Jialin Yan (b. 1992) is a photographer and visual artist currently based in London. She is pursuing her MA in Photography at the Royal College of Art. Her practice explores themes of memory, loss, and emotional inheritance—particularly the quiet processes through which personal and collective memories are abandoned or forgotten. Working across photography, sculpture, and installation, Yan seeks to reimagine memory as something tactile and spatial, constructing immersive environments that invite reflection and emotional resonance. Rooted in lived experience and often drawing from her identity and cultural background in Southern coastal city in China, her works weave together visual narratives that foreground overlooked or disappearing identities. By blending fictional storytelling with material experimentation, Yan creates spaces where forgotten histories can be felt, held, and momentarily retrieved.
Yan’s practice has received international recognition, being a finalist in the inaugural Female Documentary Photography Foundation Award in 2023 and shortlisted for the LensCulture Critics’ Choice Awards in 2022. She has also been invited as a guest lecturer at Tsinghua University and University for the Creative Arts. Her work has been featured in publications such as British Journal of Photography, FT Weekend, HUCK Magazine, and LIFE Magazine, and exhibited in major cities including New York, Rome, and Tokyo.
In addition to her photographic practice, Yan is a curator and writer, contributing articles to various publications. In 2020, she co-founded Miroir Project, a platform dedicated to supporting and promoting female photographers in China. She served as one of the curators for the “Local Action Unit” at the 2022 Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival and was the invited curator for the “REDNOTE present:Image and Imagination” special exhibition at the 2024 Shanghai Photo Fair .
Yan has collaborated with renowned brands and media, including CHANEL Foundation, BenQ,Xiaohongshu, Xiaomi, GIADA, BAZAAR, superELLE, GLASS China Edition, Aranya, Adidas, Air Jordan, Tencent Video, and iDest Magazine, among others.
严佳林（1992年生）是一位摄影师与视觉艺术家，现居伦敦，现就读于英国皇家艺术学院摄影硕士课程。她的艺术实践围绕“记忆、失落与情感继承”等主题展开，尤其关注那些个人与集体记忆在不知不觉中被遗弃的静默过程。她的创作跨越摄影、雕塑与装置艺术，试图将记忆重新想象为可触摸、可感知的空间体验，构建出一个个能够引发观众情感共鸣与沉思的沉浸式场域。她的作品植根于个人经验，并常以其中国南方沿海身份与文化背景为线索，通过视觉叙事呈现那些被忽视或逐渐消失的身份与记忆。通过虚构叙事与材料实验的结合，严佳林营造出一种可以被“感受、触碰、片刻找回”的历史场域，使被遗忘的历史在空间中重新浮现。
她的作品入围2023年首届女性纪录摄影基金会评选，并曾进入2022年LensCulture评论家选择奖决选名单。此外，她受邀担任清华大学与英国创意艺术大学客座讲师。严佳林的作品曾被《英国摄影杂志》《英国金融时报周末版》《HUCK Magazine》《LIFE Magazine》等刊物刊登。她的作品亦在纽约、罗马、东京等地展出。
除摄影实践外，她也是一名策展人。2020年她联合创立“照镜子Miroir Project”，这一平台长期致力于推动中国女性摄影师的发展。2022年集美×阿尔勒国际摄影季“在地行动单元”策展人之一，2024年小红书上海影像博览会“影像与想象”专题展的特邀策展人。
她还与多个品牌和媒体合作，包括CHANEL香奈儿基金会、明基、小红书、小米手机、GIADA、superELLE、《GLASS》中文版、阿那亚、Adidas、Air Jordan、腾讯视频、《iDest Magazine》等。
Yan’s practice has received international recognition, being a finalist in the inaugural Female Documentary Photography Foundation Award in 2023 and shortlisted for the LensCulture Critics’ Choice Awards in 2022. She has also been invited as a guest lecturer at Tsinghua University and University for the Creative Arts. Her work has been featured in publications such as British Journal of Photography, FT Weekend, HUCK Magazine, and LIFE Magazine, and exhibited in major cities including New York, Rome, and Tokyo.
