Wang Ziqian
On the influence of internal images.
My self-portrait takes place on the rooftop of a building where I stayed when I first came to Shanghai two years ago. Although it’s an outdoor area in the middle of the city, it’s also a very private space where I would go to be by myself and contemplate.
I grew up painting pictures, and I thought I would keep on painting for my career path, as creating images has always come naturally for me. I suppose becoming a photographer was a twist of fate, with no particular reason behind it. I started to experiment with photography in college, but I didn’t start working until I went to New York to study fashion photography.
“I believe that everyone is born with a wild, innate, and primitive energy, and that’s what I’m trying to capture in my images.”
I often draw inspiration from my daily life and my own experiences. For example, on a recent trip to Myanmar, I drove past a blue alley where I saw a white, unfinished Buddha statue and an older man bathing with a red towel draped around his body. At that brief moment, I found everything to be utterly beautiful, both in terms of colour and atmosphere, and now I’m trying to figure out how to recreate it in a shoot.
I suppose moments like that become part of my memory, occurring continually and countlessly in my life, and finding their way into my work. I think if you are sensitive and good at observing the world around you, life will reward you with many surprises.
I believe that everyone is born with a wild, innate, and primitive energy, and that’s what I’m trying to capture in my images. I like things that are pure and simple, and I hope this shines through in my work.
Wang Ziqian is a photographer based in Shanghai. Follow her @z.qiann
