July 24, 2018 | London, UK — Xu Xuehan Releases Photobook Seize the Moment at Menier Gallery; Acquired by British Library, V&A, and Tate

Two men standing together in a lobby, holding records or certificates, smiling at the camera. Behind them is a yellow sign with text promoting British Library membership.
Two men standing inside a grand, historic library with high ceilings, wooden bookshelves, and a chandelier, holding documents and framed items, with books and displays on tables in the foreground.

Collected by the British Library

Collected by the National Art Library at the V&A

Two men standing in front of a bookshelf, holding a black book titled 'Seize The Moment' with a cover image of a bicycle on the road. The man on the left is wearing a blue shirt with floral shorts, and the man on the right is wearing a striped shirt with a lanyard and badge.

Collected by the Westminster Reference Library

On July 24, 2018, the solo photography exhibition Seize the Moment by Chinese humanistic photographer XU Xuehan opened at the Menier Gallery in London, UK.

Alongside the exhibition, the photo book of the same title, Seize the Moment , published by the China National Photographic Art Publishing House, was officially released in London. The event received wide media coverage from over a dozen domestic and international news outlets, including People's Daily, Guangming Daily, Europe Times, and UK Chinese Journal.

The photo book was available for sale at the Menier Gallery, at THE WEEK bookstore in London, and was also acquired by several prominent institutions, including The British Library, the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), the Westminster Reference Library, and the Tate Library.

Seize the Moment features 60 black-and-white photographs, along with four accompanying essays written by Yin Dejian, Chai Xuan, Cao Peixin, and Sun Zhongzeng. These 60 images were captured during four extended photography journeys that XU Xuehan undertook between 2014 and 2017, across more than 50 cities and towns in nine European countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Croatia—spanning over 120 days of immersion in everyday life and cultural history.

XU Xuehan remarked:

“Very often, the moment the shutter is pressed brings joy to the photographer. Yet the photographic process itself is lonely. This loneliness excites me in a subtle way—it calms me and grounds me. I yearn to encounter the present moment with my camera.”

Seize the Moment reflects XU’s exploration of the delicate boundary between reality and history. Through monochrome images, he seeks freedom and the vast possibilities life can offer in the present.

“This book is dedicated to my wife Sun Xiaolu, my daughter Xu Yixiu, and my parents.
I am deeply grateful to my wife for the tremendous dedication she poured into this publication and for her unwavering support and encouragement over the past ten years—it is my greatest joy to have you all by my side.

I sincerely thank my mentor Zhang Anlu, who not only guided me artistically but also spiritually.

My heartfelt thanks go to Mr. Yu Qin, Mr. Ma Jun, and Mr. Xing Xiaogang for their continued support and care over the years.

I also thank Mr. Cui Bo, Mr. Dong Gang, and Mr. Zhang Yu for their invaluable help in the curation, production, and publication of this exhibition and book.”

As the book was nearing publication, I was shocked and heartbroken to learn of the sudden passing of President Yin Dejian.

I respectfully dedicate this book to him—a man who devoted his life to the cause of photographic art publishing in China.

A man with glasses and dark hair holding a book titled "Seize The Moment" inside an art gallery, with framed photographs on the walls in the background.
Two men stand in an art gallery holding black photo books, smiling at the camera. Behind them, framed photographs are displayed on the brick and white walls, including a large image of boats docked at a harbor.
Two men stand side by side in an art gallery, holding a black book with a creature on the cover, with framed artwork on the wall behind them.
Two people, a young man and an older woman, standing in an art gallery. The man is dressed in a white patterned shirt and blue shorts, while the woman is wearing glasses, a striped shirt, and black pants. She is holding a black folder and is smiling,
Three people standing in an art gallery holding black presentation boxes. The gallery has framed black and white photographs on the wall and a large black and white photo of boats on the left. The group consists of a young woman on the left, a middle
Group of nine people standing in an art gallery, holding display books, with framed black-and-white photographs and a large panoramic photograph of boats docked at a marina behind them.
Books on a shelf, including art, photography, and cultural titles, with a prominent book titled "The Photograph as Contemporary Art" featuring a woman’s portrait on the cover. Other visible titles include "Visual Feast," "Rest for the Wicked," "India
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