Yan Jiacheng reflects on how people adapt to rapidly changing urban environments, and how public space continues to function as a stage for collective life.
Yan Jiacheng is a Chinese photographer and visual artist based in Guangzhou, China.
Working primarily with photography, his practice focuses on suburban life, labour, migration, and the social landscapes of contemporary China. Through long-term observation, he examines the ordinary spaces and everyday experiences that often remain outside dominant narratives of urban development.
His work has been exhibited at Fotografiska Shanghai and featured by publications including NOWNESS, The Eye of Photography, ArtReview Future Greats, and GQ China. His projects have been presented internationally through exhibitions, festivals, and publications across Europe, Asia, and North America.
Recent bodies of work include Night in the Suburbs, a long-term exploration of everyday life on the edge of Guangzhou, and Corner, a study of neglected urban spaces and the traces of human activity they contain.