Italian photographer's 'eye-level' view of China

"People's consumption has since then become more diversified and bread has begun to integrate into the local catering structure in China," he explained.

Through the window of a clothing store in Shanghai, two mannequins, a male and a female, can be seen. They are wearing Western-style suits, which were quite rare at that time, and their facial expressions seem to be full of innocence and longing. Cavazzuti's image shows the mannequins in a head-and-shoulders view.

"The same shop window was also photographed by a Japanese photographer whose photos show the whole upper part of the body, but obviously, Cavazzuti's photo better reflects the features of people's living conditions and their spirit during that period," wrote the curator in the exhibition brochure.

"Some foreigners take photos with the attitude of 'hunting for novelty,' which is not only visually unsightly, but also not conducive to showing a real China," Cavazzuti said.

After seeing Cavazzuti's works, Tang Hui, a professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, said, "In the 1980s, there were many foreign photographers interested in China, but unlike most people, Andrea put more time and effort into this land."

Tang Hui, a mural painting professor from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, said, "There are no exaggerated dramatic details through his lens, no passionate and grand narrative, only the natural presentation of the details of life during that era and a subtle interest in aesthetic form."

In 1981, in Beijing Zhongshan Park, crowds gathered to see the "Lunar Rocket" entertainment facility that was introduced from Japan. Cavazzuti captured children playing in the hot sun while their parents watched and chatted. Their facial expressions are so vivid that their laughter seems to float out of the photo.

"Get rid of preconceived ideas and treat yourself as an ordinary member of the environment. In this way, you can easily spot the beauty nearby," the Italian explained.

In recent times, he photographed a taxi driver whose work took him to the art community in Songzhuang, in Beijing's Tongzhou District. The driver asked some of the artists to sign his taxi, and Cavazzuti used this story to comment on the artists' current situation.

The Italian has also followed local art performers and inheritors of traditional folk culture across China in a bid to record scenes that are disappearing.

Cavazzuti says that China's material civilization has developed rapidly due to reform and opening-up. However, he says the disadvantage of globalization is that more and more things have become "standardized."

Such changes may have left some imprints on China, says the Italian, but he believes that the country still retains its colorful culture, which is worth recording through his lens.