China through the Riboud lens

After a six-month rally starting from India, Marc Riboud arrived in Paris in early 1956, where he got to know an acquaintance of late premier Zhou Enlai. He came to China in January 1957, as one of the first photographers from the West. Since then, his numerous journeys throughout the Middle Kingdom have allowed the internationally renowned French photographer to developed solid friendships with Chinese.

A highlight of the ongoing "Festival Crosiments", a continuation of the Sino-French Culture Year, "Forty Years of Photography in China" reveals a panorama of the history of China from the time of Chairman Mao to the present, at the Paris-Beijing Photo Gallery till June 14. The photos on show come from Riboud's new book of the same title, and offer viewers images that prompt them to contemplate the real China.

Riboud observed and recorded many historical events during his stay in China. His photos have impressed and influenced people from both China and the West. He captured unique perspectives of kind and heart-melting moments, in which he either extolled the beauty of Oriental harmony or put forward modest disapproval. His books include Shanghai Tomorrow, In China, Huang Shan, Capital of Heaven and Visions of China, among others.

"In effect, I took great interest not only in China but also in the whole of the Oriental world, because it embraces a different way of thinking and behavior, as well as a totally new culture," he said.

Born in Lyon, Riboud took his first image at the age of 14 with his father's Vest Pocket Kodak. He was active in the French Resistance from 1943 to 1945. He then studied engineering at the Ecole Centrale for three years, and worked in Lyon factories till 1951, before becoming a freelance photographer. He moved to Paris in 1953 to meet Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa, the founders of Magnum Photos. His ability to capture fleeting moments in life through powerful compositions was recognized, which served him well for decades to come.

Lin Qi

(China Daily 05/30/2008 page18)