In his series, I Miss You Already, photographer Shen Wei explores the intersections of identity, desire, nature and reflection. The series is composed of self portraits taken over several years and the scenery varies dramatically from image to image. At times, other subjects enter Wei’s aperture, but these characters are always peripheral to the work, which continues to burrow into the self.
On the series, Hanna Frieser writes, “His overtly sexual photographs push against the boundaries of Wei’s conservative Chinese upbringing, which occurred at a time when even art students did not get to study the nude body and would learn to draw the body from sculptural busts. Moving to the United States in 2000, Wei was confronted with very different societal attitudes toward the naked body and sexuality, and his response to these issues has become central to his work. It is not important to Wei that his photographs be understood in only one way, and he acknowledges that his work may be interpreted differently from country to country. He has also seen a shifting of social norms. Even in China it is now increasingly acceptable to depict the naked body, especially in art.”
Images courtesy of the artist.
Post by Rachel Cassandra