Ryan Pyle Blog: London Visit

Hello.

This is just a brief note to let anyone out there, followers and non-followers alike, that I'll be visiting London for about 12 days starting next week. I have some engagements while in London and I've listed them below. In case you are interested, the venue's are open to the public and your more than welcome to stop by, listen in and say hello. Details below:

Date: Tuesday February 22nd 2011
Cambridge University: East Asian Society - Time: 5pm to 8pm
Venue: Robinson College
Speaker: Ryan Pyle
Topic: A Lens on China: Sources of Political Change in China
Full Cambridge LINK


Date: Wednesday February 23rd 2011
University of London: SOAS - Time: 3pm to 5pm
Venue: Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings. Room: L67
Speaker: Ryan Pyle and Dianne Aigaki
Topic: Images of Tibet: Two presentations by photographers of contemporary Tibet
Full SOAS Lecture LINK


Date: Thursday February 24th 2011
London School of Economics: Arts Public Lecture - Time: 1-2pm
Venue: Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Ryan Pyle
Topic: Documenting China.
Full LSE Lecture LINK.


Date: Monday February 28th 2011
London: BBC Interview - Time: 1pm to 2:30pm
Venue: BBC Studios - London, UK
Interviewee: Ryan Pyle
Interviewer: Mishal Husain
Television Show: Impact Asia with Mishal Husain
Full BBC Interview LINK


Date: Tuesday March 1st 2011
Brighton: AM Gallery: "Intimate China" - Time: 8pm
Venue: AM Gallery, Brighton, UK
Speaker: Ryan Pyle
Topic: Chinese Turkestan
Full AM Gallery Lecture LINK

Back to China and ready for assignments on March 4th.

--
Ryan Pyle
Photographer
ryan@ryanpyle.com
Website: www.ryanpyle.com
Archive: http://archive.ryanpyle.com
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Ryan Pyle Blog: Looking back on Columbia University

Hello.

Last month I was in New York City for a brief visit and I had the chance to speak at Columbia University. The talk was hosted under the Asia Pacific Studies Department and the topic was essentially how I saw political change in China coming about, and what factors may speed up the process. As a photographer who is constantly on the go I feel I have a unique vision and understanding as to some growing pains China is going through.

It's a lecture I had given before, but this time it was different.

This time my talk was a truly unique experience because longtime friend and colleague Howard W. French was present, and not only provided me with a wonderful introduction, but assisted in dealing with many of the complex issues dealt with during the questions and answers.

It was a treat to be able to converse with students and facility, and it was great to be able to agree and disagree with Howard. After Howard basically gave me my first photojournalism job about six years ago we've traveled together what seems like hundreds of times and it was the first time we've been able to discuss our points of view about China in an academic environment.

For those who don't know Howard left the New York Times for an academic position at Columbia University two years ago, he continues to be an active freelance writer and is continuing work on several book projects.

My hope is that I can continue to be active in the academic community and continue to share my perspective and ideas about China's growth and ever changing landscape. Hopefully I can make the journey to Columbia University a regular feature on my stops to New York.

--
Ryan Pyle
Photographer
ryan@ryanpyle.com
Website: www.ryanpyle.com
Archive: http://archive.ryanpyle.com
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Ryan Pyle Blog: Looking Back on Toronto

Hello.

I get to visit Toronto roughly once a year. And each time I visit it's an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only do I get to spend a week with friends and family, because I grew up in Toronto, I get to network and discuss my work.

This week I had a busy schedule. I participated in an artist lecture, whereby I got to speak about my work in Chinese Turkestan, to a standing room only crowd at the Arta Gallery in the Distillery District, located in Toronto's trendy lakefront area. A special thanks should go out to the Arta Gallery folks as well as my printers at Elevator Digital for helping to organize the event. After that I went knee deep in to the world of academia, with lectures at the Ryerson University School of Journalism and the University of Toronto's China Program.

