Migrant Bird Space
This Polaroid photography collection by Gulu, started in 2017, aims to reject labels through a focus on contemporary Chinese subcultures, viewing the body as a weapon, and recognizing reality as the foundation of existence. Within his 2017-2021 works, he strives to restore the identity of those "materialized" by society, using techniques like text and painting on Polaroids to convey his manifesto. He encourages self-expression through a skewed perspective, blurring the boundaries between photography and painting via hand-reconstructed Polaroid realities. Gulu perceives the body not as an object, but the embodiment of emotion, equating nudity with freedom.
We are immensely honored to bring a sizzling photography exhibition to Berlin this summer – marking the only solo exhibition by Lin Zhipeng, also known by No.223, in Berlin in recent years. The spotlight of this exhibition is firmly on the ‘Boys Boys Boys’ series and the eloquent expression of emotions.
Our journey through the exhibition delves into the untouched realms of vulnerability, desire, and intimacy. Guided by the artist’s intuitive perception and unique perspective, viewers are invited to explore these themes through Lin’s lens.
As we navigate through the array of images, what emerges is a fresh viewpoint on the universal emotions shared by us all. By providing this perspective, Lin Zhipeng offers an exceptional contribution to the narrative of contemporary photography.
This unique exhibition zeros in on the series Boys Boys Boys, a compelling exploration into the rich tapestry of their emotional experiences.
Why are we built to desire intimacy? Does intimacy fulfill fundamental human needs, such as the need for love, affection and belonging? Shouldn’t we all be more vulnerable to create intimacy?
Join us this summer in Berlin to experience this captivating exploration of the underlying connectivity of vulnerability, desire, and intimacy through the groundbreaking work of Lin Zhipeng. His pieces reflect our collective emotional landscape, presenting a discourse that is at once personal and universal, private and shared.
No. 223 is one of the representatives of the new generation of Chinese photography,
Lin Zhipeng’s work is filled with poetic charm, emotional tension, and unique insights and expressions of queer culture, which have garnered him long-standing international attention. His photography captures forgotten or overlooked characters, emotional states, urban fringe scenes, and moments of everyday life. His distinctive use of lighting, composition, and color endows his photos with symbolic significance that transcends the subjects themselves. This is more than just documentary-style shooting and capturing of life; it’s also a vehicle for emotions and reflections, embodying his striking personal style.
In 2012, Ai Weiwei pronounced her as one of the “rising stars of Chinese photography” (New Statesmen). Today, Luo Yang is well-acclaimed in her own regard, having had numerous exhibitions in Asia and abroad. Her monograph GIRLS was published on occasion of the 10-year anniversary of her series. In her work, highly staged portraits and carefully constructed poses alternate with a raw, blurred snapshot-aesthetic.
In 2019 she received the Jimei x Arles Women Photographer’s Award.
Bold yet intimate, these are Luo Yang’s portraits. With her film camera, she explores and records the changes happening among contemporary Chinese young people, rarely taken note of in the West. Her subjects are raw, revealing their strengths and fragilities all at once. If at a first glance they may seem badass and confident, they are also insecure and torn at the same time. With her first series GIRLS, the artist frames Chinese women, in order to better understand their life as well as her own. Empathy plays a key role in this connection that arises between Luo Yang and her models, letting emerge shared emotions, concerns, and experiences. In her latest one, Youth, Luo Yang defies stereotypes and questions gender norms, shedding light on the diversity of China’s young generation in a sensitive way. As such, her images revolve around the themes of youth, nudity and femininity, while celebrating personal growth.