Wei Jian Chan: Journey to the West
In September 2012, Wei Jian Chan drifted across the ocean and found himself in an unfamiliar land. Leaving behind family, friends, and the comfort of home, he departed from Singapore and embarked on a new life in the UK. For him, it was a time of great personal growth, as he set about integrating into a foreign culture and finding his place in the world.
This series uses the anonymity, geometry, and formal visual language of his street photography to evoke the sense of dislocation and uncertainty he experienced during this period.
The title Journey to the West comes from a Ming dynasty Chinese myth about the journey of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang, who travelled to the “Western Regions” to obtain Buddhist sacred texts (sutras).
To mark the launch of Journey to the West, Wei Jian Chan will host an exhibition at Aperture Gallery, London, on 24–25 October 2025.
About the Author
Wei Jian Chan (b. 1991) is a London-based photographer originally from Singapore, whose practice explores the search for moments of beauty within the complexity of contemporary life. He discovered photography at the age of fourteen while growing up in Singapore. Since then, as he moved first to Oxford for his studies and later to London for work, the camera has remained a steady companion. What began as a casual hobby gradually evolved into a creative pursuit, a wellspring of inspiration, and a gateway to new encounters and perspectives. Specialising in black-and-white imagery, Wei Jian works across both analogue and digital processes, combining traditional darkroom techniques with modern tools. His photographs often engage with themes of geometry, urban form, and movement.
His first photobook, Journey to the West, was released by Setanta Books in 2025. His work has been shown in exhibitions across the UK and Europe and is part of the permanent collection at the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Art. His photographs have also appeared in publications such as The Guardian, Deutsche Welle, National Geographic, Amateur Photographer, and Leica Camera.
