千秋伟业代代相传 - Made in China (Great Achievements For Thousands of Years - Made in China)

Hui ZHUANG 庄辉

Description

This work by the artist uses repurposes a phrase said by President Xi Jinping, "千秋伟业代代相传" (Great Achievements For Thousands of Years), which was in reference to the Communist Party's 100th birthday. The meaning of such phrase was to imply that the century of the Communist Party regime will continue into thousands of years. In Zhuang Hui's image, men are gathered around a sign with the phrase on it, and the subheading, "Made in China". These men appear to be world leaders. Their expressions appear uncanny. Some men are smiling widely while others are smirking, leaving the viewer feeling uncomfortable and like there is some information that the men are withholding and reluctant to share. It is likely that this piece is making some political critique. The artist often repurposes phrases in slogans made by Chinese Communist leaders in his artwork. Additionally, this is another example of his use of the barcode. This may imply a critique on China's economy, or the idyllic nature of Communist motifs that might not reflect reality. The style of this piece matches that of Zhuang's other work: https://digital.kenyon.edu/zhou/508/. (Nicole Wang '26).