Ben Fraternale on Large-Format Polaroid and Cross-Cultural Dialogue in Shanghai and New York

Photographer Ben Fraternale, known for sports photography, exhibited large-format 20×24 Polaroid portraits at 'West Meets East – Shanghai & New York 2026,' held at the Peninsula New York hotel from June 29 to July 5, 2026. The project, curated by ArtShelf, involved Fraternale shooting 40 subjects in Shanghai with little prior knowledge, including calligrapher Chen Jialing. The exhibition is part of the five-year 'Our Water' initiative by the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality, which previously held editions in Paris and London. Fraternale described the large-format Polaroid as a remedy for 'digital malaise,' emphasizing the physicality and intentionality of the medium. He noted the connective experience of meeting young Chinese Polaroid enthusiasts at an event hosted by Polaroid Asia. The show also featured works by Jesse Lin and John Ruder, including a side-by-side comparison of New York and Shanghai skylines shot with expired chemistry.