Photographs By Li Ju, Alfred Hart, & Andrew Russell. Exhibit runs from Feb 17–Mar 29
ARTIST STATEMENT
Let these historic photos speak and tell the story of the Chinese Railroad Workers. With Beijing photographer, Li Ju’s shots with the exact location to guide us, travel back in time and trace the 150-year old footsteps of the Chinese pioneers.
ARTIST BIO
About the Photographer Li Ju and His Work.
On May 10th, 1869, the First Transcontinental Railroad was completed. It was ahead of schedule. Thousands of hard-working Chinese laborers formed the main workforce for the Western half of the railroad. They had had the hardest parts of construction. Their route took them across higher mountains, deeper canyons, and harsher deserts. Yet for too many years, their stories went untold.
Two famous photographers went out to record the work on the Transcontinental Railroad. Mr. Alfred Hart photographed the work from the West with the Central Pacific Railroad. Mr. Andrew J. Russel worked from the East with the Union Pacific Railroad.
More than 140 years later, a photographer from China was inspired by these men’s work. Mr. Ju Li came halfway across the world to travel in their footsteps. He made 8 trips trekking across mountains, canyons, and deserts to retrace their route.
After checking and rechecking every detail, Mr. Li found the exact spots where the first photos were taken. Li’s modern photos show us those same sites today. The lenses of these 3 men captured the feeling of just how hard the workers’ lives, the land, and the challenges were in the 1860s. Now, we too feel those hardships. We see how rough and lonely these places were.
This display lets the photos speak. Here, they tell the story of the Chinese workers. With Li’s shots to guide us, let’s travel back in time. Let’s walk in the 150-year old footsteps of the Chinese pioneers.
Salt Lake City's Main Library, designed by internationally-acclaimed architect Moshe Safdie (see related titles in our catalog) in conjunction with VCBO Architecture, opened in February 2003 and remains one of the most architecturally unique structures in Utah. This striking 240,000 square-foot structure houses more than 500,000 books and other materials, yet serves as more than just a repository of books and computers. It reflects and engages the city's imagination and aspirations. The six-story curving, walkable wall embraces the public plaza, with shops and services at ground level, reading galleries above, and a 300-seat auditorium. A multi-level reading area along the glass lens at the southern facade of the building looks out onto the plaza with stunning views of the city and Wasatch Mountains beyond. A roof-top garden, accessible by walking the crescent wall or the elevators, offers a 360 degree view of the Salt Lake Valley. Spiraling fireplaces on four floors resemble a column of flame from the vantage of 200 East and 400 South. The Urban Room between the library and the crescent wall is a space for all seasons, generously endowed with daylight and open to magnificent views.
