By Xinyi Li, EDITOR  On November 27, the Outdoor Image Exhibition for Urban Space kicked off. As a part of the 2018 Chongqing International Image Festival, the exhibition was simultaneously at Shibati (Eighteen Stairs) Old Street, Shancheng Alley and Baixiang Street in Yuzhong District. This exhibition focuses on demonstrating the charm of Chongqing via images. Additionally, those photos full of memories have become the real reflection of the old daily life of Chongqing people. The series of activities will last through the end of this year. It opens in three regions—Shibati Old Street, Shancheng Alley, and Baixiang Street.

The Outdoor Image Exhibition for Urban Space kicked off on November 27

Photographer Zhang Yuqing recorded Shibati Old Street in the simplest way. Zhang Yuqing, along the street, recorded each of the facades before transformation one by one, such as the sesame oil cake vendor, the woodworker, the tailor, the mahjong players, as well as the Army of Bangbang (porters) in the Mountain City. Whereupon, a group of photos—“An All-Inclusive Shibati Old Street”— lined up towards Jiaochangkou, representing the true “Eighteen Stairs”. In addition, the vivid picture seemed to resound the “yo-heave-ho” of the old street.

A group of photos—“An All-Inclusive Shibati Old Street”  

Feel the City by Old Photos

To Zhongxing Road, a dozen meters of colored drawing presented the various characters and scenes. Moreover, drawing photos were all kinds of old craftsmen who were active on the street like carpenters and Miejiang (a craft of making articles from bamboo strips).

This exhibition has dynamically integrated images into the urban space, providing tourists with more possibilities to enjoy the exhibition. Combined with old buildings, these images are full of a strong sense of the times. Besides, images offer viewers a different memory of the mother town.

The small store on the image

Baixiang Street was a financial street after the city was openned as a commercial port in 1891. This exhibition also displayed a large image with 12m long, made of photos of the live scene of the Taiping Gate 100 years ago. The images were the Taiping Gate and the “water-carrier” walking uphill in front of the gate during the period of opening the commercial port. They were perfectly integrated into the facade.

A woman sited near the photo of Shibati

“Shibati Old Street links the upper half and down half of the old Chongqing city. In the meantime, it is also seen as a place to connect Chongqing people’s memories.” Curator Wang Yuanling said. As the carrier of Chongqing’s civil culture, Shibati Old Street boasts the most vivid memory of Chongqing. Base on keeping the original appearance, this exhibition presented the mother town in an artistic and creative way. Furthermore, it aims to improve Chongqing’s cultural ethos and then vitalize visual arts.

Source: Chongqing Daily