Before I ever visited Shanghai, I already had an image of the city in my mind.

Much of it came from old photographs, films and stories from the first half of the twentieth century. They portrayed a city of contrasts; glamorous and gritty, international and distinctly local, full of ambition, intrigue and change. Whether entirely accurate or not, those images helped shape my early impression of Shanghai.

This piece draws upon that idea. A woman smoking is rendered in black and white, echoing the visual language of classic cinema and photography. The limited palette strips away distractions and allows the focus to remain on mood, expression and atmosphere.

Rather than depicting a specific person, the portrait represents a particular version of Shanghai; one shaped by memory, imagination and the city’s modern history. It reflects the Shanghai of old films, jazz clubs, newspapers, neon lights and rapidly changing streets.