The Shackles of Appearance

Photographer Cheng Yanbai stopped shooting for three years, photographing only empty rooms and ruins. Then he met Shen Yun, an art student who bundled herself up tightly, afraid of being seen.

With contracts, cameras, and every photo shoot, he peeled away her disguise. And she discovered that this man who controlled everything was himself an empty room with no key.

“Clause Seven: Party B must not develop an emotional attachment to Party A beyond the scope of their collaboration.”

They agreed to take only ten photographs, but ended up taking them for a lifetime.