About
Homepage -> Zixuan Wang
I am Zixuan Wang from China , a senior photography student at the School of Visual Arts in New York now. I am a fashion photographer and documentary photographer. I love to record everything with film in my life.
Zixuan, thank you for taking the time to join us today. I'm pleased to be speaking with you. To start our discussion, how did your journey into photography begin?
My first encounter with photography was during my middle school years. I was deeply moved by a film where the female lead carried a Nikon FM2 with her to school every day, capturing her entire high school journey. It was then that I realized the beauty of preserving youth through a camera lens. Inspired by this, when I first expressed a desire for a camera, I received my first film camera, the Nikon FM2. However, it was quite challenging to handle at first. It required a lot of fine-tuning to take a single photo, and there was a certain spontaneity that was often lost in the process.
At the beginning of this year, I purchased an Olympus prime lens camera. Its simplicity allowed me to lift the camera and capture decisive moments instantly, which led to the creation of my family series. For my 'Room Series,' I chose the Mamiya 7, which offers a clarity and dreamlike quality that perfectly captures the essence of the spaces I explore.
What place does analog or alternative photography occupy in your life? Is it part of your work or more of a hobby?
Most of my film cameras are used to record my daily life, and I will always take my camera with me to record my family, friends or myself. The moment you press the shutter really crystallizes that moment on the negative. It's real. I'll always love the feeling and memory of film. It is not replicable. And I will choose a more professional film camera when shooting the work.
I understand you’ve been working on a series involving your family and residence. Could you elaborate on this project?
I used to hardly ever lift my camera to photograph my family. Or leave some "evidence" of life at home. For me,” home” was something I wanted to run away from a lot of the time. When I suddenly came home after living abroad alone for a long time, I realized that the moments of my home, which I had lived in for twenty years, were precious to me. I didn't want to grow up, grow old and leave without having something to prove that we had lived together.
What inspired the creation of this project?
When I returned to China in the winter of 2023, I realized that I might not be able to live in this house as long as I did when I was a child. I use 35mm film camera took these photos during the month without any purpose. Not for the project, but for my family. Those seemingly mundane yet warm moments allow the viewer to find resonance in my work and feel a special connection with my family. The meaning of home is universal no matter where you come from. It aims to inspire memories of home and appreciation of those seemingly ordinary but precious moments. Let no one have any regrets.
It appears you’ve been focusing on photographing your room recently. Is this initiative part of a new project?
This series uses photography as a medium to document and express personal experiences in a snapshot format. Presenting my personal space, my room, which over time has become more and more reflective of my inner world. It has become a container for my emotions, a record of my loneliness that I have nowhere to share, my losses, and my attempts at self-soothing: cigarettes, alcohol, sweets, and beverages. Every one of my attempts-whether on the trajectory of my parents' expectations or in moments of rebellion to find solace-found expression in these photographs. From cigarettes and alcohol to sweets, these are more than just means of escaping stress; they also symbolize a challenge to traditional expectations and a search for self-authenticity.
I have captured not only the physical state of the room, but more importantly the hidden, overlooked, and often concealed emotions and states behind every mess and every clutter. These images are visual proof of my constant adaptation and change on my path of study in a foreign country, and they reveal how I struggle with a divided ego and how I find solace and self-definition in solitude.
How do you usually go about your creative process?
At the onset of a new project, I embrace an open-ended approach to my photography. I immerse myself in the act of shooting with a 35mm camera, allowing the process to unfold naturally. Each photograph I capture serves as a touchstone, evoking a range of emotions and impressions that guide my creative direction.
I take a hands-on role in the post-production process, particularly enjoying the act of scanning the film. This step is more than just a technical necessity; it's a transformative experience that breathes new life into the images. It's a moment of rebirth for the captured moments, where the film's latent potential is fully realized.
My creative journey is one of discovery and refinement, where each step builds upon the last, culminating in a final presentation that is both a reflection of my vision and a testament to the enduring magic of film
Tell us about the equipment you use. Where did it come from, and what does the camera you use represent to you?
I have two. Olympus U2, my most used film camera, is the one I need to shoot at any time. Mamiya 7, a favorite medium format camera, says the pictures it produces are fantastic and clear.
Do you still photograph in digital format? How do you perceive the differences between analog and digital photography? When do you choose one over the other?
In addition to my passion for film, I also employ digital cameras, such as the Fuji GFX100s, for my fashion projects. While I find the analog process to be more captivating, the immediacy of digital photography is invaluable. It provides me with the ability to assess and adjust lighting and costumes in real-time, ensuring that every shot is perfectly composed.
However, my fondness for the rich texture that film provides has led me to choose a Fuji camera, which is known for its film-like image quality even in digital form. This allows me to capture the essence of fashion with the convenience of digital technology while still maintaining the aesthetic depth I love.
Looking ahead, I am excited to explore the use of medium format film for my fashion photography. I believe that the larger negative size and the unique characteristics of film will add a new dimension to my work, resulting in images that are truly remarkable.
Are there any artists, not necessarily in the realm of photography, who have left a significant impact on your life and work? This could be someone from the past or someone currently influential.
I am very much influenced by Japanese artists now, and I like the kind of private photography, the documentation of daily life, the work about death, such as Nobuyoshi Araki, Rinko Kawauchi, or Masahisa Fukase.
Thank you for joining us for this interview, Zixuan. To explore more of her work, please follow her on Instagram at @xuan1_foto.