We're two sisters who are craft book publishers and found ourselves in the midst of an avocado grove. We bought this house where we planned to conduct our publishing business and in the deal got 4 acres of avocado trees thrown in. Now we're not only publishers but ranchers as well! This blog is all about avocados and anything else that strikes my fancy.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sepia Saturday #162 Ai Weiwei and bicycles
Our theme for Sepia Saturday this week is bicycles. I've once again dipped into my box of Chinese photos and come up with these two photos that fit nicely.
This is a bicycle parking lot in Shanghai, China taken on our trip there in 1985.
It seemed as though everyone rode a bike then. (Maybe one of the bikers in this photo is a messenger.) You didn't see many cars
on the roads - mostly buses and taxis, but no personal cars. What
Chinese could afford a car in those days?
Fast forward to 2012 and what do we see in China?
A massive U.S. style traffic jam. The bicycles have certainly been replaced by smog producing cars. That's real progress!!
Ai Weiwei, the Chinese artist/sculptor has added his two cents to the problem of too much progress. Here are two of his installations:
If you're not familiar with Weiwei, you might be interested in this trailer. The documentary about him is currently showing in theaters worldwide (but probably not in China!). He's currently under house arrest there because he's thought of being a dissident!
Love the Weiwei pieces. I didn't know about his political troubles - the documentary looks good. Isn't it unbelievable how cars have overtaken Shanghai? Is that thirteen lanes of traffic? At least they have that new fast train to help reduce some of the congestion. Very enjoyable and now I'm going back to look at Weiwei sculptures I've seen in particular the zodiac heads that were on display at LACMA with a different eye.
I can't believe the rapid changes in China. To think there were virtually no cars when we were there in '85 except for taxis and now those giant traffic jams. Unbelievable the "progress". Wish I had seen the Weiwei exhibit at LACMA.
The bicycles look like they are parked so close together that it would be impossible to get one out. the installation looks less tangled that the parking lot.
One of the things I like most about Sepians is the directions that their minds take on a theme --- this was one of those most interesting diversions. Thanks.
Until I enlarged the first sculpture I thought that it was a bunch of springs. Amazing. What a great post all the way around. How neat that you have been able to travel so much.
Modern art often leaves me cold but those two Al Weiwei sculptures are amazing. He is a brave man in a diffiicult country. That Shanghai traffic jam is frightening. .
You don't have to live in the Third World to see lots of bicycles in use. Amsterdam is the archetypal example, but I must say I was disappointed to see fewer there during my most recent visit in 2007 than my previous one in 1974.
Interesting photos of China as it was a quarter of a century ago, thank you.
On media it has always been usually bikes one would often see about China. Now we read stories about private Chinese citizens buying accessories for their dog to the tune of 300K USD.
Too bad the world moves in the direction of more and more cars instead of us moving in the direction of more and more bikes. I was just at Bruno's page so I'll add, ridden by polite bikers. I can't really fuss about the change though since it's been 7 years since I have ridden a bicycle.
Great photos and right on theme! I had to laugh at your first photo, as it reminds so much of our University of Minnesota in the areas where students park there bikes! It's amazing how they each find their own bikes so quickly in such a mess!
Love WeiWei's first installation. A reflection of a past era. The biggest pollution now comes from Asia, due to their economic boom and their imitation of what is considered as an achievement in our part of the world, over consummation!! We've set the example!! Sadly... Great pics though!! :)~ HUGZ
A sad story in a way. When I saw the first picture my first impression was that it looked like a bicycle graveyard.. and maybe it was.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point. It does look like a graveyard and I think Weiwei must have been the ultimate graverobber!
DeleteMy first thought was how did anyone recognize their own bike. They all look the same. The sculptures are quite fascinating.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they had little charms on their bikes kind of like the ones you put on your cocktail glass at a party to know whose drink is whose.
DeleteHA -- or a remote horn.
DeleteLove the Weiwei pieces. I didn't know about his political troubles - the documentary looks good. Isn't it unbelievable how cars have overtaken Shanghai? Is that thirteen lanes of traffic? At least they have that new fast train to help reduce some of the congestion. Very enjoyable and now I'm going back to look at Weiwei sculptures I've seen in particular the zodiac heads that were on display at LACMA with a different eye.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe the rapid changes in China. To think there were virtually no cars when we were there in '85 except for taxis and now those giant traffic jams. Unbelievable the "progress".
DeleteWish I had seen the Weiwei exhibit at LACMA.
I sometimes have trouble finding my car in the carpark - I can imagine the difficulty I would have finding my bicycle in that lot. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteyes, i do too. I wonder if there was some system set up for finding your bike.
DeleteNancy
The bicycles look like they are parked so close together that it would be impossible to get one out. the installation looks less tangled that the parking lot.
ReplyDeleteYes, I love the looks of those installations. Would love to see them in person.
DeleteIf those cars represent progress, it is little wonder that I proceed into the future looking backwards.
ReplyDeleteThe bicycle "graveyard" is the sort of thought-provoking picture that I either don't see or forget to take.
Interesting switch on the theme
One of the things I like most about Sepians is the directions that their minds take on a theme --- this was one of those most interesting diversions. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots, I would hate to have to find my bike in that crazy bike parking lot! I also like the bike art shot.
DeleteWhen my sis and I went to Finland and Scandinavia in 98, we noticed most workers riding bikes..no wonder they were so slender!
Jan
Ai Weiwei is member of the jury in the International Film Festival Rotterdam which is in progress right now. Not surprisingly he is not allowed to be present here so he doing his judging via an internet connection.
ReplyDeleteHolland may have been thé bicycle nation of the world, judging by your pictures China took over...
Until I enlarged the first sculpture I thought that it was a bunch of springs. Amazing. What a great post all the way around. How neat that you have been able to travel so much.
ReplyDeleteKathy M.
Modern art often leaves me cold but those two Al Weiwei sculptures are amazing. He is a brave man in a diffiicult country. That Shanghai traffic jam is frightening. .
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to live in the Third World to see lots of bicycles in use. Amsterdam is the archetypal example, but I must say I was disappointed to see fewer there during my most recent visit in 2007 than my previous one in 1974.
ReplyDeleteInteresting photos of China as it was a quarter of a century ago, thank you.
What? A quarter of a century ago? It seems like we just got back!
DeleteOn media it has always been usually bikes one would often see about China. Now we read stories about private Chinese citizens buying accessories for their dog to the tune of 300K USD.
ReplyDeleteA bicycle built for two .. billion!
ReplyDeleteNot many Western artists have developed such power in making an artistic statement in their work.
Weiwei is a very Brave and talented Artist.Great Photos & A great take on this week's Theme.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos : can you imagine trying to ride that bike sculpture! I saw of Weiwei's work in the Tate Modern last year - very impressive.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteToo bad the world moves in the direction of more and more cars instead of us moving in the direction of more and more bikes. I was just at Bruno's page so I'll add, ridden by polite bikers. I can't really fuss about the change though since it's been 7 years since I have ridden a bicycle.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos and right on theme! I had to laugh at your first photo, as it reminds so much of our University of Minnesota in the areas where students park there bikes! It's amazing how they each find their own bikes so quickly in such a mess!
ReplyDeletefantastic, I love them.
ReplyDeletethanks for visiting my poetry response, I thought you'd like to know that I wrote it especially for the photo.
Love WeiWei's first installation.
ReplyDeleteA reflection of a past era.
The biggest pollution now comes from Asia,
due to their economic boom and their imitation
of what is considered as an achievement in our part of the world, over consummation!!
We've set the example!! Sadly...
Great pics though!!
:)~
HUGZ