Xu Yong

Born in Shanghai in 1954, the artist Xu Yong graduated from Henan University of Science and Technology in China in 1978 and worked as a photographer for the state-run Beijing Advertising Agency in the 1980s. Hutong 101 Photos, which he shot in the late 1980s and published in 1990, broke through the then unofficial restriction regarding hutongs as a restricted area for opening up and representation. He used a unique and specially composed photographic language to present hutongs’ hundreds of years of history and their vicissitudes over many years while still remaining as the true face of Beijing, the place where most people live, creating a wide range of social impacts. Typical works of Xu Yong include Solution Scheme, This Face, Negatives: Scans, and 18% Grey. In 1993, the artist initiated and organised the “Hutong Cultural Tour” to actively publicise and promote the protection of Beijing’s hutongs. In 2003, he organised the “Reconstruction 798” public art activity in Beijing and was one of the main initiators of the famous 798 Art District.