Faces of Guangzhou, Faces of Germany

"Faces of Guangzhou, Faces of Germany"
Co-organized with the German Consulate General in Guangzhou
Duration: October 31 – November 30, 2021
Venue: Hu Ancestral Hall, Huangpu Ancient Port, Haizhu District, Guangzhou
Artists: Carsten Sander, Xiao Quan
Curators: Dr. Jasmin Gong, Chen Ruijun
Organizer: German Consulate General in Guangzhou
Presenter: InterCulture

Foreword:
"The face is the mirror of the soul." — Cicero

This exhibition presents Carsten Sander’s documentary photo series Germany – Your Faces, which egalitarianly shows faces of different classes, ethnic backgrounds, ages, and emotional states. It is a work about tolerance and coexistence, displaying the diverse social landscape of modern Germany.

Carsten Sander is a renowned German photographer and artist. For seven years, he photographed 1,000 faces across Germany. Each photo tells a touching story. Sander shoots his subjects frontally, with the same background, no posing, and extreme clarity, aiming to objectively capture each face and glimpse their souls.

Xiao Quan is known as "China’s best portrait photographer". Inspired by August Sander, he aims to document the real faces of our era in his series Portraits of the Times. He simplifies backgrounds, props, and clothing, while using professional lighting to create a solemn ritual, making every subject feel respected as if on a stage.

Through portrait photography, both artists record their times and cities, revealing the differences and commonalities between Chinese and German cultures. As the 50th anniversary of China-Germany diplomatic relations approaches, InterCulture is honored to partner with the German Consulate General in Guangzhou to host these two masters in a 300-year-old Lingnan ancestral hall for a cross-cultural artistic dialogue.