歷史的航程波瀾壯闊，驀然回首，還是影像生動地留下了昨日的輝煌與憂愁。人類經(jīng)歷萬年，有文明記載的5000年，而眼睛可以真實地、形象地看到的歷史只有180年。很幸運，我們生活在有影像的時代，對往事可以真切地感知。

        1978年，中國實現(xiàn)了偉大的歷史性的轉折，開啟的改革開放的征程，書寫了一個國家繁榮發(fā)展的壯麗史詩，激蕩起一個民族生機勃勃的復興氣象。40年，在歷史長河中是十分短暫的，但中國人民創(chuàng)造了人類的奇跡，不僅深刻地改變了中國，也極大地影響了世界。

        在中國改革開放前后幾年間，十分有限的幾位外國攝影師、記者先后踏上這塊古老而神秘的土地，記錄下當代中國社會的點滴畫面。悠閑緩慢的市井百態(tài)、裊裊炊煙的農(nóng)耕鄉(xiāng)舍、淳樸卻蓬勃的面孔、簡單卻盎然的生活，這些樸素的影像如同珍珠一般和輝煌的中國發(fā)展之路連綴在一起，珍存于中國時代飛躍的滾滾浪潮之中。

        40年后的2018年，舉國上下都在進行有關改革開放40周年的慶?；顒?，而此時，攝影便成為歷史變遷最有力量的時間證明。中國攝影家協(xié)會主辦的“中外攝影對著拍——慶祝中國改革開放40年攝影展”，以昨日的照片問候今天，以今日的影像探尋過去——邀約中國攝影人站在新的歷史起點，以獨到的觀看與表達，構建和重塑具有國際化思維和話語的影像文化和視覺形象，與往事唱和，向時代凝望，為祖國頌祝。

        文字選自：《中外攝影對著拍》大型畫冊前言 （點擊查看原文）

The voyage of history is magnificent. Looking back, we find it is the image that records yesterday's glories and sorrows. There are 10,000 years of human history and 5,000 years of written civilization, but only 180 years which can be truly and vividly seen through our eyes. Fortunately, we are living in an age of images, and we can perceive the past vividly through them.

In 1978, China achieved a great historic turning point, embarked on the journey of reform and opening-up, wrote a magnificent epic of prosperity and development of a country, and stimulated the vigorous rejuvenation of a nation. Forty years is very short in a long history, but Chinese people have created a miracle for mankind, which has not only profoundly changed China, but also greatly impacted the world.

In the years before and after China's reform and opening-up, a very limited number of foreign photographers and journalists have set foot on this ancient and mysterious land, recording contemporary Chinese society—leisurely and slow urban life, peaceful rural areas, unsophisticated but vigorous faces, and the simple but exuberant life. These simple images, like pearls, are connected with the brilliant road of China's development, and are treasured in the surging tide of fast-changing China.

In 2018, 40 years later, the whole country is celebrating the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up. At this time, photography has become the most convincing proof of historical changes. "Photographic Echo : Past and Present, China and Abroad—Photography Exhibition in commemoration of 40th Anniversary of China's Reform and Opening-up", sponsored by the China Photographers Association(CPA), invited Chinese photographers to express themselves at this new historical starting point, and to construct and reshape the photographic culture and visual images with international perspectives and voices, to echo the past, focus on the present and celebrate the great journey.