Chen Haiwen | China's 56 Ethnic Groups

Photo © Chen Haiwen-All Rights Reserved

Whilst in Shanghai, I was very pleased to meet with Mr Chen Haiwen; a master photographer, the founder of Shanghai Museum of Antique Cameras, the recipient of the highest photography award in China twice in a row and Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Photography Association. He and his family were a model of gracious hospitality and assistance.

Between the summers of 2008 and 2009, he and his support teams visited 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, 554 cities and counties of China (and Taiwan), to produce The Family Photos of China's 56 Ethnic Groups.

Mr Chen and his team took 57,228 family photos of 1,125 cultural heritage  ethnic group representatives. These are analog images that provide a complete ethnographic record of China's 56 ethnic groups.

Using a VIP invitation to the Shanghai PhotoFairs, I posed in front of one of Mr Chen's large format images.

At Shanghai PhotoFairs

Aside from his masterly work with China's ethnic groups, take a look at his monochrome photographs which are in a separate gallery titled Zǎoqí Zuòpǐn (Early Works) which presents various images from (presumably) Shanghai and other towns....street and interiors. 

Photo © Chen Haiwen-All Rights Reserved