Pictures of inspiration and longevity

Chilean architect in Shanghai sketches the city’s elderly doing their outdoor activities

SHANGHAI — Sebastian Correa, a Chilean architect, starts his day early as he visits a Shanghai park with his camera and sketchbook and waits for the arrival of the city’s elderly, familiar visitors to the area.

He calls them ayi and shushu, which translate to aunt and uncle, respectively. These are among the few Chinese words Correa has learned thanks to his project of documenting the lives of China’s elderly through his sketches.

“In Chile, we don’t have any specific way to address old people. We just call them by their names,” he said. However, in China, Correa found, people his age use ayi and shushu to address them.

Having lived in China for more than six years, Correa has turned his social observations into illustrations such as Urban-Siesta, Squat Studies and Relationship. He considers the process of creating the series on Chinese elderly people one of his favorites.

“When I first came to China, I realized that old people were always on the streets and in parks doing exercises,” Correa said, noting that a range of physical exercises, which were previously unknown to him, had caught his gaze.

“My favorites are the grandpas doing tai chi and people dancing around. Sometimes they even dance to South American music,” Correa said. “Seeing these people dancing is really nice, because they are welldressed, put on makeup, and have a strong attitude.”

Most of Correa’s illustrations bear English or Spanish titles. The Ayi and Shushu series, however, is an exception as the words are very local, and titling it in English would make no sense.

The series features simple sketches and bright colors depicting elderly people in action. Some of Correa’s creations include a gentleman dancing with a red Chinese fan, a woman in a purple coat playing the saxophone and an elderly couple waltzing together.

His social media profile identifies him as a “Laowai since 2014”. A Chinese word often used by locals, laowai is an informal term to refer to foreigners in the country. During his initial days in Shanghai, Correa aspired to become a successful architect, but his plan took a different turn.

The scale of projects he undertakes in China is much bigger than those he worked on in Chile. Correa’s architectural projects are not just limited to residences. He has helped design multiple structures, ranging from libraries to shopping malls and many other large buildings.

The inspiration for Correa’s illustrations has stemmed from several park tours he has taken over the years since arriving in Shanghai. He got into the habit of frequenting parks to overcome his homesickness, as it helped him reminisce about Chile, a country rich in natural resources.

“Parks in Shanghai are well-maintained. You have ponds, gardens, beautiful trees and singing birds,” Correa said. “They are the oases in the city.”

Shanghai’s downtown area, with its clusters of skyscrapers, harbors parks of different sizes, offering leisure space for busy urbanites and perpetual inspiration for Correa.

“After six years, I can still discover new things and never stop being surprised by Shanghai,” Correa said, adding that he will continue to expand the Ayi and Shushu series and possibly create more series in the future.