Kechun Zhang

(b.1980) 

is a Chinese photographer based in Chengdu. He is best known for his large format photographs of post-industrial Chinese landscapes. He produces epic vistas that dwell on the significance of the landscape in modern Chinese national identity. Kechun’s works are quietly beautiful and hugely atmospheric, using a soft and subtle colour palette. Whilst Kechun imbues the altered landscape of China with a tragic beauty, his photographs are also hugely witty, showing the frequently absurd scenarios in which the inhabitants of the river’s surroundings find themselves.

Kechun won the Discovery Award at Les Rencontres d’Arles for ‘The Yellow River’ in 2014. He won the National Geographic Picks Global Photo Contest in 1998 and was shortlisted at the World Photography Awards in 2013. He has been exhibited at Photoquai, Paris; the Beijing Photo Biennale and the Delhi Photo Festival, India.