Yann Layma
Layma was among a handful of Western photographers who came to China around late 1970s, when the Asian country had started to initiate its reform and opening-up. Through the following 4 decades, he travelled across urban and rural China, revisited many places to document the country and its people, yielding 600,000 pictures illustrating the profound changes in the lives of the Chinese people.
He recalled that in 1988, it took a whole day of bumpy driving and trekking to visit a Dong village from the nearest township. His foreign looks became a curiosity of the whole village, and the photos he took in the Dong community caught no less sensational attention back in France, according to the photographer.
Yann Layma
Layma was among a handful of Western photographers who came to China around late 1970s, when the Asian country had started to initiate its reform and opening-up. Through the following 4 decades, he travelled across urban and rural China, revisited many places to document the country and its people, yielding 600,000 pictures illustrating the profound changes in the lives of the Chinese people.
He recalled that in 1988, it took a whole day of bumpy driving and trekking to visit a Dong village from the nearest township. His foreign looks became a curiosity of the whole village, and the photos he took in the Dong community caught no less sensational attention back in France, according to the photographer.
His work isn’t just a documentation but a captivating insight into global perceptions of an ever changing modern country while keeping the ancient mythical spirit alive. The vibrant images have become iconic through his book China, a visual gem. Post pandemic Yann hopes to return for a new series. Meanwhile he resides in France with his young family and has published a wonderful autobiographic book on his therapeutic journey through Bipolar Disorders.
His Prints are available in limited signed editions.