Granary Floor in Tawa Village of Aba County, Sichuan Province Possibly 1963 - 2021

This photograph by Niu Weiyu, *Granary Floor in Tawa Village of Aba County, Sichuan Province* captures a moment of rural life with amazing clarity. I am struck by the monochromatic tones, the grays and blacks that give the whole image a sense of timelessness. I find myself wondering about the artist's intent. Was Niu trying to document a way of life, or was he drawn to something more abstract – the shapes and shadows created by the granary structures, the interplay between light and texture? The photo is carefully structured; its vertical lines and horizontal planes create a balanced composition, and your eye is drawn into the space of the granary. I can almost feel the weight of the straw overhead and smell the earth underfoot. This image feels incredibly tender, almost like a quiet conversation. It makes me consider how each of us contributes to a collective memory, a shared archive of human experience.