Poetry in pictures

A native of China, Yau-Sun Tong  now resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has traveled extensively throughout the world with camera in tow, but the remote areas of southwest and northwest China have a special appeal for him. Looking through the lens revitalized Mr. Tong's view of the land of his birth, thus he undertook to rediscover China through photography. Particularly drawn by the mystical untouched nature of western regions and other remote areas of China, he became interested in communicating his impressions to a Western audience.

For Yau-Sun Tong, feeling the spirit of the place is foremost; taking the photograph is secondary.  As a result, these compelling images unveil the unique characters of many places he explored, particularly in the vast Western China region--overpowering, majestic, boundless--culled from remote, seldom traveled areas. The portraiture in the series is freshly candid, reflecting a depth of rapport with his subjects that produces an intriguing cross-section of local cultures and religious life. In his words:  "(My aim) is to capture the moments of truth in nature and culture."

For those interested in seeing more, Mr. Tong will present a slide show at Dalhousie as part of China Week celebrations. Views of China will be held Wednesday, Feb. 2, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Scotiabank Auditorium, Marion McCain Building.

LINKS:

Each year, Mr. Tong conducts special cultural/photographic expeditions to China: For info, seehttp://photoart.chebucto.org/photonews.html. 

He's also a Taiji Master Instructor in traditional Chinese martial arts:http://chebucto.ca/~taiji

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