A Hole in the Wall: Sand Cards

Date: 2023
Artist: Yu Li (Chinese)
Dimensions:
7 sand cards, 9 x 14cm each
Medium: Photographic sand cards
Object number: UAC 1125
DescriptionYu Li studied MA Commercial Photography at London College of Communication. Her artist's statement says:

'This work is inspired by the true story of Yu Li’s family in Tangshan. Her grandfather’s wife and daughter were killed by an earthquake. After this tragedy, he lived in sorrow and every night in his sleep he banged on the wall, which created a hole. This series of photographs uses actors to convey the emotions of Li’s grandfather, who felt responsible for the deaths. The pictures employ metaphorical visual elements, depicting the nightmares that he was ‘killing’ his loved ones. To protect other family members, he decided never to discuss the earthquake again, a pain that resonates within every trauma-stricken family.'