Random and Extempore

Featuring Lin Zhipeng (aka No.223) Words by Nastasia Khmelnitski

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Extravagant and poetic are probably the most suitable words to describe Lin Zhipeng’s work, inspired by personal relationships and cinematography. With 123 Polaroids, Lin Zhipeng shares some of the intimate memories from the journey started in the 2000s traveling through China, Tibet, South East Asia, Japan, and Europe. As No.223 puts it, “my photographs are a big story about my life and growth. When I die, the photo story will stop.” In Grand Amour, published by Witty Books in 2020, Lin Zhipeng offers an experiment, shooting models in a hotel room while focusing on capturing the real moments of people connecting and being true to their authentic selves in a staged setup.

Lin Zhipeng (aka No.223) is a Chinese photographer, born in Guangdong, currently based in Beijing. No.223 name comes in a tribute to Wong Kar-Wai’s character, Cop 223, from Chungking Express, both as a reference to the name and the stylistic expression and the atmosphere built in Kar-Wai’s films. Lin Zhipeng’s work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in China, Europe, and the US since 2005.

In this interview, No.223 speaks, in an illustrative manner, as if building a new scene for the next frame, about his hometown. We discuss his approach to working on the images, mostly with his friends and acquaintances, to build a story through a closer connection outside the frame.

‘Guangdong is in the South of China. It's warm, humid, and sticky. It's always like the mood in a Hongkong movie.’

I Am

Hi 223, we’re happy to present your work in WÜL! You were born in Guangdong, later on, you decided to move to Beijing. In what way did Guangdong, the memories you have from the place, the colors, and the esthetics of the province affect your early work, or might still affect your photography today? 

Guangdong is in the South of China. It's warm, humid, and sticky. It's always like the mood in a Hongkong movie. I think the color of Guangzhou is strong and heavy, just like its weather. It's very local. Time is going slow, and people like to enjoy life. I can go deep into speaking about this city (the city of Guangzhou); that's why I keep documenting and photographing it as a kind of an image diary. I seldom do conceptual work.

‘I think that different arts are interlinked. That includes visual arts, design, movies, manga (yes, I loved Japanese manga when I was a student), even music and literature. Different creations can be changed to other forms of art.’

223

As you describe, the name 223 comes from a character in Wong Kar-Wai’s film. How does cinema, in your opinion, influence other forms of art, as photography? Who are some of the film directors whose vision and technique have altered your approach to photography? 

I think my art is influenced by movies. And because I worked as an editor in a magazine before, I like to collect/read a lot of interesting independent publications/magazines, which also influenced me a lot.

I think that different arts are interlinked. That includes visual arts, design, movies, manga (yes, I loved Japanese manga when I was a student), even music and literature. Different creations can be changed to other forms of art. With movies, it's the same. I also travel a lot. I get unlimited inspiration during my trips. Sure, I love Wong Kar-Wai's movies. I also love many other directors' works, such as Lou Ye, Almodóvar, Kieślowski, Bertolucci, Wim Wenders, etc.

‘I seldom work on preparations for shooting. I love the random and extempore approach. Every photo depends on the moment that I am feeling and experiencing.’

Erotisism

Eroticism appears in your work as an extension of realism merged with a cinematic observation of the scene unfolding. How do you prepare the frame and work with the subjects you photograph? 

Actually, I seldom work on preparations for shooting. I love the random and extempore approach. Every photo depends on the moment that I am feeling and experiencing.

What is your way to ease them into the atmosphere you’re creating and build the narrative you prepared? 

Most of the people in my work are my friends. We can hang out in a very free atmosphere. Because of friendly relations, the trust we put in each other (myself being a participant in this relationship), they can show their most real side to me. Sometimes I tell them a storyline, and they can perform it in freestyle. Of course, the design of the story is based on their own character.

‘The photo book Grand Amour is based on my art project that I worked on in Grand Amour Hotel Paris in 2018, curated by Anna Mistal. All models are from my calling on social media.’

Grand Amour

In one of the quotes in the book, you poetically describe yourself saying, “I may be a stranger, perhaps a maker of taste and emotion, maybe a peeper next door, maybe just a recorder using a camera to invade others.” What is the connecting point between the images presented in the book from a personal perspective, in terms of what you find out about yourself or the story you want to present while working on compiling the book, from the exhibition project No.223@GrandAmour and never before seen work?

The photo book Grand Amour is based on my art project that I worked on in Grand Amour Hotel Paris in 2018, curated by Anna Mistal. All models are from my calling on social media. Actually, Grand Amour is a hotel about love and art. I tried to rely on imagination and creation in this limited space. I hosted the shoot in the hotel, and the models came one by one. It was pretty different from my usual shooting; I had to make a maximum during a short time. Everything happened randomly, when I met these lovely young people, they just tried to be themselves, talking, laughing, smoking, having fun... I also tried to use every element/corner/props to extend my imagination. Snapshots are the most important part of the shooting session, while the book and exhibition are just an extension and display of this project’s result.

‘That's why, I always say, my photographs are a big story about my life and growth. When I die, the photo story will stop.’

123 Polaroids

The book presents Polaroids taken in the early 2000s of friends and acquaintances throughout your travels across China, Tibet, South East Asia, Japan, and Europe. What is the most memorable moment, a frame you photographed, a story you could share behind the scene that is dear to you?  

It's hard to choose a specific moment from all those photos because every image is a record of my memory. I can recall all the details of the people/timing/story in the photos when I see them. That's why, I always say, my photographs are a big story about my life and growth. When I die, the photo story will stop.

Next Steps

What project are you working on or planning as the next one?

I am doing a 100 BOYS project this year. I was working on it during the whole summer. Now I am taking a break and waiting for the final shooting session of the last 20 boys. It's a hard project because most of the boys are strangers. I need to take a lot of time to have a conversation and try to connect with them first. It's my way to make them feel more comfortable and relaxed, and then I start to photograph them.