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Long, Long Ago...

temporary installation, Beijing
christopher-pelley-long-long-ago-mechani

Red political banners are a fixture of visual life in China.  They are directives from the communist party instructing one how to act and what to think in order to maintain a "harmonious society".  As part of my art practice in China, I have appropriated the use of the red banner to propose a different set of thoughts. 

In a woods, near the village where I live outside of Beijing, I hung one of those banners which said "Long, Long Ago..".  Nearby I installed a flock of mechanical birds flapping pathetically amongst the trees.  The coordinates of this location were posted on the chinese social media platform, WeChat.  Beyond the political banner, references to Chinese history were numerous - including the 4 pests campaign of 1958 -1962 where sparrows were hunted to near extinction and recent environmental degradation which has left the skies almost devoid of birds.

banner.JPG
translation:  Long, Long Ago...
christopher_pelley_mechanical-birds.JPG
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