Broken Mirror (1999)

Handling

In Broken Mirror a hammer hovers precariously, ready to break the camera’s lens; instead, it shatters what is revealed to be a mirror. Set in various locations throughout Beijing, the work charts a path through the changing cityscape. With each action, mirror fragments reflecting one scene give way to reveal another. Everyday street views of shoppers at an open-air market, historical landmarks, or sites of protest like Tiananmen Square open onto each other in a disorienting loop of illusion and reality.