Catholic faith in rural China
An exhibition of powerful images documenting the lives of Catholics in rural China is now on view at Boston College, presented by the University's Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History.
On the Road: The Catholic Faith in China鈥攚hich has been extended through December 22鈥攃omprises 60 images taken between 1992 and 1996, when world-renowned photographer L眉 Nan traveled on the road through 10 Chinese provinces to document the lives of Catholic villagers. Fifty images are on view at the School of Theology and Ministry Library Atrium; 10 are dispayed at the O鈥橬eill Library Gallery.
One of the most respected photographers in China today, L眉 is considered unrivaled in his capacity to capture and reveal human dignity and the poignancy of the human condition, according to exhibition organizers.
Ricci Institute Director M. Antoni J. Ucerler, S.J.
聽鈥淟眉 Nan鈥檚 corpus of work is very striking,鈥� said Ricci Institute Director M. Antoni J. Ucerler, S.J., a provost鈥檚 fellow and associate professor of history. 鈥淗is focus, with this project and others, is to explore minorities and communities on the margins of Chinese society. Christians in general and Catholics in particular in remote rural areas, from Yunnan to Tibet, are the focus of this collection of photographs.鈥�
Given that the exhibition subject is Christians in China, the Ricci Institute partnered with STM as its primary venue, Fr. Ucerler explained, and three STM students co-curated聽On the Road.
Amid the economic and social complexities of the time, 鈥淟眉 witnessed nothing short of a miracle,鈥� the curators note in an exhibition description: 鈥減eople of deep faith, despite constant strife in everyday life, on the road to heaven.鈥� This collection鈥攁rranged in five categories that depict different aspects of the life and faith of the people he encountered鈥攊s his 鈥渁ttempt to convey to the world the miracle he witnessed.鈥�
The Ricci Institute, an internationally recognized research center for the study of Chinese-Western cultural exchange, collaborated on the 51茶馆 display with Michael Agliardo, S.J., director of the U.S.-China Catholic Association in Berkeley, Cal., and Jamason Chen at Loyola University Chicago. Chen, who often represents and speaks on behalf of his friend L眉, will appear on campus this fall, at a date to be announced, to discuss the exhibition.
聽鈥淭he visual exploration of the profoundly human experiences of these Christian communities in rural China is very specific in terms of time and place. And yet these stark photographs speak eloquently of a common human condition and of the reality of a lived faith across cultures and borders,鈥� Fr. Ucerler said.
He described each photograph as 鈥渁 mini-meditation that invites the viewer to become attentive to and respectful of the message that it is conveying. Each image reveals the complex reality of the Christian faith well beyond the familiar confines of the Western world, while at the same time appealing to universal themes that are part of a shared humanity.鈥�
An opening reception for the Ricci Center's 'On The Road' exhibit in the School of Theology and Ministry Library was held in June. (Event photos by Lee Pellegrini)
Following a five-year affiliation with China Pictorial, L眉 worked as an independent photographer and produced a trilogy of acclaimed works that made his international reputation. The second comprises the works in this exhibition; many of them have been displayed around the world and have been published in the book聽On the Road聽(Ignatius Press, 2021). Fr. Agliardo assisted L眉 in its publication, and wrote an afterword to the volume.聽聽
鈥淒uring the period when L眉 Nan shot聽On the Road, he visited over 100 church buildings. However, the emphasis of his photographic journey is on how love and faith are practiced in the everyday life of the believers,鈥� according to a description of the book. 鈥淗is aim is to show that inner divinity is imbued in the everyday life of these believers, and that their time on earth is but a tempering trajectory: Through enduring the trials of life鈥檚 fortunes and mishaps, they are able to find true values in divine grace.鈥�
At a campus opening event in June, Fr. Ucerler said a theme that stands out for him is "transcendent hope through a deep faith in the midst of vulnerability.鈥� The co-curators echoed that observation, and shared their personal experiences of interacting with the work of the artist. Their reflections and thoughts on the exhibition all underscored the deep faith and hope of those portrayed by the photographer.
鈥淭he images depicted might be considered austere, showing poverty and suffering,鈥� said co-curator Wen Jie Gerald Lee MATM/MBA 鈥�23, of Singapore. 鈥淏ut they communicate profound joy, contentment, peace, and purpose in spite of harsh living conditions.鈥�
Ricci Institute intern and co-curator Zhangzhen Liang MTS 鈥�23鈥攚ho was a young girl when L眉 visited her Chinese village for this series鈥攈opes 鈥渢he perseverance and faith expressed in these photos will empower all of us to move forward together, to live a rich and thriving life, and encourage us to become the light of the world.鈥�
Doctoral student and co-curator Shinjae Lee 鈥�27, whose family moved from China to South Korea, concluded with a quote from L眉: 鈥淚 hope that by looking into real life I find something fundamentally and enduringly human.鈥�
The curators, who wrote the accompanying wall text, encourage exhibition visitors to record their reactions to these evocative images, by scanning a QR code available as part of the installation. These responses will be shared with other patrons.
鈥淲e sincerely hope that those who view this exhibit will experience a common bond with those who are depicted," said Fr. Ucerler, "and allow themselves to be transported to these far-away communities so that they can learn something from their visual witness."
According to organizers, in addition to Chen鈥檚 appearance, other events will be held in conjunction with the exhibition, and the聽On the Road聽volume is available at a discounted price. For more information, visit the 聽or contact the Ricci Institute at聽ricci-institute@bc.edu.
On the Road: The Catholic Faith in China聽is co-sponsored by the Ricci Institute and Boston College Libraries, with funding from the EDS-Stewart Endowment for the Study of Chinese-Western Cultural History at the Ricci Institute.聽