National Museums Liverpool Blog - Chinese New Year

After a couple of entries bustling with activity, for this week's highlight from the Liverpool's Chinatown: Through the lens Flickr competition I've chosen an image almost completely devoid of people: this 2009 photo of Liverpool's iconic Chinese arch, added to the pool by Mark McGowan.

Foggy Chinese arch © Mark McGowan

Taken just before the Chinese New Year celebrations, there is a sense of expectation and mystery to the image, the sunlight just glinting off the brilliant gold of the arch and the viewer imagining the crowds that will be filling the ghostly streets.

The different architectural styles contrast but compliment each other; there are no absolutely horizontal or vertical lines, but various angular perspectives which draw the eye in different directions. At once the viewer is invited in through the arch by the receding buildings and flags of Nelson Street, but at the same time to the top of the image: neither the square pillars of the arch nor the round pillars of the Black-E Centre to the left are straightforwardly vertical, both tapering up towards the shrouded sun and pulling the viewer's gaze with them. The result is a constant shifting of perspectives, never settling, like an MC Escher print. See the photo in a large size.

To celebrate our photography exhibition China: Through the Lens of John Thomson 1868-72 at the Merseyside Maritime Museum we want you to submit your photos of Liverpool's Chinatown to our Flickr pool - our favourite photo submitted by 24 May will win a banquet for two at Yuet Ben, with two runners-up winning exhibition catalogues. Find out more on the competition page.

For this week's highlight from our Liverpool's Chinatown: Through the lens Flickr competition I've chosen this intriguing image by Alan Cookson, which captures Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral in amongst the vibrant colours of the flags of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Chinese New Year © Alan Cookson

The Cathedral and gold dragon's head are neatly framed in the centre of the image, drawing the eye over and past the crowds, but they are also an integral part of the photo as a whole: though it is a landscape photo the image is made up of a series of vertical elements - a row of flags, the Cathedral tower (331 feet, 1.5 inches tall!) and an onlooker at the right side, these different elements combining seamlessly to give a natural flow to the picture. See the photo in a large size.

To celebrate our photography exhibition China: Through the Lens of John Thomson 1868-72 at the Merseyside Maritime Museum we want you to submit your photos of Liverpool's Chinatown to our Flickr pool - our favourite photo submitted by 24 May will win a banquet for two at Yuet Ben, with two runners-up winning exhibition catalogues. Find out more on the competition page.

Our photo competition pool 'Liverpool's Chinatown: Through the lens' has had over 100 photos submitted so far and I'm really excited by the variety and imagination shown in people's photos of the Chinatown area and Chinese culture.

In this first weekly blog highlight from the competition entries I've chosen this view of Nelson Street by Ian Hughes (ihughes22). It's a bustling and eye-catching image, the colours of the flags and the dragon looming powerfully over the massed crowds adding to the sense of drama and excitement of the occasion - especially since the dragon almost looks like he's staring straight out at us!

Chinese New Year 2010 © Ian Hughes

The photographer had to choose a specific vantage point back from the crowd and shoot quickly because of the movement of the dragon, but I think the result is a great composition which really captured the energy of the occasion. The photo is displayed at a smaller size for this blog post - it looks even better in a large size.

To celebrate our photography exhibition China: Through the Lens of John Thomson 1868-72 at the Merseyside Maritime Museum we want you to submit your photos of Liverpool's Chinatown to our Flickr pool - our favourite photo submitted by 24 May will win a banquet for two at Yuet Ben, with two runners-up winning exhibition catalogues. Find out more on the competition page.

A Manchu bride, Beijing 1871-2. © The Wellcome Library, London

The pioneering photojournalist John Thomson travelled for years through China with a lot of heavy, cumbersome equipment to take the incredible photos that are now featured in the China through the lens of John Thomson 1868-1872 exhibition at Merseyside Maritime Museum.

We don't expect you to go to such lengths for our latest competition. Instead we'd like you to take your nice light modern cameras or camera phones on a journey to explore Liverpool's Chinatown and Chinese culture.

Enter your photos into our Liverpool's Chinatown through the lens group on Flickr to take part in the competition. On 24 May 2010 we'll choose our favorite photo and the person who took it will win a banquet meal for two with wine at Liverpool’s longest-established Chinese restaurant, Yuet Ben. Two runners-up will each receive a copy of the China through the lens of John Thomson 1868-1872 exhibition catalogue.

During the course of the competition we will feature some of our favourite photos from the group here on the blog and the winning photo will be featured on the blog and exhibition website.

For example you can submit photos of Liverpool's Chinese arch, the Chinese New Year celebrations, buildings, people, or even a local restaurant which has a special place in your life!

If you need inspiration you might like to check out some of our free Chinese New Year events which are taking place at Merseyside Maritime Museum, the Lady Lever Art Gallery and World Museum over the next couple of weeks.

Lion dancer at the Maritime Museum

The first major event was the opening of the blockbuster exhibition China through the lens of John Thomson 1868-1872 at Merseyside Maritime Museum, which is the first time that this incredible pioneering collection of photographs has been shown in England after touring China last year. It's a stunning exhibition but don't take my word for it - here's a review from The Times last week - just one of many great write ups that the exhibition has had so far.

To celebrate the opening of the exhibition the Liverpool Hung Gar Kung Fu friendship Association performed lion dances in Merseyside Maritime Museum last weekend. You can see more photos of their performance, which more than 800 visitors came to see, in our Chinese New Year 2010 set on Flickr.

There are lots more free events planned in Merseyside Maritime Museum, the Lady Lever Art Gallery and World Museum, including creative workshops, another oportunity to see the lion dances and a new talk about the 'Blue Flu' - or Blue Funnel Line. Full details are on our Chinese New Year events page.