"Journey of Dreams" : Liang and his Migrant Workers

Artist: shanghaiwu
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"Journey of Dreams" : Liang and his Migrant Workers

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I want the world to know about Liangshuo and his migrant workers. This famous young chinese artist created the Migrant Workers of China for the Shanghai Biennalle/2000/”Shanghai Spirit”. These inspiring figures are situated in the grounds of the Shanghai Art Museum. Everytime I visited the grounds of the Shanghai museum I would photograph these characters. At this time I had no idea what they were BUT they intrigued me. They seemed so very very miserable. I wanted take them on a journey in my mind and make their lives happier. My curiosity got the better of me and I asked the curator. To cut a long story short…...as each image was completed I send to Liang/at first he was very surprised and then it became a game. Liang’s migrant workers became all consuming to me and I thank him for allowing me and my imagination no boundaries.

Epson/Shanghai /actually looked at the series and suggested the title “Journey of Dreams” before actually printing off the series and sending to Japan.

These are not in order of presentation .

There are millions of migrant workers in China. They are the courageous men and women building the new world. They leave their families and head to the cities with hopes and dreams/fears/purpose in their hearts and minds. They want to create a better life for themselves and their families and so their dreams are intertwined with ours.

Epson Graphics Category/2005

1 of 18 images sent from Shanghai/China to Japan for Photo Imaging Competition/awarded a Merit and then Honorable and then…../ housed permanently in Japan.

The Migrant Workers of China

There were many articles in the newspapers in China about problems facing the migrant workers..so many away from home for so long. Aids was the warning.
So here we have one of Liangshou’s migrant workers after a big night out/feeling very pleased with himself he glances over and sees the sign. His heart sinks and guilt pervades his mind.

The green door is the next image in the folio/Behind the green door is a dr’s surgery and the sign says please come through this door to see me if you have a sexual disease which you need treated……..........

The image of Mao was taken whilst exploring an area in Shanghai which was to be demolished. By now this image would have vanished. I was completely intrigued by this man after reading “Mao/The Untold Story” by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday. The description on the book cover is very damning describing the book as “a mesmerising portrait of tyranny,degeneracy,mass murder and promiscuity,a barrage of revisionist bombshells, and a superb piece of research. This is the first intimate, political biography of the greatest monster of them all”

The old man was photographed in Guilin. I wondered about this mountain of a man /what had happened to him in past days in China and why now so stooped and so I combined both images for obvious reasons.
I was actually in a photo shop waiting for some developing when I was approached by a suited chinese who asked could he see my photos and I said “no problems”. So after looking on the computer he called me over and said could I please explain this image. My response was very typical of my thought process /speak 1st and think of the consequences later. Actually in the original image there were also 2 birds flying overhead. I told him this old man was now free as the birds overhead/ free to think whatever thoughts and walk wherever he wished for the rest of his life. From that time I had a problem with this photoshop even though we had become friends…..............

As you can see from this image the cutting of the photographs is very poor but was amazed even at that stage at the power of combining images. I started working on the migrant workers in preparation for a photoshop course at Jiao Tong University/Shanghai. It was the fear of failing the course that set me working on the images of Liang’s Migrant workers of China and each day the story grew…........... linking the history of Japan and China
The Green Door

HERE

"Journey of Dreams" : Liang and his Migrant Workers belongs to the following groups:

All Around the Styles, All In, "Editing", All Out Emotion, All Things Poetic, Artistic, Philosophical, Artistic Assignments, Beige is death!, Bits and Pieces , Capturing Emotion, Freedom to Shine, Graphic Editing 101, Images & Ideas, Layered with Texture, Light In The Darkness, Live, Love, Dream: , Made In Digital, Melbourne & Victoria, Perspectives, Photo Manipulators, PixElations - The Art of Photoshop, Riginals, Shameless Self-Promotion, The Addicted Photographer►2 Per Day◄, The Art of Intrigue 2/24, The Art of Pain, The Healing Journey and The Woman Photographer **7 Submissions a week only please**