Dong jiao min xiang Hutong
Dong jiao min xiang Hutong
Extending from East Tian'anmen Square Road in the west to Chongwenmennei Avenue in the east, Dongjiaominxiang, over 3,000 meters long, is the longest hutong in Beijing and was called Beijing's "Embassy Row" in the early 20th century.
After the Opium Wars in the 1840s, Britain, Russia, Germany and France established embassies along this road. Its unique history has left the area with unique buildings exhibiting diverse architectural styles. Dongjiaominxiang was Beijing's diplomatic center for over 170 years.
This volume contains 80 full-color photographs which chronicle a four-year journey of exploration through some of the oldest neighborhoods in Beijing, China. With a photographic process of long exposures ranging from twenty-five minutes to four hours, the people are predominantly lost. The images are of a way of life all but rubble to the modernization of China's capital city. Hutongs are the ancient Chinese communities built hundreds of years ago that now rest in the middle of the urban sprawl. Tight streets, communal bathrooms, and a poor water supply are balanced by an incredible sense of community & a peaceful way of life. Most of the dwellings depicted in this book have been destroyed in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. Paul Duda received his BFA in photography from Penn State University and an MFA from Pratt Institute in NYC. He has taught for the past 14 years at the Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven, CT and has lectured about his work at numerous universities. Paul Duda owns and operates Studio Duda Photography, a commercial photographic studio & fine art gallery in New Haven, CT. With over 50 gallery shows, including OK Harris in NYC, Duda's work includes studies in more than 20 countries. www.studioduda.com
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