s inner world more than what these people have in their minds. Their thoughts may be more banal than we perceive, perhaps the lonely male is checking a girl passing by, a housewife ponders on what to cook for dinner. A sense of mystery pervades the entire series.
TOP TO BOTTOM, from (“Silent“)
© Muge, 2005-2008
Besides this series, you should also check out Go Home, an unintentional documentation of the transformation taking place in the Three Gorges area. Instead, it was an attempt of remembrance, to keep one’s memories intact. Photography becomes a tool to turn memories into something tangible.
Today, I visited an old street where my grandmother used to stay with some relatives. The changes that have taken place were too much to bear. I could still remember the smells and sounds of the place where I spent some parts of my childhood. It really hurt to see it all forgotten and wiped clean. My cousin lamented that she could no longer recognize the place and wished we had photographs to remember how it used to be.
Visit Muge’s website to see more of his work.
9 Comments
It’s strange, yesterday I was visiting Muge web site and, because I loved it, I was thinking to write a post on my blog… but you where faster than me!
It’s true, it is a real shame to loose all the memories and feelings of just some years ago. And I don’t think it is only a matter of nostalgy, sometimes the world before the changes take place was better than now.
It is still very difficult for me to understand why a place like China, where the weight of tradition is so important, can accept those fast changes. Ok, the economic developpement. But why something does not change in the mind of people and something does? How this is determined?
ciao ciao
f
Heh sorry about that Fabiano!
It’s a very sad situation that we face here in my country where people forget or rather, refuse to remember our past. Developments take place at neck-breaking speeds and construction seems to be perpetually going on. I was speaking to a friend on this (she’s trying to revive a dying art form here) and she mentioned so many interesting bits of history that we all have erased in the name of development. Now, she’s the only one fighting for the cause – a lonely uphill battle.
Also had a conversation with a professor who wrote a book on the media industry and pop culture here in the 60s. It struck me silly because here’s an American who actually cared and did something for us, where most of us just didn’t know and couldn’t be bothered!
Anyway, I think I’m gonna prepare a really long piece on how we can use photography to remember, especially when economic developments cause cultural amnesia and apathy.
I just saw these on HEading East the other day, they’re so great. Is Chen Du different than Cheng Du. Does anyone know?
Jason: I think Chengdu and Chen du is the same, I just followed what Muge wrote on his website. I will make the necessary changes to prevent further confusion.
Excellent range of grey with deep black and pure white… bravo
Pascal
http://www.agitatto.com/blog/
Strangers look better in monochrome. Some nice shots.
Hello you can see Muge’s photographs at FORMAT International Photography Festival, Derby UK
louise
http://www.formatfestival.com
also worth to have a look at Zhang Xiao: http://www.zhangxiaophoto.com
Thanks Louise for the helpful information!