On April 10th, the "Rediscovering Guangzhou - Li Ruiran's Old Photo Exhibition" opened at the Nanyue Ancestral Hall and will run until May 5th.
The exhibition showcases the visual legacy of Li Ruiran, a renowned street photographer in China, featuring nearly a hundred previously unseen old photos of Guangzhou. These images unveil a unique panorama of Guangzhou's urban transformation from the 1990s to the early 21stcentury, each photograph reflecting Li Ruiran's deep affection for the city. Asked about the purpose behind capturing these photos, Li Ruiran's son, Li Yi, told a reporter from the Yangcheng Evening News: "In his diary in 2004, my father wrote about his purpose for taking photos: to preserve Guangzhou's memory so that future generations can witness its changes."
The exhibition is divided into four sections: "Demolition and Construction," "Street Advertisements," "Transportation," and "Past and Present Contrasts." The "Demolition and Construction" section showcases Li Ruiran's photographs capturing the demolition and construction in Guangzhou from the 1990s to the early 21stcentury.
As a forefront of China's reform and opening-up, Guangzhou underwent rapid development and renewal. "Demolition" became a significant and intricate theme during this period. Amidst the process of tearing down the old and erecting the new, the old city vanished while the new one emerged, with these photos serving as the city's chronicles, documenting Guangzhou's transformation over the years.
The "Street Advertisements" section features various advertisements from over twenty years ago, showcasing different styles of hand-written signs, blinking neon lights, large logos, and posters that adorned the streets of old Guangzhou. These advertisements not only displayed brand images in the most direct and eye-catching manner but also became a unique scenery of old Guangzhou.
The "Transportation" section focuses on showcasing the diverse urban transportation system. It encompasses a wide range of vehicles and modes, from large articulated buses with two sections to double-decker buses imported from Hong Kong. It includes traditional taxis where passengers can signal for them to stop, to the increasing prevalence of private cars on the roads. It also features the ubiquitous bicycles, once almost one per person, alongside the speedy motorcycles. Additionally, it covers the ferries shuttling back and forth between the banks of the Pearl River, as well as the fishing boats transporting fresh produce.
Visitors can trace the colorful changes in Guangzhou's transportation modes over time, as captured through Li Ruiran's lens, almost hearing the hustle and bustle of the streets of that era and feeling the rhythm of the city.
The "Past and Present Contrasts" section showcases a series of comparison photos taken by volunteers from the Guangzhou Native Culture Promotion Association after revisiting the locations where Li Ruiran's works were shot. Through these comparisons, visitors are guided into a dialogue across time and space, experiencing the changes over time and understanding Guangzhou's evolution and development.
Many residents of Guangzhou visited the exhibition, standing before the old photos left by Li Ruiran, experiencing the evolution and development of the city firsthand.
Source :Yangcheng Evening News
近百張舊照見證廣州城市變遷
4月10日，《然起廣州——李瑞然廣州舊影展》在南粵先賢館開幕，将展至5月5日。
展覽聚焦中國著名街坊攝影師李瑞然的視覺遺産，從中精選出近百張從未展出的廣州舊照，展現20世紀90年代至21世紀初廣州城市變遷的獨特畫卷，每一幅照片都凝聚着李瑞然老人對廣州的拳拳深情。為何要拍攝這些照片？李瑞然的兒子李易告訴羊城晚報記者：“父親曾在2004年的日記裡寫下拍照的目的：為廣州存照，下一代可見到廣州的變遷。”
本次展覽分為“拆與建”“街頭廣告”“交通出行”“今昔對比”共4個版塊進行展出。其中，“拆與建”版塊展示了李瑞然老人拍攝的20世紀90年代至21世紀初廣州拆遷與建造的攝影作品。
廣州作為改革開放的前沿陣地，在中國改革開放後的飛速發展期進行着快速的更新換代。“拆遷”，成為當時廣州一個重要又複雜的主題。拆舊立新的過程中，老城消逝與新城崛起互相交織，這些反映拆與建的老照片如同城市的年輪，記錄着廣州舊貌換新顔的曆程。
“街頭廣告”版塊以20多年前廣州街頭各式各樣的廣告為拍攝對象，展示風格各異的手寫字、閃爍的霓虹燈、巨大的LOGO和海報等街頭廣告。它們以最直接、最醒目的方式，向世人展示品牌形象，也成為了老廣州的獨特風景線。
“交通出行”版塊圍繞多元的城市交通進行展示。從兩節車廂的大通道車到引進自香港的雙層巴士，從揚手即停的“的士”到日漸增多的私家車，從幾乎人手一輛的單車到風馳電掣的機車，從珠江兩岸穿梭往來的輪渡到運送新鮮蔬果的漁船……
市民可沿着時間的車轍，共同重溫廣州交通方式的多彩變遷。透過李瑞然老人的鏡頭，仿佛還能聽到那個年代街頭的喧嚣，感受到城市節奏的鼓點。
“今昔對比”版塊展示了廣州市古粵秀色本土文化宣傳協會志願者在重訪李瑞然作品拍攝地後拍攝的一組組今昔對比照。通過今昔對比，引導市民走進時空對話，在老照片與新影像之間切身感受時間的變化，讀懂廣州的變遷與發展。
不少廣州街坊前來展覽現場，駐足于李瑞然老人留下的廣州舊照前，感受廣州城市的演變和發展。
文 | 記者 黃宙輝
圖 | 記者 劉穎穎（除署名外）
譯 | 劉佳慧