Dashboards - A quirky look at China's Car Culture by Jonathan Browning

Public Project

Dashboards - A quirky look at China's Car Culture

Copyright Jonathan Browning 2024

Date of Work Nov 2019 - Jan 2020

Updated Jan 2021

Location Shanghai, China

Topics China, Documentary, Editorial, Photography, Photojournalism, Still life, Street

China's car culture is a little different from the USA and West. One big and noticeable difference is the popularity of fixing small figures and/or keepsakes to the dashboard of the car. These 'cute things' create a little make-believe world which either face the driver or the wider world outside. They were reportedly banned, (due to infringing on the drivers visibility) however there seems no sign of drivers complying. Instead it offers them a little form of individual expression, whether they are a true patriot to China and have a Mao Zedong figure or national flag, or maybe they just love furry cute things and have a real-looking kitten bathing in the dashboard sun.

Car ownership continues to rise in China - having a car is one of the pillars or success here, the other two are getting married and buying an apartment. However its not sustainable that every family own a car here, especially in cities such as Beijing / Shanghai where traffic and parking spaces is already at odds.

For more information and wider edit of images please get in touch with me. Thank you

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Jonathan Browning

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