29/07/2026
Zeng Nian 曾年 photographed the construction of the Three Gorges Dam for 14 years. The resulting 'Three Gorges' series brought him international recognition as a witness to China's dramatic modernization.
The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest hydraulic dam in Hubei, China. Built to control flooding in the Yangtze River, it has also displaced over a million people and flooded archaeological and cultural sites. Zeng Nian captured the moment before they disappeared.
The choice of a wide-angle, panoramic 6:17 format projects a sense of melancholic nostalgia. His investigation of the social and cultural realities of China in the throes of rapid development fills his photographs with humanity, reality and simplicity. His work acts as a window into the old China. In Zeng Nian’s work, the Three Gorges becomes the symbol of the confrontation between secular history and the modern world.
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All photos are copyrighted by Zeng Nian.
