The Golden Brick: Terracotta figures of civilian workers

I was born in Beijing. My father came here as an engineer, married my mother, and here I am. Strictly speaking, I am the offspring of a civilian worker who never cultivated land. After I came back from France, my mother told me that there were two civilian workers who died from falling off of a building when they were painting the outside wall. This was the third accident of our residence community. The developers believed it was a curse, so they lit several fire crackers around the building and gave everyone 60,000 yuan as compensation. I don't know the workers' mood while listening to the sound of the bursting firecrackers: I don't know what it is like to experience such an event. However, the workers continued on with a smile, being sent to work just like bricks that are sent anywhere needed.

Then came the peace we had been waiting for. It is rare to see military soldiers wearing helmets anymore. Instead, we see the civilian workers wearing plastic helmets. There are often reports that the plastic helmets are no better than a helmet made of paper. Perhaps the helmet is only the symbol that separates civilian workers from others. It is a representation of their fate and identity.

In the Qin Dynasty, the artisans who created the terracotta warriors sacrificed their lives in order to consecrate their era. I printed these migrant workers, the modern city's toiling soldiers, on bricks as a display for us in hopes of consecrating our great period in time.

The Golden Brick: The stairs of our generation

200 images of feet printed on cement bricks

I never forget to take photos of the local people's feet wherever I go. I believe that the information we get from a shoe is as great as the information we obtain from an ancient cathedral. Therefore, the stairs are made of many feet from different identities, genders, nationalities, and estates, arranged at my discretion. They include feet of mayors, prostitutes, celebrities, and civilian workers. They meet here, now, but they still have no equality between them. Thanks to the shoes, the feet on top will time and time again fall to the bottom.

One more interesting photo: Get into Character

Wen Fang, 31 years old, holding hands with Wen Fang, 70 years old.

Digital photograph morphing printed on cotton duvet

(China.org.cn June 22, 2008)