The family photography exhibition ‘Heart Between Mirrors’ arrives in Salamanca as part of the Chinese New Year celebration

A meeting between glances. The Garcigrande Palace has become the setting in which to enjoy ‘Heart Between Mirrors’, a photographic exhibition that also involves family contact. The artist of the work is Guo Xiqí, although, later, his son Guo Jiaping joined the task, which is why Ruan Sijie, great-granddaughter of Guo Xiqí and granddaughter of Guo Jiaping, defined it, during its presentation this Friday, February 13, as a meeting between the gazes of its different members.

“A triple look back at my family and a dialogue with history.” A historical look, to give the possibility of contemplating landscapes from almost a century ago; a technical look, passing from the artisan spirit, from the work in the great-grandfather’s darkroom, to the construction of cameras on the grandfather’s work table; and a familiar look, becoming a visual dialogue between the artist and her ancestors through time.

The Salamanca City Council believed that this family character made the work ideal to be part of the programming to celebrate the Chinese New Year. An event with which, in turn, the municipal team wants to take care of both the relationship with the Asian country and the Chinese community that moves to the Charro capital both for tourism and to choose it to complete their studies. Carmen Seguín, Councilor for Celebrations and Traditions, who attended its presentation, wanted to convey to the entire society her most sincere congratulations on this Year of the Horse.

In addition to the presence of Ruan Sijie, on behalf of the family, and Carmen Seguín, on behalf of the City Council, Violeta, a Chinese student from the University of Salamanca, was also part of the presentation, acting as interpreter for both the first and the second: each intervention by the councilor was instantly translated into Chinese for all those attending the event, while the words of Xiqí’s great-granddaughter were repeated by her in Spanish. In some way, this has turned the young Violeta into a link between the two cultures present at the Garcigrande Palace this Friday.

The photographic exhibition will be open to the public until next Sunday, March 1.