'BALING HOU' - Photography exhibition & book design

"BALING HOU" - exhibition and book designPhotography Exploration of Chinese Post-80s Generation in Urban cities of China 1980 was the year that marked the launch of China’s infamous family planning reform, commonly known in the West as the one-child policy. Those born after the year 1980 share an experience of growing up in a period of immense change - an “opening up” to the wider world. The post-80s generation has thus become the first group to be collectively defined by this social change, a context that includes trends towards materialism. There are many terms of reference that describe the post-80s including the beat generation, the ‘least responsible’ generation and ‘the most selfish and rebellious’ generation. The implementation of the one-child policy has led to widespread changes in the rural and urban cities of China - in economic structure, civic development as well as traditional attitudes towards fertility. Family planning has become more acceptable, particularly in the city districts of urban China. The Chinese government granted the larger cities economic development packages resulting in improved infrastructure, a greater labour force, more efficient local jurisdiction, greater individual freedom in managing local development and better systems of healthcare. As a result, large numbers of rural people have decided to move to urban cities to seek a better life. Improved social mobility has increased the diversity of the post-80s compared to previous generations. The publication book presents a body of photographic work that features a group of post-80s participants situated within their surrounding urban environment and focuses on individual story telling. The exhibited work expresses visually the impact of identity and explores the living situations of the post-80s, to give the audience an impression of the formative role Chinese urban cities have in the lives of post-80s. The project adopts a documentary style to portray the diversity in the lives of this group in such areas as romantic life, employment, housing, family, choices, responsibilities and aspirations. In their stories you may find joy along with sadness, helplessness mingling with hope, resolution and perseverance. I began this narrative photography based on my own experience as a member of the post-80s generation. I was born in an urban Chinese city as an only child, though I grew up in New Zealand. My personal interest is to observe this generation from an ‘insider and outsider’ perspective. In doing so, I seek to illustrate a personal reflection on who I am and what it means to be post-80s.

"BALING HOU" - exhibition and book design
Photography Exploration of Chinese Post-80s Generation in Urban cities of China

1980 was the year that marked the launch of China’s infamous family planning reform, commonly known in the West as the one-child policy. Those born after the year 1980 share an experience of growing up in a period of immense change - an “opening up” to the wider world. The post-80s generation has thus become the first group to be collectively defined by this social change, a context that includes trends towards materialism. There are many terms of reference that describe the post-80s including the beat generation, the ‘least responsible’ generation and ‘the most selfish and rebellious’ generation.

The implementation of the one-child policy has led to widespread changes in the rural and urban cities of China - in economic structure, civic development as well as traditional attitudes towards fertility. Family planning has become more acceptable, particularly in the city districts of urban China. The Chinese government granted the larger cities economic development packages resulting in improved infrastructure, a greater labour force, more efficient local jurisdiction, greater individual freedom in managing local development and better systems of health care. As a result, large numbers of rural people have decided to move to urban cities to seek a better life. Improved social mobility has increased the diversity of the post-80s compared to previous generations.

The publication book presents a body of photographic work that features a group of post-80s participants situated within their surrounding urban environment and focuses on individual storytelling. The exhibited work expresses visually the impact of identity and explores the living situations of the post-80s, to give the audience an impression of the formative role Chinese urban cities have in the lives of post-80s. The project adopts a documentary style to portray the diversity in the lives of this group in such areas as romantic life, employment, housing, family, choices, responsibilities and aspirations. In their stories, you may find joy along with sadness, helplessness mingling with hope, resolution and perseverance.

I began this narrative photography based on my own experience as a member of the post-80s generation. I was born in an urban Chinese city as an only child, though I grew up in New Zealand. My personal interest is to observe this generation from an ‘insider and outsider’ perspective. In doing so, I seek to illustrate a personal reflection on who I am and what it means to be post-80s.

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