“Chronicles of Two Cities” features images of Shanghai and Taiwan in the 1940s, taken by Chang Tsai and Wu Shao-Tung, highlighting the realist nature of photography. Shanghai, along the Huangpu River, was a melting pot of colonial cultures and overflowing capital. Following the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949 and the Nationalist Government’s retreat to Taiwan, large-scale military and civilian relocations brought different cultures and tensions. Using a realist approach rooted in everyday life, the photographers used their visual language to respond to and express concerns about societal changes.
Chang Tsai, born in Taipei, moved with his family to Shanghai from 1941 to 1946 to avoid being drafted by Imperial Japan. The stark difference between the rich and the poor there had a profound impact on him. Known for his integrity and fearless spirit, Chang’s photography conveys his concern for ordinary people and his humanistic reflection. Wu Shao-Tung was born in Guangdong and grew up in Shanghai. According to existing image archives, he started working as a photojournalist, documenting Shanghai’s postwar recovery from 1945. After 1947, Wu moved to Taiwan. His archival negatives capture a plain yet vivid view of daily life in the military dependents’ villages.