Curator: Maya Anner
In 2022, Yan Jiacheng joined a new community located in a faraway Chinese suburb that blends in with the rural areas to form a unique landscape. In the wake of the epidemic and economic downturn, many areas across China have experienced stagnation, resulting inJiacheng’s community lacking public spaces, the riverside being its only gathering spot. At the end of the day, the region’s residents convene by the riverbank. Some engage in leisure walking or exercise routines while others partake in activities such as dog walking, lighting fireworks, enjoying picnics, and burning Joss paper for the deceased (a traditional Chinese custom). As night falls, the illuminated scene beneath the streetlights undergoes a transformation, resembling a captivating stage-like portrayal of the interplay between humanity and its surroundings.
