all images © SHEN WEI

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Most time I photograph people in their own environments because it is personal, familiar, and comfortable for them. For me as a photographer, the situation becomes rather peculiar, intimate, and doubtful. Once I achieve the trust of the model, I can feel their energy and their desire to be seen and be explored but at the same time still reserve some for themselves. It is in those Almost Naked moments that my subjects are the most exquisite, when things occur, and what generally is not displayed initially in public is exposed. – SHEN WEI in conversation with JOERG COLBERG

SHEN WEI is a Chinese photographer who explores the intimate life of his subject through portraiture, landscape and still life. By intertwining the three genres WEI produces a unique and sensitive perspective of his homeland.

Born and raised in Shanghai, SHEN WEI currently lives and works in New York City. His first monograph titled Chinese Sentiment has been released by Charles Lane Press in New York last year.

Save the date: his new solo exhibition will be on view at Light Work, an artist-run, non-profit photography and digital media center in Syracuse, NY from November 05 to December 14, 2012 (opening: Thursday, November 8, 5-7pm).

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