This project delves into the erosion of individual rights and the dehumanizing forces that emerged during the pandemic, where people were reduced to mere symbols within an inflexible system of health codes. By assigning each person a QR code—green for the healthy, red for the infected—society adopted a rigid, color-coded classification that erased personal identity. Those labeled in red were forcibly isolated, often in inhumane conditions, highlighting a disturbing shift where human lives were simplified into data points and stripped of autonomy. This work raises questions about how such control measures redefine the relationship between individuals and the state, prompting a reflection on the cost of such control on personal freedom.

In the two large prints, I contrast a residential complex before and after the tragic fire in Urumqi on November 24, 2022. In the first scene, the complex is depicted as open and inviting, symbolizing a life of freedom and community. In the second scene, strict pandemic lockdowns have sealed gates and locked residents into their homes, turning what was once a place of life into a cage. When the fire broke out, these restrictions trapped residents, leading to heartbreaking loss of life and injury. This work is both a memorial to those affected and a critique of a system that, in its attempt to ensure safety, became a source of harm due to its inability to consider human needs. It becomes a political statement on the flawed balance between collective control and individual freedom during times of crisis.

The QR codes are presented as small, flyer-like handouts to evoke the origins of printmaking as a tool for political messaging and social critique. Created through laser cutting, the QR codes and accompanying text emphasize a mechanical, detached quality, mirroring the impersonal nature of the pandemic control system. In contrast, the two larger prints are hand-carved from wood in a five-layer process, reflecting the care, effort, and complexity inherent in traditional printmaking. This juxtaposition between the precise, machine-made cuts and the labor-intensive, handcrafted woodcuts symbolizes the tension between systematic control and human complexity. Through this combination of techniques, I aim to provoke reflection on the ethical costs of pandemic-era control measures, inviting viewers to consider what is sacrificed in the name of safety and how easily the line between protection and oppression can blur.

Ultimately, Men in Red serves as both a commemoration and a cautionary tale. By capturing these scenes of confinement and control, I hope to spark a dialogue about the boundaries between public measures and personal rights. This project asks viewers to remember the lives behind each data point, to recognize the dangers of a system that overlooks individuality, and to question how we might balance collectiveness with respect for human dignity in Chinese society.