In 1990, when Dutch photographer Robert van der Hilst was dispatched to Shanghai for the first time by Vogue magazine, he was surprised by the city’s relaxed and unique charm: people in pajamas chatted on the sidewalk with a cup of morning tea; the sick and elderly congregated in parks for their daily dose of sunshine and fresh air, IV drips in tow; young, cosmopolitan urbanites flocked to disco dancehalls.

Over 30 years later, the now 84-year-old van der Hilst is showcasing the photographs he took during seven visits to the city in the early 1990s. The resulting exhibition, “Shanghai: Time & Timeless 1990–1993,” runs until Nov. 3 at Fotografiska Shanghai. “(Vogue) [gave] me carte blanche, which means, ‘You go to the city of Shanghai, you do your photography, and that’s all.’ That’s what I did,” van der Hilst told Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper, adding that he fell in love with the city within the first 24 hours of arriving.

Through his viewfinder, van der Hilst witnessed the rapid development of the city and the multifaceted lives of its people. From the early risers exercising on the Bund to the hoards of shoppers on the bustling Nanjing Road thoroughfare, van der Hilst’s photographs capture the intricacies of ordinary people’s daily lives. This includes snapshots of Shanghai residents who welcomed him into their homes, depicting families in their most unguarded and intimate moments.

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Van der Hilst’s snapshots of Shanghai families. Courtesy of Fotografiska Shanghai

During this period of rapid economic growth and development, Shanghai’s giant advertising billboards were also a subject of interest for van der Hilst. The influx of cutting-edge consumer products such as cameras and cosmetics made its mark on the city’s physical environment. Photographs of the then-nascent Lujiazui financial district captured by van der Hilst tell the story of a place and its people in transition, driven by promises of a better and more prosperous future.

A Pudong Dream? A billboard illustrates the future of Lujiazui financial district, Shanghai, 1993. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

A handpainted advertising billboard on Nanjing Road, Shanghai, 1992. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

For van der Hilst, the word that describes Shanghai in the early 1990s is “exotic.” The city was being fundamentally reshaped as the forces of modernization and market reforms began to take hold, with skyscrapers and shopping malls popping up all around the city. Nonetheless, this vigor was paired with an overall atmosphere that van der Hilst describes as “relaxed.” The Shanghai of today is less interesting for a photographer, he explains, now that it has settled into its status as a leading international financial and business hub.

A lady lines up a shot on her Seagull camera on the Bund, Shanghai, 1990. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

Two young girls on the Bund, Shanghai, 1991. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

Pedestrians wander down Beijing Road, Shanghai, 1992. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

A man shows off his balancing skills on the Bund, Shanghai, 1990. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

A woman poses for a picture on the Bund, Shanghai, 1990. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

Locals congregate on the Bund on a hot summer night, Shanghai, 1991. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

Men show off their matching threads on the Bund, Shanghai, 1993. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

Getting married the old way, Shanghai, 1991. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

People still out in force at midnight on East Nanjing Road, Shanghai, 1990. Courtesy of Robert van der Hilst

Photos on display at the “Shanghai: Time & Timeless 1990–1993” exhibition, Shanghai, 2024. Courtesy of Fotografiska Shanghai

Photos on display at the “Shanghai: Time & Timeless 1990–1993” exhibition, Shanghai, 2024. Courtesy of Fotografiska Shanghai

Photos on display at the “Shanghai: Time & Timeless 1990–1993” exhibition, Shanghai, 2024. Courtesy of Fotografiska Shanghai

Robert van der Hilst in Shanghai in 1992 (left) and 2024. Courtesy of Fotografiska Shanghai

Contributions: Zhou Chenxi; editors: Ding Yining and Vincent Chow.