Name: Gazing at Myself: A Chinese Life in Photographs
Start: 2013-02-07T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2013-04-21T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Macao Museum of Art

About This Event

Note: This content has been automatically translated for your convenience. For the most accurate information, please refer to the original Chinese version.

Exhibition Overview

Presented by the Macao Museum of Art and the China Millennium Monument World Art Museum, "Gazing at Myself: A Chinese Life in Photographs" showcases 62 portrait photographs of Ye Jinglü, an ordinary Chinese man. This exhibition chronicles his life through annual portraits taken from 1907 to 1968, spanning three distinct historical periods: the late Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China, and the New China. Through these images, the exhibition reveals not only the existence of the individual "self" but also Ye's life attitude of self-respect, self-love, self-reflection, and self-confidence.

About Ye Jinglü

Born: 1881
First Portrait: 1901
Annual Portraits: Began in 1907 and continued until his death in 1968.
Life Journey: Served as an aide to a Qing imperial envoy to London in 1896. After returning to Fuzhou, he began his lifelong project of documenting his life through a single annual portrait, also noting significant national events alongside his personal record.

Exhibition Significance

This seemingly ordinary series of portraits revives the collective memory of a generation of Chinese people across modern, contemporary, and recent history. The value of personal imagery is no less significant than grand historical photographs. In today's fast-paced, fragmented world, the act of quietly "gazing at oneself" has become a luxury. This exhibition invites reflection on how to maintain one's sense of self, enhance the quality of life, and uphold personal dignity.