Fan Shunzan's interview quotations

Yachang Photography Network: I saw at the exhibition site that many viewers were interested in your work "How much time did reality give dreams". Can you talk about the reason for creating this work?

Fan Shunzan: Graduated in 2006. I stayed in France for two years after graduation. I live at the foot of the stairs with low rent. Because I don't want to rely on my family's money to support myself, I try to save money to go to work. At that time, I thought life was really difficult. If I leave my family and have to bear it myself, I will add my feelings. I think they yearn for this beautiful life, but I always feel that I have a dream and want to be an artist, but there is no way to make a living and the actual pressure is quite great. It is difficult to find a job, and it is not particularly smooth to find a job. On the one hand, I want to pursue my own ideals, on the other hand, I want to maintain a real life. This is also my own experience.

Yachang Photography Network: Personal experience.

Fan Shunzan: Yes, that's why I want to shoot such a group of works. According to my own experience, I think of every picture. Take this as an example. This is the little girl (pictured above). Most girls may have a princess dream. The little girl is particularly beautiful. Here is her real life, maybe a tramp, an orphan or something. Only every viewer will think of it himself. This contradiction between reality and dream will make me ask a question. How much time does reality give dreams? My understanding is that some people, like this photo (below), I think their older generation will have a Beijing dream.

Yachang Photography Network: When you go to Beijing, you will definitely take photos in front of Tiananmen Square.

Fan Shunzan: Especially when I am old, people from that era will have such a dream. They will have such a dream, take a group photo in front of Tiananmen Square, or go to Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, but their reality may be the countryside, and it is impossible to go in this life. What can I say? Just ask one question, how much time does reality give dreams? They may not be able to leave for a lifetime, and we young people may leave tomorrow if we want to, which is such a starting point to make such a work.

Yachang Photography Network: Every photo is your imaginary picture, and then you finally present your imaginary picture by posing.

Fan Shunzan: Yes, I had this idea first. I want to organize a series, and a series will have various identities and dreams. I will draw a sketch according to my own ideas, then arrange the scene according to the sketch, and then shoot.

Yachang Photography Network: Are these all your sketches?

Fan Shunzan: It's all sketches. The first picture I drew was this sketch.

Yachang Photography Network: How is it realized by technical means?

Fan Shunzan: I just prefer disposable technology to digital technology. I will spray this background cloth with spray paint.

Yachang Photography Network: A lot of work.

Fan Shunzan: It takes a lot of time. Find a model after painting. Finding a model is actually the most troublesome thing, because the characters in my mind may not be easy to find in reality. You think the image is good. You tell him that he doesn't want to shoot like this, because everyone has to dress up and sculpture. This is more difficult. Many of them are actually from my hometown, and some of them are familiar with each other.

Yachang Photography Network: Did you finish the whole journey by team or by yourself?

Fan Shunzan: Just me. If I need two people to help me with this background, I will ask two people to help me locally. I basically made it myself.

Yachang Photography Network: How long did the whole creative process take?

Fan Shunzan: The shooting process is quite short, about one month. I will have some sketches myself in the early stage. Suddenly, maybe I was a little emotional or something, so I wrote something and drew some sketches. The accumulation of this process began very early.

Yachang Photography Network: I saw that you also made dozens of postcards and brought them here, and sold them to people who like this set of works at a lower price, and many people bought them.

Fan Shunzan: How do you say this? Personally, I think this person who may be interested will bring a book as a souvenir for himself or something, and I don't think much about it, otherwise I will forget it after watching the exhibition and may read it again in the future.

Yachang Photography Network: What kind of creative plans are there next?

Fan Shunzan: There will be some ideas next. I will draw them in my notebook or write them down at any time.

Yachang Photography Network: Are you a freelance photographer now?

Fan Shunzan: I was working last year, and I want to take photos this year, because I have little time to work freely, because I have always had this dream, which is actually very strong. I never let it go. I've always wanted to take pictures since 2006. What can I say? It's just hard. It's hard to settle down and do it. I resigned this year and really want to shoot something else.

Yachang Photography Network: Do you study art?

Fan Shunzan: I'm from the Photography Department of the Academy of Fine Arts.

Yachang Photography Network: Why are you interested in photography? Do you think photography can express your ideas better than painting?

Fan Shunzan: I don't know, I just find it interesting. Because I used to learn painting, I like painting very much since I was a child. When you go to college, you have to choose a major or something. I am very interested in photography or film and television, and I have a close relationship with art. I don't know how to explain it, just like boys are interested in machinery.

Yachang Photography Network: Do you usually use digital photography?

Fan Shunzan: It depends. Traditional film cameras are also used.

Yachang Photography Network: Do you put the photos yourself?

Fan Shunzan: Also show photos. Because I am still interested in traditional crafts, this is all hand-painted, and I like this old thing better.

Yachang Photography Network: Have these photos been exhibited before?

Fan Shunzan: There was an exhibition in Pingyao in 2006. At that time, that group of works was called "In their own time". This year's group of works is a continuation of this series.