Qiu Yangzi is a Chinese artist living in London
Episode 502: I am honored to have a conversation with friend and colleague Qiu Yangzi regarding her new book Roation, published by APE, Art Paper Editions. We spoke about her new book and the artist’s book Cloud and Stone, which we worked on for Nearest Truth Editions.
During our second year of the Nearest Truth Photobook workshop, Yangzi and I had the chance to work together on her projects. What was fascinating for me was her consummate work ethic and ability to see photography and the photobook as mediums to extend towards the wall and three-dimensional sculptural application. Her work is a mix of traditional Chinese themes from her native country, combined with extended meditations in Europe, as seen in her work Rotation, which examines the highest points in various cities, where she made 8×10-inch negatives to present the images in large-format analog prints. The metaphor’s upside-down nature is thematically intended for the age and time we live in, reflecting on the post-COVID world.
There is an interesting history of upside-down art, from George Baselitz to other artists, thinking through the optics of images that appear upside-down. In photography, this reflects how large-format cameras work when you make a picture, so her printed images also align to discuss the medium-specificity of their production. Please tune in to hear us discuss the work and Yangzi’s fascinating background and journey.
