First published on Wine & Bowties

To say the world is a wondrous and magnificent place would be an understatement of epic proportions. Yet some words should be used to describe the boundless wonder that our own earth holds. The exponential growth of technology has made capturing the wonders of our world more accessible than ever before. So in a sense it’s our duty to share what we discover. Part of this Wine & Bowties platform is to do just that as well. We hope to use this site as a lens to explore the people, places and things that inspire us. Knowing talented documentarians are boundless, we tapped none other than multimedia artist Amir Aziz. Back from a recent trip to Shanghai and Beijing, Amir shared some visuals from his experience with us: 

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Once a year, my sister and her husband take a trip somewhere in the world. For their union, it’s a chance to spend time together across its uncharted land. Land that is habited, but never before seen by our families. Places our parents and grandparents never dreamed of—and within the last 100 years weren’t allowed to—set foot on. This year, my girlfriend and I joined them after finding a deal to Shanghai. What was initially a tag along trip turned into a two-city (Shanghai and Beijing) trek using the fastest high-speed rail in the world, city bus, and tourist van for only 9 days. Yet it felt like a lifetime.

China is a country of tradition. A nation dedicated to its future and the preservation of its culture. Contained within its 3.7m+ square miles lies gorgeous landscapes of lush nature, breathtaking skylines and farmland that, to this day, are still being tended to by the indigenous communities. However, in many of China’s big cities, like Shanghai, exists a youth culture that is modern and embraces the new world of media and fashion. Many streetwear brands are considered “luxury street wear,” a term used by Fredrick Li, director of D-Mop, a Hong Kong-based retailer. With the internet and access to black culture, China has a unique spin on its influence from black celebrities and musicians. Set against a backdrop of ancient temples and a fierce economic drive, China is like no other existing place in the world.