A Natural in Photography

I was born in Shanghai. To me, taking photos is natural. Objects such as decorations on the wall, dust on the table, or wine bottles on the window sill, all have a sense of poetic sadness. The still life represents a reality that is neglected by us. The sense of smell, poetry, and alcohol help me slow down, help me blend in with the city.

Liu Yi-Qing is a Shanghai-based artist. 

Liu Yi-Qing, Sweet Smoke Series 2005, 2005. Courtesy of the artist

I was born in Shanghai. To me, taking photos is natural. Objects such as decorations on the wall, dust on the table, or wine bottles on the windowsill, all have a sense of poetic sadness. The still life represents a reality that is neglected by us. The sense of smell, poetry, and alcohol help me slow down, help me blend in with the city.

The friends around me are either my age or much older me. We all have within us the same intense passion and sorrow, wandering in this monstrous city. My friends have taught me a lot. Their silent expression in front of my camera makes me speechless.

She is serious. She doesn’t deny her bad hearing and stammering. Her best sense is her sense of smell. This little boy is most worried about her big butt and yin-yang hands.

She admires the lifestyle of ancient Greeks. She likes pure honesty. She likes to stay intimate with the world. But this doesn’t keep her from having a good time. She gives all her passion to the destiny. She loves making fun of the truth. She likes to describe herself in third person, as if she were the third person.