Students at the University of Liverpool are planning to put China in your hand at this year’s LOOK/17 festival.
A new work created by students for the city’s International Photography Festival, now in its 10th year, is sharing a series of one minute films showing life in China.
The experience of Chinese students in Liverpool, home of the oldest Chinese community in Europe, are also highlighted in the exhibition.
‘New Generation: Global Citizens’ shows the normal everyday life of living in China; getting some street food, catching a bus or playing basketball.
The filmmakers include a TV host in China, students and tech workers who have been inspired by a new piece commissioned as part of LOOK/17
British-Chinese photographer Yan Preston’s ‘Now and Before’ will be shown in Liverpool One as part of the festival.
A new series of photographic portraits of Chinese people in Liverpool capture a new Chinese community in the city, one that studies, lives and works outside the traditional ideas of Chinese expatriate culture.
The one-minute films respond to LOOK/17’s theme of exchange between Liverpool and China, along with the festival’s focus on urbanism and how photography can capture the ongoing changes in cities worldwide.
Boris and Rui, two Master’s students at the University of Liverpool, were both subjects of Yan Preston’s project.
Working with their friends in China, they have produced a series of short films reflecting modern urban life in China, from cherry blossoms on a university campus, to a taxi ride through Taipei.
The films were presented to the public on Thursday at the Museum of Liverpool, as part of the launch evening of LOOK/17.
The films are available to view online on YouTube, with information available on WeChat, the popular Chinese social networking platform.
“China has changed a lot in the past ten years” says Boris.
“It’s getting better, but it’s still surprising how little people here know about it. It’s not easy to integrate into the culture here.
“People are nice and kind but there are differences which can make it hard.”
For the full programme of events and exhibitions, visit www.lookphotofestival.com.