The nine historic photographs of the iconic Great Hall of the People in this exhibit are chosen from an extensive archive of over 10,000 photographs collected by the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd. (BIAD). These photographs, on display for the first time outside of China, provide a visual documentation of the construction process of the Great Hall of the People from 1958 to 1959.
Serving as the primary meeting location for the legislative bodies of China, the Great Hall of the People today is more than a political symbol, rather visited as a major civic and cultural attraction. It serves as a model for architectural monumentality, aesthetics, technology, and a collective intelligence of that era.
In leading the design of the Great Hall of the People, the BIAD took these initial photographs for the explicit purposes of recording the construction process and the completed work, facilitating discussions among the architects and engineers before, during, and after construction, and demonstrating achievements, especially in professional media. Beyond these purposes as a visual narrative created by close collaboration between the architects and the photographers in BIAD, these images of 1950s Beijing provide a glimpse into the radical shifts and juxtapositions produced within a compressed period of change.
Contact: Yale-China Association, yale-china@yale.edu, 203-432-0884
Exhibit: 1950s Photography of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing
Event time:
Saturday, June 1, 2019 - 12:00am to Tuesday, December 24, 2019 - 12:00am
Location:
Yale-China Association (TEMP442)
442 Temple Street
New Haven, CT
06511
Event description:
Admission:
Free but register in advance
To view this exhibit, please email yale-china@yale.edu or call the main office line at 203-432-0884. The exhibit can be viewed by appointment between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (excluding major holidays).
Please note that the office will be closed for winter break between December 24, 2019 and January 1, 2020. Final appointments for the exhibit should be made prior to December 24.
Contact:
(see "Description" above)
Open To:
Calendar Sponsor:
Cultivating Conversation Event: