Three Gorges Dam: Through the Lens of the Artist

From professionals to amateurs, the Yangtze River has captured the attention of hundreds of photographers and artists. Since the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, the Yangtze River has achieved even greater fame (or infamy). To some, the dam is an engineering marvel, but to many others, it represents a destruction of natural beauty and the devastation of hundreds of traditional homes and livelihoods.

Whether the artist was trying to capture the daily experiences of displaced communities or Man's desire to tame nature's wildness, one thing is for certain: through the lens of the artist, we see the project, and the river, anew.

Chen Nong: San Xia – Curatorial Projects
Thomas Kellner: Photography in Art

Paintings
The Three Gorges Project: Paintings by Liu Xiaodong
Asian Art Museum and the Mary Boone Gallery, New York

Displacement: The Three Gorges Dam and Contemporary Chinese Art
Displacement is on U.S. tour through 2010.
Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago

Selected Works of Yun-Fei Ji
James Cohan Gallery, New York

Three Gorges Dam Series – Paintings and Work on Paper
Rick Camire

Music
Yangtze Journey
This piece is premiering on the slideshow for the first time.
Jeff Fallen

Film
"Rhapsody on Farewell" (2002), "River, River" (2005), "Color Lines" (2006), "The Garden" (2007)
Chen Quilin

Literature
In the Lap of the Gods
Li Miao Lovett

More information

• Read the latest factsheet on the legacy of the Three Gorges Dam
• Read the Press Release about the completion of Three Gorges
• Go in depth about Three Gorges