BRICK WORKS
(Great Walls Project, (2008-2009)
Walking through communities or urban spaces is the initial inspiration for most of my work. Great Walls Project is an exploration created predominantly in Beijing, based on a concept applicable to other past and present work: every urban place, every city corner reveals common, everyday social signifiers. Discovered objects referencing 'that' specific place or situation. It is very common to see stacks of orange bricks in Beijing. They represent both the new and expanding China as well as the old China. Terra-cotta bricks have been used for many parts of the Great Wall, and multi- dynasty hutongs. They are culturally significant, perhaps unlike any other single object in China. They are also recognized to some degree as such. A recent discovery is that the same types of bricks are also used in India and parts of South America. In Beijing, these handmade terra-cotta bricks simultaneously signify the new and the old: history and future, self-identity, the birth and death of community, family, employment growth and housing economics. During one walk-about, I differentiated two separate brick-pile types. I decided to call them Feng Shui Bricks and Working Bricks. |