--Could you give a brief introduction of yourself?

I am a typical “born after the 80's”- “the only-child”-generation in China, I think we are the generation that witness material dreams into reality.

--Please talk about your photography exhibition, GLAMOROUS FUTURIST, at the Diesel Art Gallery. What is it about? 

Due to the limited space, it only shows part of the first phase and third phase of my works.

--Out of the artworks that you have created, which is your favorite?

They are like my children, I love all of them.

--Please tell us the progression of your work

My works are divided into three phases. I’m trying to explain/express myself in the two phases. The first phase is the “visual” phase, back then I was still in college, did a lot of post-production. Until now, no one has done anything like this, it’s my creative attempt, a young creative passion, lots of additions, felt alive.

Then I got into fashion, people were concerned about my works, afraid of too much post-production that turns into portraits of fairy and demons. Then I jumped to a minimalist stage, without any transition, the pictures were like enlargement of the one inch photos. These works made people know my skills are not just in post-production, stars began to look for me, that lead to my status of the mainstream fashion photographer.

After I shoot lots of superstars, I started to work on the Chinese contemporary background series. This series is very special to me, because I’m the first fashion photographer that uses Chinese contemporary faces and background into mainstream fashion. China was used to copying Western or Japanese/Korean style, this is new, and it’s easy to fail. But I know I can do it because of three reasons:1)I never went to abroad to study, I’m a local photographer; 2)I’m familiar with the vision industry; 3)I think this is what I should do. China should not repeat its ancient art over and over again. I would like to show how contemporary Chinese art can be. This group of photos, the most famous one with Lu Yan on the Great Wall, is the first time that mainstream fashion magazine shoots on Great Wall. It was quiet a sensation. Foreign magazine “Mirror” did an article about it, saying it’s the new face and reformation of Chinese fashion.

The third phase of my works is based on Chinese culture, adapted by Western techniques. They offer a visual combination of contemporary international aesthetics and local cultural sensibilities. It’s using vision from the spoiled material civilization, to achieve visual exposition of the modern languages.

--What kind of message would you like to portray with your photography?

Environmental consciousness within us determines the environmental quality of the outside world, and this is what we need in a world dominated by material civilization. We should use the least resources to create with the highest intelligence to reach harmony between man and nature. I believe I’m good at expressing what are within us. My works are complex, it matches the faces of our era; it’s Oriental and Western, it’s neither mainstream nor non-mainstream; it’s the past, the present and the future; It’s tacky and elegant.

--Where do you get your inspiration? What inspires you?

Life is my inspiration. I love traditional Chinese philosophy and culture; my works are based on Chinese culture, adapted by Western techniques. They offer a visual combination of contemporary international aesthetics and local cultural sensibilities, achieved with “software” from the ancient Chinese culture, “hardware” from modern Western culture.

--You have used female models to create your works, so please tell us your rendition of the ideal female image. Also who is your female inspiration?

Everyone is a supermodel, I love all creatures. Camera is just a tool, depend on how you use the heart to use it.

--You have collaborated with celebrities such as: David Beckham, Cindy Crawford, Faye Wong and Gong Li. How was the collaborative production with them?

They are all humans. Everyone is different.

--Please tell us about Vision.

I was back in college in 2003. No one did post-productions to photos, even just for skin. I was not a photographer in the photography industry; I was not an artist in the art industry. My works were in a very special place.

--When working with the many fashion magazines such as: VOGUE, ELLE, Harper’s BAZZAR, MarieClaire, COSMOPOLITAN, Esquire, NYLON, SPORT & STREET; do you have something you always try to do?

I always want to shoot the faces of contemporary China, it’s positive and rising. No one has done anything like this in the Chinese fashion industry, I use ordinary tour places as backgrounds, such as shooting Tianmen Square into fashion. It was not easy and many views were against it. I did it and did it for mainstream A-list fashion magazines. Those were the second phase of my works.

--What’s the difference with the expressions and mindset, if there is any, between your original works and commercial works?

Beauty can be divided into two categories, Natural beauty and the Beauty of Wisdom. The combination of the two is the meaning of human beings. Environmental consciousness within us determines the environmental quality of the outside world, and this is what we need in a world dominated by material civilization. We should use the least resources to create with the highest intelligence to reach harmony between man and nature. Art and business have been fallen in love. Now artists are doing business by replicate themselves. Commercial products can be arts as well, such as iPad.

--Please tell us about the i-D Year of Dragon project.

The 12 covers collaborations I did with i-D Magazine in honor of the Chinese New Year. Those portraits are works of art that celebrate the diversity of Chinese beauty in a very avant-garde fashion. They are inspired by the 12 traditional Chinese painting colors. I picked the models from hundreds of minority students, it was very interesting.

--How does collaboration with other creators affect your own creations?

Everything around me affects my creation in some way. They probably made more people know who I am.

--What is appealing about Photography for you?

It’s real and beyond reality.

--How do you feel about China and the Art Scene at the moment?

It starts to develop into its own style, but it’s just a start.

--Any new projects for the future?

I never plan my future. A lot of things are going on though.

--Please give a message to the people coming to your exhibition

Be true to your soul.