On the afternoon of August 17, 2025, the “Witnessing the Present” International Youth Photography Competition Award Ceremony was held at the prestigious Inter Art Center/Gallery located in the landmark 798 Art District in Beijing.
Jointly organized by the Singapore Good Soil Foundation and Inter Art Center/Gallery, the competition carried the theme “Witnessing the Present”. It aimed to encourage students aged 15 to 22 worldwide : both high school and university students—to use photography as a medium to capture, through their own perspectives, young people’s detailed observations of contemporary life, their pursuit of future dreams, deep reflections, and personal growth.
The event was co-hosted by project initiators Ms. Faye Lo and Mr. Na Risong. At the opening, Mr. Na, Artistic Director and Curator of Inter Art Center/Gallery, explained the intention behind launching the competition and emphasized the importance of providing a platform for young photography enthusiasts globally.
Ms. Faye Lo, Founder of the Good Soil Foundation and avid collector of photography, together with project co-initiator Mr. Zack Cao, took the stage to share their hopes for young people to express themselves through photography, as well as the foundation’s commitment to supporting youth in the arts.
The press conference was attended by many leading figures in photography and culture, including renowned photographers Zhu Xianmin, Wang Wenlan, He Yanguang, Xie Hailong, Ren Shulin, Guo Jianshe, Shang Junyi, Hei Ming, Zhang Xulong, Liu Li, Jia Yong, and Zhang Chunyu; media and cultural scholar Yang Lang; Professor Zhu Jiong of the Beijing Film Academy’s School of Image and Media; Jia Ting; Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China Photography News Chai Xuan; Editor-in-Chief of Image China website Cao Xu; Editorial Director of Popular Photography Li Xin; Editor-in-Chief of Photography Friends magazine Liu Dong; Editor of China Photography magazine Chen Qiushi; well-known blogger Luo Dawei; young photographer and inaugural “Ying Documentary Image Award” grand prize winner Yang Wenbin; and this year’s competition winners Huang Anni, Qu Shizhe, and Cao Xuan.
Also present were Liu Wenkui, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Foundation for Rural Development; Zhang Boju, Head of Ginkgo Foundation; Wang Dong, Board Member of Beijing Xingxingyu Autism Education Institute; Zheng Yanjun, Partner at KIP Capital; and Ren Tao, CEO of Beijing Zhidelingcheng Cultural Development Co., Ltd.
Since its launch, the competition has received widespread attention and positive response around the world, receiving submissions by young participants from China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, France, the United States and other countries, with the youngest participant only 15 years of age.
A distinguished international panel of artists, curators, and educators lent their expertise in selecting the winners:
· Mr. Edmund Clark (UK) – Renowned Visual Artist; Course Leader, MA Documentary Photography, London College of Communication (UAL)
· Mr. James Ramer (USA) –Professor at Parsons School of Design; Founder of its MFA Photography Program, Photographer and Curator
· Mr. JY (Jiang Yi) (Japan) – Japanese Artist and Physicist, Representative of the Tokyo School
· Ms. Faye Lo (Singapore) – Founder, Singapore Good Soil Foundation; Photography Collector
· Mr. Na Risong (China) – Artistic Director and Curator, Inter Art Center & Gallery
After deliberation by the 5 judges, the top three winners were: Chen Beiting (Guilin University) in the first place, Chen Yumeng (Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts) in the second place, and Huang Anni (Beijing City University) and Li Yuxiang (Guangxi Academy of Arts) tied for third place.
Chen Beiting <<Traces of Light>> (First Place)
Since coming to Guilin for university, I’ve only been able to return home once every six months. As I grow older, memories of the past gradually resurface, though they often appear in fragments. Some scenes that once moved me still continue to stir my heart. Being thousands of miles away has made me reflect anew on the true meaning of home and family in my life.
The photography series Traces of Light uses my memories as its medium. I began trying to revisit the places that once held these memories, searching for traces of time. By layering remembered scenes with fragments of recollection, I bring them together in a single frame. In my memory, the most magical objects always seem to glow—like little time machines guiding us against the flow of time, back to the hometown of our memories.
Chen Yumeng 《Where the Light Ends》（Second Place）
My visual journal pieces together the wrinkles of life through fragmented gazes, allowing slices of daily life—oxidized by time—to reappear under the lens. Within these derailed micro-theaters, the entropy of objects and the poetics of dwelling form a kind of quantum entanglement. When existence itself becomes a developer fluid, every subtle, fleeting moment grows narrative roots in the darkroom, branching out like nebulae.
Huang Anni 《Butterfly Cage》（Third Place）
The author is a sensitive person with strong empathy, while also being cheerful and lively. Yet, as a girl growing up immersed in Lingnan culture, her life has always been tugged back and forth between tradition and modernity. In Guangdong, ancestral clan culture runs through daily life like the vast roots and branches of an immense tree: in ancestral halls, women’s names are rarely found in the genealogies; during Lunar New Year or Qingming, mothers are busy in the kitchen, while conversations at the table about granddaughters almost always revolve around the question of whether they will “marry well.”
Even though her own family is relatively egalitarian, she can still clearly sense those unspoken codes of discipline during holidays and rituals. In this cultural context, many women around her are still influenced by such traditional notions. Deep down, they often lack confidence, sometimes even developing a people-pleasing personality. Therefore, she hopes that through her photography she can inspire and encourage these women—helping them build confidence and break free from the constraints of tradition.
The creative process is also a process of self-growth. In shaping female images, I aim to convey a core idea: womanhood is not merely a gender, but a condition of existence. It is a refusal to live under the gaze of gender, a rejection of objectification, and a resistance against the shame and expectations imposed on women’s bodies today. In contemporary life, women’s bodies have become objects of consumption on social media. What should be a healthy body is distorted into the pursuit of a so-called “perfect figure.”
The butterfly, as one of the most emblematic creatures in nature, is often endowed with the symbolism of rebirth and freedom. In this series of works, the butterfly is not only an important visual element but also a central motif that embodies my yearning for freedom and renewal.
In terms of styling, the model’s braided hair echoes the form of butterfly wings, while two streaks of fluorescent red paint on the face resonate with the overall red tone of the series. They also symbolize the scars left from “breaking the cocoon to become a butterfly”—a reminder that injury and pain are inevitable in the process of overcoming hardship.
For the set design, grass turf was chosen as the main prop. As a natural element, it represents the most essential world, symbolizing a return to authenticity. In today’s fast-paced modern society, we often forget our innermost needs. The butterflies dancing over the grass signify women rediscovering freedom and rebirth in a world of authenticity. The green sprouts emerging from the turf metaphorically represent external support and guidance, providing soil and space for growth—an essential step toward women’s freedom.
Li Yuxiang《Yu Hui》（Third Place）
《Yu Hui》is a photo series, taken in 2024, focusing on my nephew. Living with him day and night allowed me to observe him closely and understand him better.
He is a mischievous, energetic seven-year-old boy. His parents protect him well, and every day after waking up, the most important thing for him is simply to play—without worries, without burdens. He becomes fascinated by things that, to me, seem meaningless: a piece of cardboard or a pile of pesticide bottles can keep him entertained for hours.
I place myself outside his world, watching through the lens how his precious childlike nature shines through. His world knows no constraints, no boundaries.
