Editor's note:
Shanghai has been enriched by the many expatriates who have come from all over the world to sink roots in the city and contribute to a melting pot of ideas and cultures. This series introduces you to some of them.
Samuel Porteous works at home.
Canadian author and illustrator Samuel Porteous is so fascinated by Old Shanghai that his wife often jokes that he must have lived in that era in another life.
"The Art Deco buildings, the bustling streets, the neon signs. They all captivate me," he told Shanghai Daily.
Porteous's artistic journey weaves together Western imagination and Eastern reality, resulting in artwork and graphic novels that delve into the cultural dialogues of the time.
"Old Shanghai for me symbolizes the encounter between a modernizing China and the developed West," he explained. "My work often examines how Westerners perceive China through that lens."
A close-up of his work.
He grew up in different communities across Canada, where his mother taught Chinese cooking classes and he often had Chinese neighbours and classmates.
His father was an engineer whose work took the family to points around the world. Porteous arrived China in 2001, splitting his time between Shanghai and Hong Kong. Nearly 12 years ago, he settled in Shanghai full-time and was married in 2003 in the Fairmont Peace Hotel on the Bund.
For the last ten years, he has been the founder and chief creative director of Drowsy Emperor, a small Hong Kong-Shanghai based boutique studio.
His 2020 book "Ching Ling Foo: America's First Chinese Superstar" tells the story of an illusionist who fought stereotypes and made an indelible impact on US popular culture with his stage performances. Houdini called him a "super magician."
Porteous said he has stayed in Shanghai for a simple reason: "It's where East meets West. I'm particularly intrigued by Shanghai's architecture. Shanghai is unlike any other city. If you're intrigued by the 1920s and 30s, you must visit the Bund. It's a feast for the senses."
"Ching Ling Foo"
He recalled his first impressions of the city two decades ago: "Shanghai was the most open and welcoming city for foreigners. Its cosmopolitan energy enchanted me."
Over the years, Porteous has lived in several districts: downtown Jing'an, Hongkou, Pudong and Songjiang. Recently, he found tranquil sanctuary in the neighboring city of Kunshan, known as the "back garden of Shanghai," where he lives in a villa reminiscent of his Vancouver home.
He also maintains a studio in historic Tanyuan Garden in Shanghai's Jiading District, a 45-minute drive away.
Originally the home of scholar and painter Li Liufang over 400 years ago, Tanyuan was meticulously restored in 2011. In a charming two-story structure, Porteous has discovered an artistic haven.
"I often feed the fish in the pond," he said, "They seem to recognize me."
Porteous treasures a copy of the "Jieziyuan Huapu," or "Manual of the Mustard Seed Garden," a classic by Li that has inspired generations of artists, including Chinese masters like Zhang Daqian and Qi Baishi, and Belgian cartoonist Hergé.
"Constable Khang's Mysteries of Old Shanghai"
Porteous's own graphic novel series, "Constable Khang's Mysteries of Old Shanghai," draws inspiration from Hergé's "Adventures of Tintin."
Set in 1929, Constable Khang is a feline detective modeled after his own cat.
"The 1920s and 30s marked a turning point in modern relations between China and the West," Porteous explained. "Shanghai was at the heart of that cultural exchange."
To craft this narrative, Porteous dedicated three years to meticulous research, scouring Shanghai Library's archives and exploring the city's hidden corners.
"I aimed to weave a fictional story deeply rooted in historical context," he said.
In his graphic novel series, Porteous vividly captures Shanghai's life, from former Concession areas to neon signs and street vendors. He said if he had to define Shanghai in a single word, it would be modeng (摩登), or "modern" in a stylish sense.
"It's different from 'modern,'" he explained. "It's a word that originated in Shanghai – half-English, half-Chinese. I think the meaning is ahead of its time. It means modern and fashionable because I think that's sort of Shanghai's character. Shanghai has always been about style and art, and sort of mixing the best of both."
Modeng is a highlight of his works related to Shanghai.
Porteous said he remembers the frenetic energy of the city when he first arrived.
"It was all go-go-go. Everyone was buzzing with excitement about the future," he said.
But he said he noticed a shift after major events like the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai Expo.
"People began to settle down, focusing on building their lives rather than racing forward," he said. "Instead of rushing, they stopped to ask, 'What is my best life and how do I live it?'"
China and particularly Shanghai, are now home to Porteous.
"I speak French and I would describe my Chinese as at the intermediate level," he said. "Sometimes when I speak French, I might accidentally slip in a Chinese word if I forget one in French."
Despite his deep connection to the culture, Porteous admitted that he sometimes feels distanced from fully understanding it.
"There's a saying: After a week in China, you think you could write a book; after six months, maybe a long article; after a couple of years, a short one; and after 10 years, you realize you know nothing."
This quest for understanding drives him forward.
"Old Shanghai is captivating because it represented a modernizing China engaging with the developed West. Now, we're witnessing a second wave of modernization. What lessons can we learn from the past? History offers profound insights for our present interactions."
