Journey Gong - 2121
Journey Gong is a Chinese American artist who presents his poetic interpretations of cultural landscapes through photography. Born and raised in a factory town in Northwestern China during the Cultural Revolution, Gong moved to the United States as a young adult and now resides in Berkley, California, with his husband Marc. The experience of culture shift has had a great influence on his work. Not only does he appreciate the most celebrated, but he also cherishes the often overlooked.
Gong takes special interest in the drama and composition of his photographs, and the visual excitement of light, color and space. Guided by the creative writing process he developed during his academic training, his serialized photographs are concise and rich in emotion. From creating the concept, to finalizing the image selection, he often works on a series for years. Based on a common theme, each image within a series can stand alone as a visual poem, or form a narrative when displayed together.
His series below entitled 2121 is a photo series that envisions the future 100 years from now. Combining travel photographs with computer-generated images modelled after iconic mid-century modern designs, the series predicts a forthcoming eco-consciousness. It is difficult to remain optimistic when faced with chaos and uncertainties. What would we be if we lost the courage to imagine?
See more from Journey Gong below!
- Alexa Fahlman