In addition to her photographic practice, Yan is a curator and writer, contributing articles to various publications. In 2020, she co-founded Miroir Project, a platform dedicated to supporting and promoting female photographers in China. She served as one of the curators for the “Local Action Unit” at the 2022 Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival and was the invited curator for the “REDNOTE present:Image and Imagination” special exhibition at the 2024 Shanghai Photo Fair .
Yan has collaborated with renowned brands and media, including CHANEL Foundation, BenQ,Xiaohongshu, Xiaomi, GIADA, BAZAAR, superELLE, GLASS China Edition, Aranya, Adidas, Air Jordan, Tencent Video, and iDest Magazine, among others.
严佳林（1992年生）是一位摄影师与视觉艺术家，现居伦敦，现就读于英国皇家艺术学院摄影硕士课程。她的艺术实践围绕“记忆、失落与情感继承”等主题展开，尤其关注那些个人与集体记忆在不知不觉中被遗弃的静默过程。她的创作跨越摄影、雕塑与装置艺术，试图将记忆重新想象为可触摸、可感知的空间体验，构建出一个个能够引发观众情感共鸣与沉思的沉浸式场域。她的作品植根于个人经验，并常以其中国南方沿海身份与文化背景为线索，通过视觉叙事呈现那些被忽视或逐渐消失的身份与记忆。通过虚构叙事与材料实验的结合，严佳林营造出一种可以被“感受、触碰、片刻找回”的历史场域，使被遗忘的历史在空间中重新浮现。
她的作品入围2023年首届女性纪录摄影基金会评选，并曾进入2022年LensCulture评论家选择奖决选名单。此外，她受邀担任清华大学与英国创意艺术大学客座讲师。严佳林的作品曾被《英国摄影杂志》《英国金融时报周末版》《HUCK Magazine》《LIFE Magazine》等刊物刊登。她的作品亦在纽约、罗马、东京等地展出。
除摄影实践外，她也是一名策展人。2020年她联合创立“照镜子Miroir Project”，这一平台长期致力于推动中国女性摄影师的发展。2022年集美×阿尔勒国际摄影季“在地行动单元”策展人之一，2024年小红书上海影像博览会“影像与想象”专题展的特邀策展人。
她还与多个品牌和媒体合作，包括CHANEL香奈儿基金会、明基、小红书、小米手机、GIADA、superELLE、《GLASS》中文版、阿那亚、Adidas、Air Jordan、腾讯视频、《iDest Magazine》等。
Award
2025
FRESH EYES INTERNATIONAL TALENTS 2025 / GUP Magazine
2024
Pixel Photo Book Award Shortlist / Inter Art Center & Gallery
2023
Female Documentary Photography Foundation 2023 , Finalist / Female Documentary Photography Foundation
2022
Lensculture Critics’ Choice Awards 2022 , Shortlist/ Lensculture
Memory , Shortlist / IMA Next
30 Under 30 Women Photographers 2022 , Finalist / Artpil
Memory , Shortlist / IMA Next
30 Under 30 Women Photographers 2022 , Finalist / Artpil
Feature
2025
2024
2022
2020
Exhibition
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2025
Rites of Ruins, London, Group Exhibition United Kingdom
2024
At the Scene: The Diverse Resonance of Chinese and Hungarian, Group Exhibition Deqing, China
THE VIA COMBUSTA, Group Exhibition Beijing, China
THE VIA COMBUSTA, Group Exhibition Beijing, China
2023
Place M Dummy Book in Dec, Group Exhibition Tokyo, Japan
Fissure of a Sweetdream, Solo Exhibition Xiamen, China
Local Action,Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival Xiamen,China
Spark Project Group Exhibition Shanghai/Chengdu,China.
Fissure of a Sweetdream, Solo Exhibition Xiamen, China
Local Action,Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival Xiamen,China
Spark Project Group Exhibition Shanghai/Chengdu,China.
