Global Times: A throwback to the 1980s: Italian photographer captures early stages of reform and opening-up

BEIJING, July 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In the black and white photographs, there are dilapidated streets and faded shops, children playing in a simple park, lovers confiding in a quiet grove, crowds gathering in teahouses, restaurants, and nighttime book stalls, models in shop windows speaking of a happy life, slogans and banners everywhere, calling out for the future...

These are some of the pictures taken by an Italian photographer who documented China in the 1980s when he pursued his studies in his 20s. Fascinated by the culture and wealth of opportunities, he settled down in China which was little known to the world at that time and became an independent visual artist. Over 40 years later, he had his photo album published named At Ease: China, 1981-1984.

"Looking back to the old days, it was like a respite for the Chinese who were unaware that they were going to embrace an era of profound social changes and transformative economic development. That was a rare and brief moment of tranquility when people were at ease," Andrea Cavazzuti told the Global Times during a book signing event at an Owspace bookstore in Beijing.

In the early 1980s, China was in the early stages of its reform and opening-up. In 1981, the then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping launched the first wave of economic reform, allowing greater autonomy for state-owned enterprises, and experimenting with market mechanisms in agriculture and industry.

Beginning in 1980, special economic zones were established in coastal areas including Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Xiamen to attract foreign investment and promote economic experimentation.

The reform and opening-up laid the foundation for the rapid economic growth and transformation that would unfold in the following decades. The reforms initiated during this period set China on a path to becoming one of the world's major economic powers while fundamentally altering its political and social landscape.

Time difference

Andrea, who was referred to as ""Lao An" by his Chinese friends, said that he felt like he had experienced a kind of "time difference" and temporal travel across eras in two vastly different countries in the world.

"When I was a child, Italy's economy was at its most prosperous period. In the 1990s, I experienced a rapid economic development in China that was almost the same as that of Italy. When I was a teenager, the streets of Italy were similar to what I later saw in China. It seems that I relived two similar eras," the 65-year-old said in fluent Chinese.

When selecting the major for his undergraduate studies, most of his classmates opted for science and engineering disciplines. Out of a strong interest in the square-shaped Chinese characters and Eastern culture, Andrea was determined to study Mandarin.

"I had a passion in reading Chinese. China takes up a vast land in the world map, yet few people around me at that time knew what was happening across this expansive land," he recalled. 

In 1981, it took him seven days to arrive in the place which he thought was "a paradise for photo taking." He aimed his lens at ordinary Chinese people, observing how they cautiously navigated towards a happy life.

Since 1982, Andrea began his two-year study at Fudan University in Shanghai, majoring in modern Chinese literature. The school activities took him to various places across China. Whenever he arrived somewhere new, he tried to stay a few extra days carrying his camera, which was still a novelty in that era of China.

"I'd like to photograph things that people don't pay much attention to and express a different voice. I take photos without any specific purpose; I photograph whatever attracts me. I haven't met anyone like me who travels around just taking pictures," he noted.

Zhi An, a Chinese author, told the Global Times that he felt another time difference from reading the Italian's photo album with over 190 photos.

"In the early 1980s, the ordinary people led similar life and there was no big gap between people's income. Therefore, the general public was marching in unison. Chinese people including me didn't know that we were standing at a critical juncture," Zhi noted.

However, people's lives were quietly undergoing changes. It was not long before the peaceful respite came to a halt and it was followed by sudden scattering as people rushed to make a fortune. That was the era when modern lifestyles began to sprout, said the author.

Andrea captured things that were unnoticed at the time but fleeting, Zhi said.

Follow your heart

The Italian was particularly interested in zooming in on shop windows because it offered people a glimpse of what's hold for future.

"The storefront displays always store something you can't purchase at the moment such as fresh fruit, computers and rockets. It was people's aspiration for future life," he said.

Having lived in China for more than 40 years and witnessed the sweeping social and economic development, Andrea said China is running much faster than Italy now in terms of development.

However, compared with the distinctive architectures and structures designed in the old days, the disadvantage of globalization is that more and more modern structures have become "standardized."

Tokyo, Beijing or New York? Sometimes, you are at a loss of where you are staying. The modern cities look similar. It was the unique designs that impress people, he added.

No matter how times changes, Andrea said that what remains invariable is "to be yourself and do not go with the flow when you make your life choices."