The Ryerson visit was my second in as many years and I throughly enjoyed the experience. It was an opportunity for me to talk about what it is like living abroad and trying to document another society and culture. I'm always keen to share my experiences in China with an attentive audience and these journalism students were a fantastic audience and sparked some great discussion. As young students interested in journalism I think it's important that they try to understand what kind of options are available abroad.

The University of Toronto talk was equally as rewarding, talking about Change in China and what the future might hold for this awkwardly emerging super power. It's my third visit to the University of Toronto and my first since becoming an Affiliate Member of the Asian Institute, an academic body at the University of Toronto that deals with all things Asia. The reception was warm and I hope there will be much further collaboration with the University moving forward.

So a gallery talk, and a few lectures plus a Leaf's game and a Raptors' game. I had a full week and did a lot of important networking. I am a firm believer in networking and meeting people face to face. While China is my adopted home and I may never leave the Middle Kingdom, I thoroughly enjoy making trips to Europe and North America to meet with gallery owner and editors, and having a chance to promote my work.

Now I am off to New York, trying to build a network from scratch is never easy. Upwards and onwards.

ps. If you enjoy reading this blog, please do become an official follower.

--
Ryan Pyle
Photographer
ryan@ryanpyle.com
Website: www.ryanpyle.com
Archive: http://archive.ryanpyle.com
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Ryan Pyle Blog: Artist Lecture @ Arta Gallery in Toronto

Hello.

Event Coming next week. See below:

March 3, 2010 at 7:00PM

ARTIST LECTURE: CHINESE TURKESTAN by Ryan Pyle

A lecture by award winning documentary photographer Ryan Pyle. Ryan Pyle has been visiting China’s western Xinjiang province regularly since 2001. Formerly known as Chinese Turkestan, this vast expanse of deserts and mountains has seemingly always been at a crossroads between cultures and time. For centuries, criminals, holy men, and traders tramped across the region; and it was out of this tradition that the Silk Road was established. Ryan has just returned to Toronto from a recent series of trips and is commencing a series of lectures on the fast paced development, and rapid loss of cultural heritage, in the region.

“The culture is vanishing before my eyes”, Ryan says, “each time I return something is missing: a market, an old shop full of blacksmiths, a local mosque”.

This talk is a continuation of, and an update to, Ryan's standing-room-only talk given at the Dylan Ellis Gallery in 2009.

(www.ryanpyle.com)

Address is:
Arta Gallery
suite 102, Building 9, 55 Mill St.
Toronto, On M5A 3C4
CANADA
http://www.artagallery.ca

Our telephone:
+1-416-364-2782

--
Ryan Pyle
Photographer
ryan@ryanpyle.com
Website: www.ryanpyle.com
Archive: http://archive.ryanpyle.com
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Ryan Pyle Blog: Lecture Schedule in Toronto

Hello,

I just wanted to write and let folks now i'll be in Toronto from Monday March 2nd to Friday March 6th. I'm also very pleased to announce that I'll be lecturing during that week, below is a schedule. There should be a few extra seats available and the professors of each class have mentioned that a few guests can come and visit if they would like.

As a note: the final engagement on Friday is a 1 hour lecture and a 1 hour photo exhibition on color photo journalism work that deal with some of the tough changes that China is going through.

1) Monday March 2 2009
10AM to 1PM
Ryerson University Journalism School
Topic: "Reporting from China"
Room #: 102 (an extra about 10 seats)
The International Living Learning Centre
240 Jarvis St.
Toronto, ON


2) Wednesday March 4 2009
NOON to 2PM
University of Toronto - University College
"Modern China: Change in China"
Room #: UC179 (an extra 20 seats)


3) Friday March 6 2009
4PM to 6PM
University of Toronto
Political Change in China Conference
Topic: Lens on China
Munk Centre
South House (No Empty Seats - Completely Full)
Vivian and David Campbell Conference Facility
1 Devonshire Place
Toronto, ON

I'll be back in Toronto in August '09 for a gallery exhibition, more details on that coming soon.

--
Cheers,

Ryan Pyle
Photographer
ryan@ryanpyle.com
Website: www.ryanpyle.com
Archive: http://archive.ryanpyle.com
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