Statement by Birdhead

In this project we shot photos of stores signs. We shot each character separately from different signs, only one Chinese character per negative. These black and white negatives are framed and rearranged into a classical Chinese Poem. The Tang Dynasty poem is “On Mounting Youzhou Terrace,” by Chen Zi’ang Where, before me, are the ages that have gone? And where, behind me, are the coming generations? I think of heaven and earth, without limit, without end, and I am all alone and my tears fall down.

Balled On Climbing Youzhou Tower by Chen Ziang (Dynasty Tang)
Witness not the sages of the past,
Perceive not the wise of the future,
Reflecting on heaven and earth eternal,
Tears flowing down I lament in loneliness.