Jiandong Xu

Biography

My name is Jiandong Xu (徐建东, 徐建東). I was born in May 1972 in a small village of Ningbo, Zhejiang, China (宁波, 寧波). I am a Chinese photographer and a member of the China Photographers Association. I have published a personal photography album titled The Old Teahouses of China, and my work has been exhibited, awarded, and selected in photography exhibitions across China.

I currently serve as a Council Member of the Zhejiang Photographers Association, and as Vice President of the Ningbo Photographers Association and the Yinzhou District Photographers Association.

Selected projects

A Brick (2025)

A Brick is a major long-term project presented as a photobook and solo exhibition. In 2025, my solo exhibition featuring A Brick drew large public attention and was recognized with an award for the quality of the display. In my materials, this project is also discussed as engaging the lived reality of urbanization and everyday objects as carriers of collective memory.

China’s Dog Market (2020)

China’s Dog Market is presented in my submission as a sustained visual investigation of social realities, and it has been selected and recognized by major photography platforms and festivals.

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Floating Life (2022) & Floating Dirt (2022)

These two bodies of work continue my long-term attention to ordinary life and social transformation, and they are cited in my materials as part of a coherent set of major monographs.

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The Old Teahouse of China (2014)

This monograph is used in my scholarly writing as a case study for documentary photography’s role in recording and protecting cultural heritage, especially in the context of vanishing life scenes.

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Exhibitions and showcases

I have exhibited my work at major festivals and venues, including international platforms and highly selective national exhibitions.

Selected highlights from my submission:

• Solo exhibition: A Brick at the Ningbo International Photography Season (September 2025).
• Pingyao International Photography Festival (25th edition, 2025).
• Dali International Photography Exhibition (8th edition, 2019), described in my materials as an international platform.
• A-La Ningbo Photo Festival (2011, 2013, 2017), including a solo presentation (A Glimpse of the Ganges) in 2017.
• “Chinese Perspectives on the World” National Exhibition series (2011, 2012, 2015), described as extremely selective.

I have also shown work in venues described in my materials as world-class, including spaces designed by Pritzker Prize laureate Prof. Wang Shu.

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Awards and recognition

My submission documents awards characterized by high selectivity:

• Gold Collection Award (top honor) at the 3rd “Chinese Perspectives on the World” National Photography Exhibition (2015) for Mobile Café, selected as one of 11 from 12,000+ entries.
• “Redpoll Trophy” New Artist Nomination Award (2019) at the 8th Dali International Photography Exhibition for China’s Dog Market.
• Photography Craft Book Newcomer Award (2025) at the 25th Pingyao International Photography Festival for A Brick, selected as one of three winners from 207 entries.

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Writing and research

I also write about documentary photography, translating long-term fieldwork into theoretical discussion.

My submission includes two scholarly articles:

• “The Value of Vanishing Life Scenes in Documentary Photography” — published in Architectural Heritage
• “Authentication of Documentary Photography under Digital Images” — published in Photography & Video

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Books

My projects mentioned above have been consolidated into five major monographs that form a cohesive body of work.

• The Old Teahouse of China (2014)
• China’s Dog Market (2020)
• Floating Life (2022)
• Floating Dirt (2022)
• A Brick (2025)

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