Congregation of the Century 世纪的集会

Creator(s)

Jian-Jun ZHANG 张建军

Preview

Date

1995

Format

Slide

Materials

Wood, bamboo, photos, soundtrack

Dimensions

38‘’ x 123'' x 42''

Description

A large conference table is surrounded by ten chairs. Each chair represents one historical figure in the twentieth century: Einstein, Lenin, Hitler, Oppenheim, Marilyn Monroe, Picasso, Mao Zedong, Gorbachev, Pope John Paul II, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Constructed in the Bauhaus geometric style, the table and chairs reflect the impact of Western modernity and modernism on the cultural, economic, and political situation of the twentieth century (Jianjun Zhang, "Exhibition Document: Congregation of the Century"). Note, one Chinese bamboo chair is designed for Mao Zedong, the only Chinese figure among them. This work also includes a soundtrack of the voices of the ten figures, each emanating from their spots at the table. Thousands of black and white photographs of anonymous individuals from different groups of age, genders and nationalities are used to cover the table and chairs. These photos show different faces, bodies and objects. More information about this work can be found at https://digital.kenyon.edu/zhoudocs/454/. (Yifan Shang '25)