Mad in China, Nomad in Beijing (2007)
Eleven photographers and two journalists went to Beijing and totally immersed themselves in the life of the city with the intention of creating a multi-faceted portrait which was to be voluntarily subjective and an art magazine entitled “Mad in China”.
“What first appealed to us was the desire to enter into this city which is talked about all over the world as the centre stage of huge urban transformations, of pharaonic building projects and also the place where the Olympic Games are to be held. Together, we wanted to observe the city and let ourselves be carried into its flow. We can not claim to have fully explained Beijing.
Eleven photographers and two journalists thrown into the midst of the city, contriving to paint a shattered and purposely subjective portrait. Thirteen nomads who have decided to turn their feverish wanderings into a review, « Mad in China ». Only a fortnight to do it all. From the first image to the final turnout in print. A wild challenge, almost beyond our stamina, carried away by the city’s energy. It has been said that anything can happen in Beijing. . . The shock moreover was more violent than we had anticipated and our experiences urgently put to paper. They could not exist without an exchange of views with the Pekinese. Artists, poets and draughtsmen came to confront their vision with our own. We have seen Beijing ; we have written on Beijing. Local writers have entrusted their texts to us. Their words and ours have been but poorly and partially translated. They reflect fragments of reality. The ones we apprehended from one another.
We haven’t understood Beijing. We lived it intensely.”
Cécile Cazenave
Photography : Tendance Floue
Text : Cécile Cazenave, Vincent Réa, Chunsue, Fan Jian, Li Hua, Stéphanie Ollivier, Yin Lishuan, Zhou Yunpeng, Zhan Zhinua
Graphic design : Lin
Magazine out of stock
More info about the exhibition “Mad in China”