Chinese photographer Shi Guorui presents a timely collection of five large-scale, black-and-white photographs, each at least two meters in length, that capture some of the most mesmerizing new cityscapes around the world. Working in situ within special rooms, Shi used the traditional pinhole-camera technique of the camera obscura to capture skylines that blur into the distance, endowing his images with an ephemeral quality. His negative-style prints — the lights and shadows are inverted — further set the tone, showcasing the blend of old character and recent growth in the modern metropolises of Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Las Vegas. Shi’s photographs seize the spirit of their settings with curiosity and depth, making for simultaneously dreamlike and realistic urban portraits.
