26/03/2026 - 15/05/2026
High Altitude Lights
3.26.2026 – 5.15.2026
Exhibition of Zhang Chaoyin and Zhang Yuxiao
Curated by Guoyin Jiang
Manifattura Tabacchi – B12, Via delle Casine 35, Florence
Aria Art Gallery is pleased to present Luci D’Alta Quota: Lettera di un amore di quarant’anni su pellicola (High-Altitude Lights: A Letter of a Forty-Year Love on Film), an exhibition dedicated to the photographic works of Zhang Chaoyin and Zhang Yuxiao. The exhibition is organized in collaboration with Aria Art Gallery, with the support of Manifattura Tabacchi and under the patronage of the Municipality of Florence.
For more than forty years, Zhang Chaoyin as photographer of Chinese National Geography has conducted a systematic exploration of the Himalayan region, shaping a visual and cultural atlas of what is often referred to as the planet’s “Third Pole.” As Li Shuanke, Director of Chinese National Geography, observes, his work represents “a profound dialogue that traverses the dimensions of time and space,” transforming the image into a tool of knowledge.
The exhibition primarily focuses on the work of Zhang Chaoyin, presenting 50 photographs taken on film over four decades of exploration. In dialogue with this research, several works by Zhang Yuxiao introduce a complementary generational perspective, expanding the dialogue between experience and contemporaneity. The exhibition alternates between glacial landscapes, geological formations, and human presences, inviting reflection on deep time and the fragility of ecosystems.
Coordinated by Massimo Listri and curated by Guoyin Jiang, the exhibition presents a journey in which the works intertwine documentation, artistic research, and poetic vision. The photographs have been printed using the historic platinum-palladium process, patented in England in 1873 by William Willis. Considered one of the noblest processes in the history of photography, it stands out for its exceptional tonal richness and remarkable permanence over time. Each print, made by hand, bears the trace of the gesture and the process, transforming the photograph into a unique and unrepeatable object.
Special thanks are extended to Targetti Sankey S.r.l. for the technical sponsorship of the lighting system.