In the process of creating his first photographic series, Standard Family, Wang Jinsong observed the situations of retired couples living by themselves and decided to use this as a theme for his next photography project, Parents. In an effort to better understand his own past, Wang Jinsong selected couples that belonged to the generation of his parents and who were representative of different social classes, from workers to university professors. In traditional China, members of several generations of the same family would live together and share the household duties; today, however, with urban migration and family planning programs, such traditions are changing. Among the couples that Wang Jinsong photographed for his Parents series, were pairs who seemed to enjoy their independence after their children had moved away. By presenting them among their possessions, the artist attempts to show not only differences of taste and social status but also the ways in which government policies have marked the lives of this generation. More than his other photographic works, the series Parents illustrates the juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary concepts in the lives of Chinese people.
Photograph
Digital print.
16.14 x 15.35 in
41.0 x 39.0 cm
In the process of creating his first photographic series, Standard Family, Wang Jinsong observed the situations of retired couples living by themselves and decided to use this as a theme for his next photography project, Parents. In an effort to better understand his own past, Wang Jinsong selected couples that belonged to the generation of his parents and who were representative of different social classes, from workers to university professors. In traditional China, members of several generations of the same family would live together and share the household duties; today, however, with urban migration and family planning programs, such traditions are changing. Among the couples that Wang Jinsong photographed for his Parents series, were pairs who seemed to enjoy their independence after their children had moved away. By presenting them among their possessions, the artist attempts to show not only differences of taste and social status but also the ways in which government policies have marked the lives of this generation. More than his other photographic works, the series Parents illustrates the juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary concepts in the lives of Chinese people.
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