Door to the daily world of Guangzhou

French diplomat and photographer captures his life in the southern metropolis

Frenchman Bruno Bisson chose to exhibit his collection of photographs of life in Guangzhou, under the name Song Baiyu, which is based on his Chinese name, Bai Yusong.

"It's another me," explains the consul general of the French consulate in the capital of Guangdong province, who is leaving the southern Chinese city soon for another diplomatic post in Brazil.

The 55 shots on show, entitled "Emotion at Fei Gallery", were taken of lesser-known parts of the capital city, taken during his leisure not in his capacity as France's top representative in the booming commercial metropolis.

The body of work, he says, was aimed at highlighting aspects of life not normally seen by "curious foreigners" like himself.

He picked random, everyday back streets - such as those in the Dongshan area, the former political and cultural center of the city or in the centuries-old Xiaozhou village, on its southern outskirts, which features classical Cantonese communities, living alongside canals and well-kept ancient buildings.

He also chose Qingping Market - famous locally for selling medicinal herbs.

He says he wanted to capture images of "regular people that we might not normally meet in business life," often taking the metro or a taxi to get there, and not his official diplomatic car.

Owners of small shops, hairdressers, men delivering bottled water, people selling telephone cards - everyday people, doing everyday things, he adds.

"Every shot was a challenge. The pictures are not perfect, by any means. I'm not professional. But life isn't perfect. I just wanted to capture what I saw," says Bisson, who first started taking pictures as a 12-year old, with a plastic instant Kodak camera.

"We should all pay more attention to the world going on around us - we are all part of a larger family, and we cannot spend life alone."

Bisson tried hard not to disturb anyone as he created his images, or even draw attention to himself, as he insists the best shots are always those capturing people simply being natural.

But there were times when he chatted to his subjects, in Chinese, and he started to recognize people he had seen on previous trips.

He had a particular interest in children and elderly people, which provided him with the contrast of those just starting out on life, and those maybe nearer its end, but who both exist side-by-side.

From afar, he observed couples having lunch, but who were more pre-occupied by their mobile phones than each other, who he says reminded him that everyone should be encouraged to talk more, in a increasingly modern world.

"I often think we have all become too reluctant to exchange, even a couple of words with each other, and certainly not to people we don't know," he says.

"Modern technology facilitates communication, yes, but everyone needs to talk more to each other," he adds.

"It's normal to chat, without fear, just as two simple human beings. It's only when we start to talk, that we get to know each other better. I think we are losing that."

He often found himself breaking into French, and had to stop to ask people in Chinese if they understood him.

"I appreciated many might not know French - but it is my job to try and promote my country," he laughs.

"If Chinese people go to France and are able to say at least one or two words, or even sentences in French, people love it," adds the consul general - a well-known proponent of the argument that culture and artistic exchange can bring countries and people together, as much as major industrial deals, such as in nuclear energy, which have recently played a key role in relations between France and China.

"It's the same here in China. Even to say 'hello, goodbye or thank-you', people like that, even if you cannot speak in sentences."

Talking to local people like this, he says, made him feel like a true Guangzhou resident.

The diplomat is well-aware of the city's issues - its traffic congestion, its efforts to become a greener, more environmentally friendly city, despite its huge size. But he says the traffic jams have been greatly reduced in Guangzhou.

He describes its people as "welcoming to strangers, open-minded, and not afraid of asking questions".

"I never felt in a hurry here - I took my time to really enjoy life, despite the pace of this amazing city of 10 million people, which never stops."

He adds that as one of China's economic engines of the past three decades, maybe it's time now for Guangdong province to reflect on its dramatic expansion, and on how everyone in the city - from its top one right down to those who he took so many pictures of - has an important part to play in its continuing success.

Around a hundred attended his exhibition's opening night, mostly fellow photographers, says Liang Xizhen from the Fei Gallery, in which it was held.

In classical Chinese, Fei means door or portal, and the name of the gallery is meant to convey that it is a door to the daily world of Guangzhou.

"His topics are very close to life and capture subjects too often ignored," says Liang.

"Every one of the photos captures the audience's attention, and makes them stop and think."

Chen Jili contributed to this story.

liwenfang@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 09/05/2014 page29)