Book review: Faces We Love Shanghai by Derek Muhs and Marisa Noemi Tarin Balmaceda.

Publisher's description

Go beyond the glitz, glamour, and bustle of one of the most populated cities on the planet and discover the real heartbeat and soul of Shanghai—its people. Through this collection of 100 mostly full-color photographs captured by a team of passionate artists and photographers, Faces We Love Shanghai takes you on a journey through the city’s narrow alleyways and secluded backstreets. Each photograph reveals an untold story, showcasing the beauty and joy behind the everyday moments and people that are often overlooked. Also featured in the book are photographs of a community working together as a team, supporting one another in a time of tremendous stress and anxiety, as COVID-19 swept the globe and the world pointed its finger at China. In a world divided, this stunning photography book cuts through the language barriers and cultural divide to bring you a work of pure craftsmanship—a collection that shows the true beauty of capturing people as they really are. Highlighting the raw and honest moments of life in Shanghai that are at times heartbreaking and hopeful, serendipitous and authentic, Faces We Love Shanghai is a love letter to a city visited by many but truly seen by few.

My review (originally reviewed on Reader's Favorite)

Faces We Love Shanghai is a compilation of photographs starring the people of Shanghai. Each picture is complemented with a short description, a sentence to summarise and explain the image,... It is a fabulous work of art mixing writing (in its concision and straight-forwardness) with the art of photography. Two different ways of expressing ideas, thoughts, but also of sharing emotions are presented on an equal footing. The whole work focuses on the people who are making a country, who are the real pieces of a puzzle, of a specific, unique community. The pictures are magnificent, the texts are telling. The questions make us doubt what we see, and dig deeper. We feel immersed in an unknown world as we observe this superb collection of snapshots. The artists share multiple views, places, instants, thus giving us a hint of a deeper, stronger message and diverse lifestyles.