Beijing: Contemporary and Imperial

by Lois Conner, Geremie R. Barmé (Contributor)

In three decades of visits to China, celebrated photographer Lois Conner has witnessed firsthand the monumental physical transformation of the country. Nowhere is this change more dramatic than in the capital city of Beijing, the subject of Conner's remarkable new book Contemporary and Imperial . Conner's breathtaking black-and-white panoramas reveal an ancient city in thrall to change, where the lingering splendor of a dynastic past is cast into shadow by rising concrete and steel. Juxtaposed against the ancient ruins from the Gardens of Perfect Brightness, the ultra modern "Bird's Nest" National Olympic Stadium embodies all the ambitions of a rapidly ascending China. And yet, amid all the bustle and spectacle, quietly contemplative images of city life emerge, as if rescued from another era. Rich in tone and flawless in detail, Conner's photographs capture all the complexities and contradictions of this fascinating modern metropolis.

144 pages, Hardcover

First published March 25, 2014

Reviews

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is most likely one of those long-tail books that only readers who have lived in Beijing or who have an appreciation for photography will come to enjoy. I purchased a still-wrapped brand new version of this elegant coffee-table book at Half Price Books. In fact, I was not looking for this book at all, instead it found me. As someone who has lived in Beijing for nine years and who also enjoys perusing through books related to photography, this book was just too good to pass up.

I suspect most readers are expecting to find colorful, appealing photographs of the more commonly known landmarks in Beijing, for example, the Temple of Heaven. Lois Connor, an award-winning professional photographer and professor of photographer, apparently used a unique camera of her own to capture much detail, light and texture of her subjects. It becomes apparent that the amount of work that went behind taking and producing these photographs was significant, for example, waiting for the right time of day, looking for the right angle for the right composition, whether to include snow in the photograph or not, etc. The subjects include rocks, trees, construction sites, destroyed relics, lakes, the migrant worker, and many other more obscure or less 'glamorous' or 'grand' things we normally come to associate with the ancient city of Beijing.

And that is precisely the appeal of this book. If one slows down and takes the time to admire each of the photographs, there is a story behind each one of them that illustrates the fleeting and constantly changing nature of the city of Beijing.

All of the photographs are in black and white. There is a lovely article in the back of the book written by a historian who collaborated with her on this book in which he has provided much useful contextual and historical background to the photographs.

Beijing is a city that still captivates many people as it is one of the finest examples of where the ancient and the modern are in close juxtaposition, and where the two seem to be in harmony at times, yet at other times look like the two contrasting identities of Beijing are competing for power and relevance. This book is a fine example that captures those dynamics well.