Xiaoyi Chen, an LCC MA Photography graduate, has been awarded the Three Shadows Photography Award, one of China’s most prestigious photography competitions.

Her series ‘Koan’ explores human reality through a series of abstract landscapes. Xiaoyi explains that photography acts as a philosophical approach to explore notions of spiritual awareness and intuition. Her most recent work focuses on the combination of photography and printmaking, using black ink and print on different Japanese papers to create an atmosphere of desolation and melancholy.

From ‘Koan’, Xiaoyi Chen, 2015.

Inspired by Eastern philosophies like Tao and Zen, Xiaoyi is drawn to the idea of ‘purification through processes’. She explains: “In Zen Buddhism ‘Koan’ is a story or riddle used to help in the attainment of a state of spontaneous reflection, free from planning and analytical thought.”

From ‘Koan’, Xiaoyi Chen, 2015.

She continues: “The Three Shadows Photography Award was a wonderful opportunity for me. This award has inspired and encouraged me to continue to explore the possibilities of photography.”

From ‘Koan’, Xiaoyi Chen, 2015.

From ‘Koan’, Xiaoyi Chen, 2015.

In the next year Xiaoyi is showing her work several times, as well as working towards a large-scale solo exhibition in Rome in 2016.