Sun Yanchu
Sun Yanchu (b. 1978, Henan, China) is a Chinese photographer and artist known for his experimental and emotional approach to the photographic image. His work blends documentary elements with conceptual interventions, often focusing on memory, decay, and the passage of time.
Sun began his career in photojournalism but soon shifted to a more personal and poetic practice. He reworks found photos, old negatives, and even his own archives. Through scratching, burning, or chemical alteration, he transforms them into raw, haunting images.
His series, including Discarded Archives, Phototoxic, and Fictional Landscape, explore themes of loss, impermanence, and the unreliable nature of memory. Each piece feels aged and fragile, like a relic of forgotten history.
Sun’s process is physical and intuitive. He treats photography as both image and object, often blurring the line between photography and painting. His work challenges the idea of photographic truth and embraces imperfection.
He has exhibited widely across China, Europe, and the U.S., including at the Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, Lianzhou Foto, and Jimei x Arles. Stieglitz19 has presented his work in Europe, recognizing his unique voice in experimental Chinese photography.
Sun Yanchu creates images that are emotional, material, and deeply reflective. His art speaks to the fragility of both images and memory itself.
sun yanchu
winter scenery
43x50 cm unique
sun yanchu
happy new year
50x61 cm
sun yanchu
happy new year
50x61 cm