Seek Truth, ArtCenter College of Design project

Published December 3, 2024

Today’s Chinese government wields formidable tools—state-controlled media, pervasive surveillance, and censorship—to maintain its control. This book ventures into this paradoxical world where, amid escalating control, a brave group of Chinese artists employs photography, film, graphic design, and modern art to reveal truths, often at great personal risk. They stand as voices against the suppressive grip of censorship.

Seek Truth was made as a student project at ArtCenter College of Design. See more images on the project website.

Seek Truth spans across 72 pages of premium coated paper, organized into three distinct sections. The first section, “A History of Oppression”, chronicles the historical instances of Chinese citizens enduring various forms of oppression enforced by their government. In the second section, “Voices of Resistance”, the spotlight shines on contemporary Chinese artists who courageously defy the CCP, risking their lives to advocate for free speech and express dissenting viewpoints. Concluding the book, “A Silent Unity” delves into the ingenious strategies employed by protestors and ordinary citizens to amplify their voices within a perilous landscape where any form of dissent poses significant risks.

The poster unveiling the launch of Seek Truth, displayed prominently in Chinatown, showcases a provocative depiction: a defaced portrait of Chairman Mao, with the title revealed through a prominent tear. Overlaid onto this image is a gallery displaying all the featured art pieces from the book, serving as a tribute to the courage and sacrifices of Chinese artists. The tearing and paint alterations were executed by hand, photographed from above. The Chinatown landscape is realized through MidJourney AI.

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