In these photos, the ruins are not silent. They speak to the fragility of culture and the enduring nature of stone. The Ethics of the Image
For over a century, the Old Summer Palace has existed in the global consciousness as a series of skeletal stone arches and scattered marble. However, before the fire of 1860, it was the "Garden of Gardens"—a pinnacle of architectural harmony. Photography, in this context, serves two opposing masters: In these photos, the ruins are not silent
The exhibition highlights a profound shift in how we view history. We are no longer looking at the Old Summer Palace through the eyes of the colonizers who photographed its downfall, but through the eyes of modern creators who seek to reclaim its narrative. However, before the fire of 1860, it was
Through the interplay of light and shadow, these photographs remind us that while fire can destroy wood and silk, it cannot incinerate the cultural identity embedded in the earth. Through the interplay of light and shadow, these