Inside Red China

March 29, 2009 5:04 AM

Two galleries of photos of China in 1957 and 1978 by Robert Carl Cohen, "the first American to film China since the 1949 Communist victory." My personal favourite set is these street scenes from 1957, but Cohen captured a diverse range of images from Chinese lives. His (? I presume) site Radical Images has plenty of other interesting stuff too.
posted by Abiezer (14 comments total)

(At least for 1957--I haven't checked the other)
The site loads its full-sized images as icons. Clicking an 'icon' reloads the image.

For zippier viewing, right-click the 'icon' and pick 'View Image' from the menu.
posted by hexatron at 5:17 AM on March 29, 2009

Unfortunately not all of the photos are captioned; would have liked info about who was in the portraits, for example. Still, at least this advert (bit NSFW) is clearly described.
On preview - good point hexatron; not the best bit of site design but at least no annoying Flash malarkey.
posted by Abiezer at 5:22 AM on March 29, 2009

great stuff - thanks for posting these

what's the story with this Statue of Liberty in Shanghai?
posted by jammy at 5:24 AM on March 29, 2009

Thanks for the link. It's cool to see street scenes from 50 and 30 years ago in areas I commute through so often. It's going to give me many new ideas for my own photography.
posted by michswiss at 5:37 AM on March 29, 2009

His (? I presume) site Radical Images has plenty of other interesting stuff too.

"Put down the extreme wide angled lens and step back from the camera!"

I kid. It does indeed have lots of interesting stuff. And who knows, if I could have afforded a lens as wide as that when they were brand new, perhaps everyone I photographed would have a nose as big as their fist as well?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 6:14 AM on March 29, 2009

Jean Genet bears a passing resemblance to G.W.Bush is some of those shots. And his nose doesn't look big at all, so there!
posted by Abiezer at 6:32 AM on March 29, 2009

Well, it's nice to se what was going on over in China the year I was born!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:48 AM on March 29, 2009

hmmm... Zircon Encrusted.
posted by Drasher at 7:16 AM on March 29, 2009

Don't forget about the incredible Chinese photojournalist Li Zhensheng.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 9:17 AM on March 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

I wonder how many of these people died during the Cultural Revolution.

I'm morbid that way.
posted by Joe Beese at 9:20 AM on March 29, 2009

And his nose doesn't look big at all, so there!

Unlike the Provos in Vondel Park or this guy in Hollywood.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:30 AM on March 29, 2009

He's, erm, capturing the psychedelic vibe in true verite, man. Or something.
posted by Abiezer at 9:34 AM on March 29, 2009

true verite

Brought to you by your friends at the Department of Redundancy Department.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:49 AM on March 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

This one could have been taken last week at the market I used to buy fruit at down the street from my apartment (it also sold lao Beijing clothing to old folks). I bet those women dress exactly the same now when they go to dance together with pom-poms at 5:00 AM in the park.
posted by Pollomacho at 7:24 PM on March 30, 2009