With each new project, Lin Zhipeng — who goes by the name of 223 — stands out as an increasingly important voice within contemporary photography. Two weeks ago, as Paris Photo whipped France’s photography scene into a frenzy, 223 staged one of his most ambitious and daring projects to date. It culminated in an exhibition and live indoor performance in a gallery in the Marais, where the photographer’s naked models lounged on a picnic blanket amongst berries, books and baguettes. Quietly, they assembled a semblance of community that surpassed the walls, floors and frames: an impression of life refracted, of love transferred.
“The performance was a re-enactment of the photographs 223 made in the nudist zone of the Bois de Vincennes park,” explains Anna Mistal, the director and curator behind Amour Défendu. “The park is the result of years of lobbying by French nudists, and was described by the mayor’s office as part of an open-minded vision for the use of Parisian public spaces. It felt like the best place to reinforce what 223 and I stand for, which is freedom and liberation.” Read as a prelapsarian wonderland — proposing and preserving pleasure, neither tethered nor tarnished — 223’s series translates to Forbidden Love. Indeed, disobedient fruit has never tasted sweeter.
Here, we catch up with Anna to chat about the Paris project and why 223 continues to enthral.
Hi Anna! Have you recovered from the mad rush of Paris Photo?
Not really! It was by far the most intense and exciting Paris Photo week for me. Not only because of the anticipation of what and who to see at the fair, but because I unveiled my second collaborative project with my dear friend 223.
I want to hear more about it, but first, can you tell me about how you both first crossed paths?
I discovered 223’s work on 24 February 2017, the day Ren Hang committed suicide. I was a follower of Ren’s work, and was myself going through depression. I was shocked by this tragic loss and felt a complex sense of grief and isolation. I was trying to find more news about Ren’s death online, and came across an image of an innocent-looking young man in a pink dress. It was love and release at first sight. I knew right away that this was not Ren’s work. It was by 223. I found him on Instagram and introduced myself. I thought we could make a new series of work and exhibit it together, and he was up for it. One year later, we teamed up in Paris, the result of which was Grand Amour, which we shot over three days in a hotel. The rest is history, as they say. I owe my renewed passion for photography and life to 223.
What made you want to take to Paris’ streets this time around?
I was keen to create an alternative photographic narrative based on the familiar trope of Paris as “the city of love”. 223 hadn’t done anything like this before, shooting a whole series in a big city in broad daylight. I knew it would be a challenging, exciting and epic experience.
What was the casting process like?
We put up a call on social media. There were lots of fans of 223 from Paris and other European cities who submitted pictures. In the end, we selected 17 models. Oh, 18 including me! We had all genders in the mix, which has always been important to 223. In a moment when LGBTQ+ bodies, and their unique forms of expression, are under unprecedented attack in various places around the world, 223 wanted to capture the beautiful moments of liberation that people from this community felt on the streets of Paris. Forbidden love takes many forms. Even the quintessential love of oneself, which can feel forbidden if one is trans, non-binary, non-conforming or just outside of what mainstream society deems the “norm”. The fear of society’s judgment can limit individuals from fully accepting and loving themselves, but 223’s approach to image-making has always encouraged all kinds of love and freedom.
Props have always been so important to 223. Where did you find the latest batch from?
We had so much fun shopping! We began in the fabric district up in Montmartre and went down to Boulevard de Clichy, picking up stockings, headwear, undergarments and, of course, beautiful laced fabrics which 223 loves to capture shadows on bodies with.
At what times did you shoot?
We met the models either before sunrise — before Parisians go to work — or late in the evening. 223 is all about raw spontaneity. He would meet the models for the first time on the day of shooting and have casual conversations with them in Chinese. When a short window of time presented itself to us, especially when the streets were quiet, we would have a few seconds to get the shot. Then we would exit the location and move onto the next. It was quick and intense. You can see all that in the documentary we made!
Tell me more!
Well, it’s the first time 223’s working process has been documented on video. I truly admire the way he works and wanted to share it with as many people as possible. Since the 90s, I’ve worked with hundreds of photographers as a fashion stylist, but never with a photographer who requires barely any equipment to produce such impactful, moving and memorable images. I asked a dear friend and visual artist, Kevin Eason, to document the project. Kevin is very streetwise and quick to frame shots, which was essential because he had to anticipate 223’s every move. At first, we were just going to film a few clips for Instagram Reels, but after reviewing Kevin’s footage after a couple of days of shooting, we knew that a short documentary was being manifested. The final version was very well received at both the Maison Européenne de la Photographie and the one-day showing at the gallery. I think it wonderfully captures the flux through which 223 works.
How did the one-day showing coming about?
My original plan was a kind of “wild posting” throughout the streets of Paris. I thought it would be a fun and courageous way to exhibit the photographs since they were mostly taken on the streets. But as soon as I saw the photographs for the first time, I felt the need to show them inside a space so people can have a more intimate moment with them. At the last minute, I managed to find and rent out this beautiful space in the Marais. It was pouring with rain all day and night, but so many people came to visit, from press people and collectors to friends and fans of 223. It was a beautiful night.
What do you think we can we learn from 223?
223 inspires and motivates a lot of young people. He is a very simple artist with profound humility, love and respect for life. His work encourages honesty, courage, confidence and fun. I think he reminds us that passion is all you really need to make great photographs.
Credits
All images courtesy of 223 and Anna Mistal