Photographer, artist and magazine creator Lin Zhipeng chews the fat with our guest editor Xu Jinglei.
Xu Jinglei: What is the difference between a magazine creator, a designer and a photographer? What is your view of their relationship?
Lin Zhipeng: There is no real difference. To me, they all combine thought and manual work. All three require originality and creativity, although in different forms. The similarity between magazine production, design, photography, film production, etc. is that they are all visual. I choose these media because they are good tools for me to represent what I do. If the chance arises, I’d like to try shooting films.
Click here to view Lin Zhipeng's work
XJ: Are your influences similar for each role?
LZ: Not exactly. There are various things affecting my different roles: cartoon, magazine, film, music, travel, etc. I feel that production is really a process of reproducing life experience.
XJ: Intense amorous elements often occur in your photography, a frequent portrayal of chaotic love. Why does this theme seem to fascinate you?
LZ: As a matter of fact, ‘sex’ and ‘youth’ are the subjects I am more interested in with my photography. However, this is just a personal preference, a personal hobby. I feel that young bodies should be displayed, but that isn’t to say that older bodies are ugly. Instead, they arouse different aesthetic feelings.
I feel that I have an intuitive photographic style; it is part of my own emotional expression. Photography touches me most when I see a memory from a very old picture long after it was taken. I can see that the people, scenes and stories at that time, as well as in the time since, change. Some are sentimental and some are cheerful. The emotional journey varies. This is perhaps why I take photos continuously.
XJ: What is your view on Chinese homosexual culture?
LZ: China boasts a traditional culture dating back thousands of years. To China, especially in traditional sections of the community, homosexual culture is still a rebellious and unorthodox behaviour. However, what is interesting to observe is the rise and emergence of homosexuality in the country as Internet technology develops and interpersonal communication becomes increasingly convenient. I don’t mean that there are more and more homosexuals in China, but I think that more people have openly expressed themselves through using the Internet. Homosexuality is still an underground culture. However, art that incorporates homosexual themes can and does emerge before the common public – art is boundless after all.
XJ: If you could choose any setting for your production, what place and what theme would you choose?
LZ: I think Georgia is very beautiful, especially the streets and buildings in its small towns, and the personal feelings they evoke. Although I have not thought about theme, I think it is certainly related to the people there.
XJ: Which three words best sum up your creative output?
LZ: Casualness, improvisation and selflessness.
XJ: Who do you want your work to appeal to?
LZ: This is very vulgar – I want to acquire the recognition and favour of artists I admire. I feel that this is the most persuasive form of self-affirmation. I don’t care what other people think of me. I feel that a mixture of positive and negative responses is best.
XJ: What does your work take from China’s cultural heritage?
LZ: Not a lot, but some elements in my works are related to my childhood memories growing up in China.
XJ: We’ve recently had unprecedented international insight into Chinese culture thanks to the Olympics – do you feel this is the beginning of a more open cultural relationship between China and the rest of the world?
LZ: Certainly. Social statuses are always advancing and changing. Due to the impact of foreign events in 2008, especially the Beijing Olympic Games, as well as because of the improved Chinese cultural landscape, the country is more in focus and better understood now than ever before.
XJ：If you could take only three things to a desert island, what would they be?
LZ: A Camera, a lighter, and a mobile phone.
XJ: Do you ever feel that there exists a contradiction between art and money?
LZ: I do not feel it at the moment, because I am not a full-time artist. I am only engaged in artistic production in my spare time. For one thing, I don’t live on art; for another, my artistic production is relatively low cost.
XJ: What is your view on traditional Chinese culture, and the saying ‘Of the nation, of the world’?
LZ: To the world of contemporary artistic production, Chinese traditional culture, which dates back thousands of years, is, so to speak, an almost inexhaustible resource. Many contemporary artists engage with traditional Chinese culture.
XJ: Which aspect of China's cultural environment would you like to see improved?
LZ: More tolerance should be shown to marginal cultures; they should be given more publicity and more formal public platforms. We should not ignore their presence.
INFORMATION
