Heaven in clouds

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In HEAVEN IN CLOUDS, Peter Granser explores the rapid growth of Chinese megacities, urbanization, and their impacts on humanity and nature. This four-part book object emerges from a collection of photographs and video portraits, centered around a modern Chinese residential area that embodies the promise of improved living conditions. The hope for better lives has driven urban expansion globally, particularly in China, which now boasts over 100 cities with populations exceeding one million. This intense concentration inevitably leads to significant ecological, economic, and social challenges. Edited and designed by Jonas Beuchert, the book emphasizes the existential and political dimensions of Granser's work, engaging viewers in a dialogue about globalization and the proximity of China to the West. It reveals a society adopting European economic ideals and pursuing similar aspirations. The narrative aligns with the European ideology of "prosperity through growth," necessitating a humanistic perspective on individuals, foundational to Adam Smith's theory. Granser's themes are examined through the lens of four Kantian questions, presented across four volumes: HEAVEN IN CLOUDS I — What can I know? (Essays), II — What should I do? (Documentary photographs), III — What may I hope? (Night sky), and IV — What is man? (13 video portraits), featuring essays by Prof. Dr. Christoph Schaden and Prof. Kai Vöckler.