May You live 10,000 Years

2018; mixed material; 5ft-2.5ft-2.5ft

This work stems from my interest in Chinese propaganda posters produced during the late 20th century. I was inspired by a poster depicting a group of primary school children playing instruments, lighting lanterns, and holding a giant peach to wish chairman Mao a long life. I was particularly impressed by the unrealistic size of the peach compared to the child. In Chinese culture, the peach represents vitality and longevity, but its shape and texture can also be sometimes read as butt and the representation of femininity. A Chinese idiom to describe someone who enjoys bragging about others is called “Pai Ma Pi” (slapping a horse’s butt), which translates in English as “sucking up” to someone. I’m interested in the intersection of politics and femininity, adulthood and childhood, and the duality of idioms.