To illustrate words with symbolic significance for Chinese social movements, this project synthesises oracle bone scripts, wordplay, calligraphy, exercise books, dissonance, intergenerational trauma, and propaganda art. Sharp in form and obscure in meaning, Sharp Speak lives at the intersection of language, history, symbolism, and dissent.
Sharp Speak was born during a time of heightened political crisis in China: On October 13, 2022, a Chinese activist initiated the Beijing Sitong Bridge protest by posting a banner over the bridge, protesting Xi Jinping's dictatorship, human rights violations, strengthening of censorship, and the dehumanising governmental controls in the name of the pandemic control. The protestor was arrested, but his action became the most significant Chinese act of protest in the decade. It’s frustrating to see heartbreaking news but not able to speak about it. Sharp Speak for me was not only a stylistic experiment, but also a way to express my dissatisfaction with the status quo.
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Sharp Speak was born during a time of heightened political crisis in China: On October 13, 2022, a Chinese activist initiated the Beijing Sitong Bridge protest by posting a banner over the bridge, protesting Xi Jinping's dictatorship, human rights violations, strengthening of censorship, and the dehumanising governmental controls in the name of the pandemic control. The protestor was arrested, but his action became the most significant Chinese act of protest in the decade. It’s frustrating to see heartbreaking news but not able to speak about it. Sharp Speak for me was not only a stylistic experiment, but also a way to express my dissatisfaction with the status quo.