China: The Photographs of Lois Conner [Hardcover]

Geremie Barme (Author), Lois Conner (Author, Photographer), Jonathan Spence (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2000

An astonishing magnum opus by one of today's great women photographers documenting the subtle beauty and dramatically changing face of China.

For the past fifteen years Lois Conner has traveled alone throughout China equipped with a huge banquet camera. She photographs the landscapes and the people, documenting the ancient and unchanging geological terrain as well as the social and cultural upheaval of contemporary China. Her camera, which weighs forty pounds, produces a negative that is seven inches high and seventeen inches wide, enabling her to make breathtaking panoramas.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The China framed by Kubota's camera lens is neither a collectivist utopia lurching toward a high-tech future nor a consumer society adopting capitalist ways, trends overplayed recently in the Western press. Instead we glimpse an immensely varied, post-feudal China struggling to modernize in the face of persistently low living standards. One hundred eighty-five candid color photographs show ferryboats and junks; meat shops where slaughtered cats and dogs are sold as food; careworn peasants, student artists, nude bathers, duck farmers; ancestor worshippers, devout Muslims and Tibetan lamaists. Kubota, born in China but launched on his photographic career in the U.S., traveled through the People's Republic from 1979 to 1984. He roamed from northwestern deserts to Manchurian forests, from ice-fishing in subzero temperatures to tribal "water festivals." Yet, somehow, the Chinese people and the country's political climate remain elusive in all of this. November 25
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Since 1985, Conner has hauled a 40-pound banquet camera around China. This camera produces 7" x 17" negatives, which give her a panoramic view of the large, visually complex nation. The foreword by Jonathan Spence (sinology, Yale Univ.) is both an appreciation of Conner's work and a useful guide to the politics, culture, and economics that lie beneath her photographs. China, as presented here, is both a dusty relic and a carelessly patched together place full of dangling wires, unfinished projects, and flimsy-looking architecture that is an enduring eyesore. The Chinese, who move in and out of these images, are not camera shy; they appear ready for the modern world while often dwelling where it intersects with a muddy path through a shantytown. There is little beauty here, but there are carefully composed and lovingly textured images of a China that has mysteries yet to be revealed. Conner has made an important visual contribution for all Westerners interested in China. Expensive but recommended.DDavid Bryant, New Canaan Lib., CT
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: Callaway; 1st edition (October 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 093511257X
• ISBN-13: 978-0935112573
• Product Dimensions: 16.5 x 10.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,184,084 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Feast for the Eyes, Mind, and Soul, August 15, 2001

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: China: The Photographs of Lois Conner (Hardcover)

Imagine if Ansel Adams had been interested in the interaction of nature and people in landscapes rather than the wilderness. Then, imagine that he had traveled widely in China from 1984 to 1999 to capture the country's image, history, and culture. Add a banquet camera and platinum printing using the tritone process. This will begin to give you an idea of what this book contains. I was entranced by these images of what I have not yet seen . . . but now better understand.

Ms. Conner brings several perspectives to her photographs that I found rewarding. First, the horizontal rectangles of the banquet camera remind me of a finely detailed scroll. Immediately, the images bring new understanding to much traditional Chinese art as well as to the impact that landscape has had on Chinese culture. Second, the interaction of people and nature create interesting thoughts for the viewer. Why is human orderliness so much less attractive than the less regular pulses of nature? Third, the people feel like they are in the room with you, providing the basis for potentially having a conversation. What do they think of photography? What do they think of those who will see the photographs? What message would they like to send? What messages have they sent? Fourth, history comes to life with the places. You see the desert boundaries of a dynasty. You see the political stage upon which a government exults in itself. The echoes of foreign domination linger on in other images. So, although these images do not have texts accompanying each one, they carry eloquent messages to both the casual and the careful observer. A helpful foreword by Jonathan Spence, thoughtful essay by Geremie R. Barme, and self-reflective notes by Ms. Conner add to the viewer's understanding of the intriguing, and often breathtaking, scenes.

As in the best photography books, this one uses facing pages well to create contrasts, dialogue, and new thoughts. The quality of the paper and the printing of the images are superb.

Usually, I am moved to pick out a few images for special mention as being the most outstanding. I did not have that reaction to this volume. I felt that almost every image was outstanding. Collectively, they tell a vastly more interesting story than they do individually. In total, there is an impression of China as it has been, is now, and is becoming that are vastly more indelible than the last ten books you could have read about China.

After you finish enjoying this wonderful volume several times, think about where else photographs could add depth of understanding that other ways of characterizing something could not. How can you use photographs to help others understand important lessons in those situations?

Press in all directions to expose new dimensions of reality!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear View of China, February 3, 2005

By 

Mr. Budd Margolis (London, Surrey United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: China: The Photographs of Lois Conner (Hardcover)

Conner's photographs provide glimpses into China that most images or photographers seem to hurry or miss. The clarity of image, the use of B&W, the huge format camera provide the format of a Chinese painting and somehow, the accumulated images give me an impression of China that is vast, exotic, laden with dust and reality, life and vitality. There is a solemn appreciation for the grand nature of this land.

I have had this book for a couple years now and every month or so I review the pages in this book and find new meaning. Maybe the juxtaposition with other images or my own perceptions changes as well with time? But what I find remarkable is the clarity of thought behind the images. This book provides me with continued enjoyment and I am sure most who are interested in understanding China will enjoy this book as well.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It takes you to China as you turn the pages!, August 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: CHINA: 50 Years Inside the People's Republic (Hardcover)

Wonderful! Having recently travelled to China and seen the still hidden and truelly communist parts of the country I thought that the book did great justice to the country and the people. I felt as if I were back in China as I read further and further into the book! I would recommend reading this book to accent a trip to China. Knowing the history and having a feel for the country before travelling is imperative for a successful journey. ENJOY!