Your name
Zhou Chengzhou
Place of birth
Changde, Hunan, China
Place where you live now
The Netherlands
3 words to describe you
Experimental, sensual, strange
Why do you take pictures?
Photography gives me peace in my brain, it brings out the thoughts in my brain in images and it is a way of healing my emotions. It's certainly a reflection of my emotions and I hope it's an expression of exploring my heart.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I get my inspiration within myself and every day by dying at night in my dreams and waking up every morning. And of course there is this intricate and strange world and anecdotes.
Who are your influences?
I am inspired by a number of film directors and documentarians, both from China and elsewhere and of course contemporary artists, such as the Swedish director Roy Andersson, the Chilean director Jodorowsky's Dune, the British director Kubrick, the Chinese directors Cai Ming-liang and Lou Ye, etc. I am very fond of the work of these directors.
What determines the subject matter you choose?
I focus on research and creativity in the field of mental illness and spirituality, so whether it's my photographs or my documentaries or films, there are shades of those ideologies.
What impact would you like your art to have?
I don't want it to make an impact, I don't think art can dictate anything, that's something I've only felt in recent years, and it can't change anything or it wouldn't be mostly only in art galleries, but it's not an absolute, there is good art that can make a good impact and make things better, and of course if there's any hope at all I'd like my art to make the bad things better.
What artwork do you never get bored with?
Documentary and independent feature films and some experimental art
Is there anything you want to add?
I want to keep creating new things, whether it's video or documentary or film, I've made over ten independent films and documentaries now, and I'm working on a new indie screenplay right now, so I hope it all goes well.
