Chinese photographer Ou Zhihang has commemorated his country’s cultural richness by documenting important scenes from its history with his series The Moment, but with a new twist—in the foreground of each image is his own naked body in push-up position. “I wanted to express myself differently,” said Ou of his exhibition, which was recently honored in the World Press Awards. “Press-ups are my artistic symbol.” Ou’s goal in stripping down is to speak to the role of the individual in the world’s most populous nation. “I’m not an exhibitionist. The press-ups are positive and healthy, and very sincere,” he said of his signature position, which also allows the surprisingly shy artist to hide his face. Ou has taken photographs in the Tibetan capital on the anniversary of the riots there, outside the Chongqing courtroom during its recent organized-crime crackdown, and in Tiananmen Square. To take capture the images, Ou sets up a tripod, undresses hurriedly, and uses the camera’s timer. “I want to make a wider impact on society, to go beyond a small circle,” he went on. “This is why I do my press-ups.”
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