Old Photos (Volume 3)

Author: Feng Ke Li
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-08-01
Features: A photograph, a memory. Although it narrates the experience of just one person or family, it seems insignificant. Yet at the same time, it inadvertently reflects the history of a nation, a country. Without "the people," how can there be "the nation"? Without "the family," how can there be "the country"? At the end of the day, nations and countries are merely collections of countless individuals and families. Since its inception, 《》 has focused more on the fate of individuals and the personalization of narratives, giving them more space. The reason lies in this. Photographs can retain more of the truth of history, thanks to their irreplaceable and unalterable independent voice. Regrettably, when narrating history, the independent voice of photographs is often not given the respect it deserves. Even in books that extensively use photographs, they are merely supplementary evidence for historical conclusions or illustrations for certain historical concepts. 《》 attempts to change this by placing photographs at the center of observation, allowing them to speak for themselves. Sometimes, the meaning and implications contained in photographs far exceed what can be encompassed by simple historical conclusions. Only by acknowledging and listening to the voice of photographs can history become vivid and lively.