Zola Cao, chinese photographer and writer, presented his life and work in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts in the Rigas Family Theater on Tuesday as a Lenna Visiting Scholar.
At his presentation, Cao spoke about what led him to take pictures and the influence it has had on his work. He also spoke about his pictures on display at his exhibition in the Quick Center, which opened to the public on Aug. 23.
The exhibition called “We, The People: An Album of the Chinese People” captures Chinese people during their daily lives. Cao said he enjoys these types of photos because they resemble who he is as a person and are a great way of communicating.
“I think their life is like a mirror,” said Cao. “I want to know who I am through their eyes. I want to know how I’m living. This is a mirror of myself using another person’s image.”
Cao also shared his unique philosophy on photography.
“I look at text, but I read pictures,” said Cao. “If you read a picture, you find something interesting. Each picture has a focus point that should attract you. That’s why you read pictures. It’s not careless. There should be something important and attractive about it.”
Photography and writing, which he often combines, go hand-in-hand, said Cao.
“My background is medical,” said Cao, formally a practicing doctor. “When I was studying and working, I would do anatomy neuroscience. We were told to develop photos first, look at them, then collect data and write articles on what we see. It was a basic skill used to communicate to the public. I always use this tool when taking pictures because I want to make conclusions on the picture.”
He presented a few of his pieces including “Monkey Flowers” and “Where Can I Find a Lake Full of Tears,” to the audience of students and faculty members.
His background in academics, business and medical fields continue to impact the way he takes pictures and views photography.
“I think I’m still kind of academic,” said Cao. “I love science and I am still thinking, working and living the way of a scientist. When I worked for companies, I learned new medicine. It has a big influence because it allows me to improve on my skill base. I think the same goes for photography.”
Photography and writing are both important parts of Cao’s life.
“Taking pictures and writing is like oxygen for me,” said Cao. “It’s my life style. I cannot change that. My camera is always in my bag. I always take two to three cameras with me just to make sure I always have one that has enough battery life. I am taking pictures all of the time.”
Since he began his visit on Aug. 29, Cao has presented his work at JCC in Jamestown, JCC in Olean and in three SBU classrooms, including sociology, photojournalism and English writing capstone classes. He also gave an additional talk at the SBU Thursday Forum on Aug. 31 on how to use photography to diagnose mentally ill patients and at the Twin Tiers camera club meeting, where he held an extended discussion on the role of beauty in photography.
Cao was hosted by SBU faculty members Barry Gan, Ph.D., Patrick Dooley, Ph.D. and Nora Dooley, Ph.D. Gan met Cao while visiting a gallery in China and felt his work would be important to display to the St. Bonaventure community and perfectly represents an ideal Lenna Scholar.
“I am interested in exposing America to Chinese Culture,” said Gan. “The two governments are going at it like cats and dogs. I think the more we can build relationships between culture, the better it could be for peace in the world. I also thought the blend of Zola’s background in business, photography, writing, medicine and philosophy brought a lot of different disciplines to the university.”
Yongjing Ye, a senior finance major who has seen Cao’s exhibition, believes it will show people the real life of people in China.
“Each picture has its own story,” said Ye. “In other words, people can learn another culture. The pictures are so real and natural and make me feel at home. Even though I am from China, I haven’t seen some of the life that are in the pictures from the exhibit. I know more about my own culture now.”
Cao’s exhibition will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery of the Quick Center through Nov. 19.
The Lenna Endowed Visiting Professorship is funded through gifts from the late Betty S. Lenna Fairbank and Reginald A. Lenna of Jamestown. The professorship is meant to bring scholars of stature in their field to St. Bonaventure University and Jamestown Community College for public lectures.
engjg14@bonaventure.edu
