Andong Zheng

b. 1992 China

Based in Rotterdam (Netherlands)

‘My work often begins with small traces: a shadow, a marginal detail in an archive or an unusual flower. These elements serve as points of departure for unravelling broader systems and confronting the power dynamics they sustain. To me, lens-based media are not tools for mirroring objective truth, but instruments for a contemplative act of observing. Through this practice, I seek to open up new ways of knowing that move beyond rational understanding. 

A Push, and A Pull reflects on the relationship between the individual and their cultural homeland, framed within East Asia’s deep patriarchal traditions. These domestic performances were my way of trying to understand not only my father, but also the larger societal realities that weigh on both of us. On a makeshift stage I set up in his living room, spontaneous physical interactions took place in front of a large format camera, where our bodies and forces became vessels of dialogue. Our limbs and torsos kept us honest by bearing each other’s weight. In every moment, we took turns pressing the shutter, the invisible force of blood ties revealed itself on the surface of our skin, projecting something as heavy as fate.’ 

andongzheng.com
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Images: Andong Zheng, Untitled, 2022, from the series A Push, and A Pull © Andong Zheng 

Bringing together 66 artists from across the world, Photo Elysée celebrates emerging talent with the touring exhibition Gen Z: Shaping a New Gaze, currently on display at Fotografie Forum Frankfurt, Germany, until 30 August 2026. As media partner, 1000 Words is featuring the work and accompanying texts of all participating artists in our weekly column dedicated to new voices in contemporary photography.