Made in China

Sunday June 3rd, 2012 by Gemma Thorpe ・ 1 Comment

Some common articles brought from home by Chinese students when they come to study abroad. Most students bring practical items such as rice cookers, knives, medicine, tea. Although some of these items are available in the UK the quality is not thought to be as good, and the price more expensive. I thought it would be fun to picture these like catalogue items, and spent an afternoon at Li Zhen’s apartment where we set up a mini studio to photograph the things she brought with her from China. The 100 yuan note was photographed at Nina’s apartment and has a special value for her -it was given to her by her Grandmother just before she came to England. She keeps it in her purse and has never exchanged it.

菜刀 : Cleaver

电饭煲 : Rice Cooker

檀木筷子 : Wingceltis Wood Chopsticks

 

龙井 : Longjing Tea

枇杷膏 : Loquat syrup. For the relief of sore throats.

一百元 : One Hundred Yuan Note

 

This was a bit of a step away from photographing observationally (although I once spent a whole summer photographing products in this way -you never know when skills will come in use again). I think this adds an interesting layer to the project, it’s possible we could display some of these items in the exhibition as artifacts, or have a small space for a grid display of these quite clinical images.