The New Documents: Creative Shifts in Contemporary Chinese Documentary Photography

Abstract

Following China’s economic reform and opening-up, contemporary Chinese documentary photography underwent a significant shift. The most notable transformation was the move from Socialist Realism photography to a new form of documentary photography. According to John Szarkowski, former Director of Photography at MoMA, this “new documents” differed from its predecessors by emphasizing “personal purpose” and focusing on “insights into life.” These characteristics became increasingly evident in Chinese contemporary documentary photography starting in the early 1980s. When Chinese photographers began to realize that documentary photography serving political purposes should give way to documentary photography reflecting society, the key Western influences that shaped their work were the new wave of documentary photographers emerging in the 1950s. This paper explores the work of six photographers and argues that understanding the shift to this “new documents” provides a crucial framework for comprehending the evolution of contemporary Chinese documentary photography.