Sheng Qi
Born 1965, Hefei; lives in Beijing
Memories (Mother), 2000
Chromogenic print, 47 1/4 x 31 1/2 in.
Private collection
Photo courtesy of the artist

Description
These photographs from the series entitled Memories show the artist’s own left hand holding snapshots from his past, evoking memories of childhood. But this is not sentimentality-the hand’s little finger has been cut off, making it a reminder of more painful times. Reportedly distressed by the massacre at Tiananmen Square in 1989, Sheng Qi hacked off the finger, buried it in a flowerpot in Beijing, and fled the country, wishing to leave a small part of himself in the soil of his beloved land. When he returned to China years later, he made this powerful and poetic series of visual mementoes.

Community Response by Julia Liang
“Memories (Mother) reminds of my dearest mom and dad who have passed away. I hadn't served them much. Those pains stay in my heart.”