[Spatial Archive of Railway Memories] 2023 Global Collector's Edition Wall Calendar
Throughout my long journey of photography and field research, I have always pondered: how can those railway moments resting statically on hard drives and negatives enter everyone's lives in the most heartwarming form? At the end of 2022, partnering with Mr. Harvey in London, I co-curated and completed a major milestone in my photography career—releasing my first-ever globally printed "Collector's Edition Railway Photography Wall Calendar."
At the time, we proposed the concept of "bringing the photo exhibition home." During that special period when offline gatherings were still quite inconvenient, I decided to break down this photo exhibition into twelve months of companionship, delivered right to the wall of every fellow enthusiast.
Deep Distillation Across Five Core Dimensions
This wall calendar did not randomly select images; rather, it refined five core perspectives from my twenty-year trajectory of chasing trains:
"Chinese Steam Locomotives": Capturing the final roars of QJ and SY class locomotives, preserving the warmth of these iron giants.
"China's Modern Locomotives": Witnessing the power transition from the diesel era to the high-speed rail era.
"Chinese Railway Landscapes": Documenting the magnificent symbiosis of how railways traverse forests, deserts, and snowfields in harmony with nature.
"East Asian Railways": Extending our gaze overseas, documenting the stylistic differences in trajectories across Japan, Central Asia, Russia, and Southeast Asia.
"Photographs of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway Construction": Paying visual tribute to Mr. Jeme Tien Yow, tracing the roots and soul of China's independently built railways.
Exhibition-Grade Production Standards
To ensure the visual impact was no less than that of a gallery exhibition, we insisted on printing on 200gsm premium art paper, making every single page a photographic work that can be torn off and collected. The calendar not only marked global holidays but also specially designed "moon phase patterns," hoping that while looking at trains, everyone could also feel the rhythm of time and nature.
Cross-Border Resonance
This wall calendar not only received high acclaim domestically but also successfully reached overseas rail enthusiasts through full English editions and multi-language comparisons. It is not merely a timing tool, but a "railway cultural passport" transcending geographical boundaries.
Looking back at this work, it recorded what we gained over twenty years and preserved those landscapes we unfortunately lost. Although the "gloom" of that year has cleared, the iron charm and field memories recorded in the wall calendar still shine brightly in my heart. Thank you to the friends who supported this project that year; it is your recognition that granted these moments eternity across thousands of households.