Pok Chi Lau: Flow China

Posted: May 7th, 2008 ˑ Filled under: Books, Inspiration, Lawrence ˑ  6 Comments

Pok Chi Lau is a photographer and teacher from Lawrence, KS who has made Chinese migration and the emergence of China a focal point of his work over the past 40 years. Pok Chi was my photography teacher in college and had an enormous influence on me and my work in terms of how I approached image making as well as how I looked at different cultures through the lens of a camera. He still remains a strong influence of mine as well as a friend and so I was very excited to learn that he has a new book of his work out called Flow China!

In his words:

“The photographs culminate 40 years of my work in the topic of Chinese migration and the emergence of China in an unprecedented pace that shocked the world. I question the process and the cost of how these monumental and irreversible changes affect the faces of the ordinary common folk of this monstrous and diverse nation.”

If you’re interested in seeing more of his work, you can visit his website at www.pokchilau.com where you’ll find a nice gallery of his photographs and you can order his book Flow China as well as his first book Dreams of the Golden Mountain. Pok Chi’s images are fascinating, shocking, humorous, haunting and beautiful and his books are a great addition to any collection. As an added bonus, proceeds from the sales of his books will used for scholarships and charity!

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  • http://www2.kumc.edu/photo/ elissa monroe

    hey,

    came across your site checkin up on Pok-Chi. i too was a student of his and found him to be a great inispiration… either you loved him or hated him. i was a Pok-Chi wannabe… anywho, I landed in
    the commercial world of photography, working at the KU Medical Center goin on 21 years. i do keep on
    my “fine art” side of things, however not nearly enough. iI have a website, however am in the process of “redoing, updating”, etc…

    good to see you’ve tapped into your creative mind! lawrence is a cool place.

    elissa

  • http://www2.kumc.edu/photo/ elissa monroe

    hey,

    came across your site checkin up on Pok-Chi. i too was a student of his and found him to be a great inispiration… either you loved him or hated him. i was a Pok-Chi wannabe… anywho, I landed in
    the commercial world of photography, working at the KU Medical Center goin on 21 years. i do keep on
    my “fine art” side of things, however not nearly enough. iI have a website, however am in the process of “redoing, updating”, etc…

    good to see you’ve tapped into your creative mind! lawrence is a cool place.

    elissa

  • mike burns

    I also came across your site checking up on Pok-Chi. I was a student with him at Brooks Institute and we partnered on an Industrial project. Though I turned out becoming a good technical industrial photographer (and worked my career at one company), Pok-Chi had a vision I never had.

    I knew the day I met him that he would be among the very best of whatever he chose to do.

    mike burns

  • mike burns

    I also came across your site checking up on Pok-Chi. I was a student with him at Brooks Institute and we partnered on an Industrial project. Though I turned out becoming a good technical industrial photographer (and worked my career at one company), Pok-Chi had a vision I never had.

    I knew the day I met him that he would be among the very best of whatever he chose to do.

    mike burns

  • http://www.designojek.com Designojek

    Thanks for the comments, Mike and Elissa! There are so many former students of Pok-Chi’s out there doing amazing things and I can’t help but think that he’s an influence on each one in some small way. I’m glad to hear you’re both still shooting!

  • http://www.designojek.com Dave

    Thanks for the comments, Mike and Elissa! There are so many former students of Pok-Chi’s out there doing amazing things and I can’t help but think that he’s an influence on each one in some small way. I’m glad to hear you’re both still shooting!