Photo taken at the opening ceremony of "Imaginary Space: Retrospective of Jerry Uelsmann", May 31 [Photo: CRIENGLISH.COM] 

Photo taken at the exhibition "Imaginary Space: Retrospective of Jerry Uelsmann", May 31 [Photo: CRIENGLISH.COM] 

Jerry Uelsmann, is both an acquaintance and a stranger to Chinese photographers. Though his name has appeared in countless Chinese language photography books and cyberspace, Chinese photographers never had the chance to learn about Jerry Uelsmann comprehensively. Thanks to the Beijing World Art Museum of China Millennium Monument, an exhibition of Jerry Uelsmann's work called "Imaginary Space: Retrospective" will be held from May 31st to July 15th.

[ to Jerry Uelsmann's humour at the opening ceremony of the exhibition "Imaginary Space: Retrospective of Jerry Uelsmann]

The exhibition contains 132 black and white photo works of Jerry Uelsmann through the past 45 years.

The American photographer, Jerry N. Uelsmann, is a master of photomontage and a pioneer of dark room manipulation; he has devoted his career so-far extending over more than 50 years –to making photographs in which optical reality is transformed to convey psychological truths. As a pioneer of 'non-literal' photography, he came to prominence in the United States in the 1960s and is now widely recognized as one of the senior figures in American photography. His photographs are in the permanent collection of many major museums worldwide.

As to why the exhibition is titled "Imaginary Space," Uelsmann explained: "the imagination is the primary currency for the artists, it's the imagination that causes the image to occur. The world really exists as much in us and it does around us."

With the advent of digital cameras and Photoshop, photographers are able to create similar work to that of Uelsmann's in less than a day. Uelsmann however was believed to have nearly "magical skill" with his completely analog tools. But Uelsmann shows his respect to the newly developed technology. "Today photography is becoming basically digital, I am a member of old tradition, that's link to my creativity process. I have a great respect for digital photography, it's the future. I am sort of the past, but I just love that old process, and I am going to stay with that."

As a photographer, Mr Jin Jun, an editor from a professional photography magazine said, this kind of master –level exhibition is a very good thing for Chinese photographers. According to unofficial statistics, there are about tens of millions photography lovers in China, with ordinary family own one camera. Only when a country's culture is developed can other aspects be upgraded. He hopes that more exhibits like this will be brought to China.

Uelsmann will give Chinese photographers a free lecture on photography at 3:30 pm on June 2.

What's more, during Jerry Uelsmann's days in China, Uelsmann had the opportunity to shoot the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and he promised some images of China will eventually appear in his photography, though it may take some months.