Tian Taiquan

Tian Taiquan’s tumultuous experience growing up during China’s Cultural Revolution serves as the impetus for his photography. “My practice,” Tian says, “is a way for me to heal and release the gloominess of my memories.” His works are allegorical scenes with many allusions to the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda. Although the works are the result of elaborate staging and post-process editing, Tian does not plan ahead for his compositions but rather improvises his photographic manipulations. In fact, he likens taking photographs to brainstorming ideas with unexpected surprises—and though his images are based on historical events, Tian considers himself as much a surrealist as a realist, citing Salvador Dalí as a central influence.