2022
2022 Unbounded Group Exhibition Xiamen,China
Local Action,Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival Fuzhou,China
Local Action,Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival Fuzhou,China
2021
Logic of feeling, the 5th Shenzhen International Photography Exhibition Shenzhen, China
A Shape of Gray, Solo Exhibition Fuzhou,China
Youth in China, Online Group Photography Exibition Copenhagen,Denmark
Most of the time I feel so confused,Solo Photography Exhibition Ningbo,China
A Shape of Gray, Solo Exhibition Fuzhou,China
Youth in China, Online Group Photography Exibition Copenhagen,Denmark
Most of the time I feel so confused,Solo Photography Exhibition Ningbo,China
2020
FeiTeng Image,Group EXhibition Shenzhen,China
Tropical White Night, Online Photography Exibition Copenhagen,Denmark
Hide and Seek,Group Photography Exhibition Ibaraki,Japan
The night ain't over yet,Solo Photography Exhibition Shenzhen,China
Tropical White Night, Online Photography Exibition Copenhagen,Denmark
Hide and Seek,Group Photography Exhibition Ibaraki,Japan
The night ain't over yet,Solo Photography Exhibition Shenzhen,China
2019
Spring Time,Group Photography Exhibition New York,America
2018
It is gonna be alright,Solo Photography Exhibition Fuzhou,China
Artist Residency
2025
Hands-On Art
Press and Publications
2025
“ Fissure of a Sweetdream” , POSTS&TELECOM PRESS
Lecture/Talk/Workshop
2025
Guest Lecture, Department of Photography, University of Creative Arts, London United Kingdom
2023
"Touch and Healing" Artist Roundtable & Workshop, Three Shadows Photography Art Center, Xiamen China
I am (with) HER Kind: Feminisms in Collective Practice Online Round Table
Alpha Nova & Galerie Futura
I am (with) HER Kind: Feminisms in Collective Practice Online Round Table
Alpha Nova & Galerie Futura
2022
Guest Lecture, Department of Photography, School of Fine Arts, Tsinghua University,Beijing China
2021
When we talk about female photography, Tsutaya Bookstore, Hangzhou China
Curatorial Experience
2024
FilmNeverDie x Miroir Project present Fragments Scattered Everywhere: Zhang Hui’s Solo Exhibition , Beijing China
Photography Pop-Up : The Box of Assagioli , Group Exhibition , Shanghai China / London United Kingdom
REDNOTE special photography group exhibition: Image and Imagination , Shanghai Art Fair ,China
Photography Pop-Up : The Box of Assagioli , Group Exhibition , Shanghai China / London United Kingdom
REDNOTE special photography group exhibition: Image and Imagination , Shanghai Art Fair ,China
2023
Her Nomadism, Female Photography Group Exhibition,Fuzhou,China
Etudes about Reflux Female Photography Group Exhibition,Fuzhou,China
Etudes about Reflux Female Photography Group Exhibition,Fuzhou,China
2022
Them / Local Action Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival, Fuzhou,China
Je te dévore,Bingnan Liu Solo Photography Exhibition,Chengdu,China
A person float by the river,Yusen Wang Solo Exhibition,Chengdu,China
Je te dévore,Bingnan Liu Solo Photography Exhibition,Chengdu,China
A person float by the river,Yusen Wang Solo Exhibition,Chengdu,China
2021
Spreading in a hidden posture,Group Photography Exhibition, Changsha,Hunan,China
Glimmer in the haze,Group Photography Exhibition, Foshan,Guangzhou,China
A Myriad of Rooms, Group Photography Exhibition,Beijing/Chengdu/Shanghai,China
Visible Cocklebur, Group Photography Exhibition, Adelaide,Australia
Glimmer in the haze,Group Photography Exhibition, Foshan,Guangzhou,China
A Myriad of Rooms, Group Photography Exhibition,Beijing/Chengdu/Shanghai,China
Visible Cocklebur, Group Photography Exhibition, Adelaide,Australia