The Wall
The Wall
November 2004 Chengdu, Sichuan Province: The Chairman takes in the view from a room in the Railway Hotel
The Wall: The Chairman and I
For six years, whenever photographer André Eichman travelled in China, he took a kitsch little Chairman Mao statue with him. The resulting exhibition, which premiered in the FCC in October, is both intriguing and revealing Travelling throughout China with a “kitch yet cute” little Chairman Mao statue, André Eichman photographed and interviewed local people from all walks of life. This simple, light-hearted yet evocative device gave Eichman a unique insight into the lives of the Chinese people and allowed his subjects an opportunity to speak about a figure that has been so seminal to modern China. “Talking to the Chinese people about the Chairman and listening to their views on where the country was heading gave me a unique window into modern China,” says Eichman. “It started out as a light-hearted project that suddenly changed direction one night when I sat in
on a leacture by Zhou Enlai’s wife’s bodyguard named General Goh. He spoke about his hardships on the Long March during the long and arduous journey and I sat there transfixed by the General’s every word. “Wandering around China for so many years with the Chairman statue at my side led me down roads I would never have taken, and allowed me the privilege to meet so many different people along the way.” All photographs are limited editions and are for sale. Mr Eichman will also be launching a limited edition book with quotes and images from his journey. Please refer to www.thechairmanandi.com for further information. June 2007 Beijing: A boy stands in front of the unfinshed Birds Nest Stadium and proudly holds the Chairman
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THE CORRESPONDENT
THE CORRESPONDENT
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