In Familiars, Quentin Shih explores the complex relationship each of us has with our memories and the need to confront impactful moments in our past, which may or may not lead to truthful representations. Moody, ethereal and sometimes abstract scenes seek to illuminate universal truths through the resuscitated personal history of a highly skilled and sensitive photographic artist. “I believe that photography is not about creation—it’s a process to evoke memory; to refresh something that already exists in our minds; something that is growing weak and abstract and needs to find expression.” Through cinematic lighting and calculated compositions, Shih creates powerfully tranquil figurative moments in the dusk hours.

The cyclical Eastern interpretation of time is significant in understanding Shih’s return to familiar events of the past through contemporary images, even though the artist humbly admits the futility. “We are merely searching amongst reality to try and find an image we once knew", says Shih, "like a ghost who searches for the previous life he cannot return to.” A phantom source of light softly makes itself present in each work, often in bold red hues imbued with Chinese cultural significance. The saturated, silent dramas often reference the work of Edward Hopper as much as contemporary American camera artists such as Todd Hido, Alex Prager, and Philip-Lorca diCorcia.
 
Quentin Shih (a.k.a Shi Xiaofan, b. 1975, Tianjin, China) is a self-taught photographer and filmmaker based in Beijing, China. Since the early 2000s, Shih has held solo exhibitions across China, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the United States. 


Visit our website to see additional works from the series.
For additional information, pricing and availability contact la@galeriexii.com.