All About Photo proudly presents a new, exclusive online exhibition featuring the work of renowned Chinese photographer Chris Yan. Running throughout October 2024, this digital showcase highlights twenty striking street photographs from Yan’s celebrated series, Beijing Story.
Beijing, one of the oldest cities in the world with over 3,000 years of history, is a place where tradition and modernity collide in captivating ways. From the ancient temples to the bustling metropolis, the city’s essence is captured in Chris Yan’s evocative street photography. His work reveals a tapestry of contrasts: a city where time seems to simultaneously move forward and stand still.
Yan, a native Beijinger, never turned his lens toward his city until recently. As he prepares to immigrate with his family to the United States, he began to feel an urgent need to capture Beijing’s essence before leaving it behind. Over the past two years, Yan has spent countless hours walking the streets, documenting the stories of everyday life in this ever-changing city.
“Before I turned forty, I had never photographed Beijing,” said Yan. “I was too familiar with it. But now, as I prepare to leave, I realize how much of the city’s history, customs, and unique lifestyle are worth preserving through photography.”
Beijing Story features images that range from Beijing’s quiet alleys and neighborhoods to its modern business districts. Each photograph is an intimate look into the life and culture of a city in transition. Yan’s series invites viewers to experience Beijing through his lens as he embarks on a “long goodbye” with the city of his birth.
