Intimate bodies, ripe fruit and sunlit flowers come together in the Chinese photographer’s new exhibition at Saint Laurent Rive Droite Beijing, curated by Anthony Vaccarello and on view until September 11.
Summer becomes a state of desire at Saint Laurent Rive Droite, where Lin Zhipeng, also known as No. 223, brings together images of bodies, fruit and flowers under the curatorial gaze of Anthony Vaccarello. Opening in Beijing around Qixi, the Chinese celebration of love on August 19, the exhibition draws from the photographer’s extensive archive to explore intimacy, romance and fleeting encounters.
A kiss, bodies resting against each other, cherry stems held between teeth or the exposed flesh of a grapefruit become fragments of the same visual language. Skin echoes ripe fruit and flowers caught in sunlight, transforming everyday scenes into quiet expressions of attraction. The images feel tranquil and unrushed, with sensuality emerging through gestures, textures and proximity.
Born in Guangdong in 1979, Lin adopted the name No. 223 from the police officer played by Takeshi Kaneshiro in Wong Kar wai’s ‘Chungking Express’. The reference connects naturally with his fascination for fleeting encounters and transient emotions. Since launching his blog ‘North Latitude 23’ in 2003, he has photographed friends, lovers and everyday life through an instinctive gaze shaped by tenderness, eroticism, loneliness and play.
The Beijing exhibition continues Lin’s relationship with Saint Laurent following previous presentations at Rive Droite in Paris and Los Angeles. This time, Vaccarello turns to his archive to compose a portrait of romance suspended between bodies and nature. Arriving before summer fades, the photographs hold onto desire for a moment longer, capturing the beauty of something already beginning to disappear.
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