It’s been a fascinating year. This year I kept roaming the world, but for the first time in a long time, I did it solo. And I stumbled into a new mission: building weird temporary cities out of art, fire, and often too much sound.
China
The most populous country on the planet.
How high can you count on one hand?
It seems like a question with an obvious answer. You have five fingers after all. But there are ways to go beyond a simple counting of fingers. So, what is actually the highest number we can count using only one hand?
China’s White Paper Protests
After a building in Xinjiang was set on fire during the lockdown, DaBai refused to let fire fighters get close to the building. As a result, the building burned down killing everyone inside. By choosing to enforce quarantine measures over safety, the officials let those people die.
Memories from the Lockdown
In 2022 Shanghai was put into a lockdown that was only supposed to last 5 days. I prepared enough food to last and wasn’t too worried about getting more.
Nanjing Jing Jam and My Hand
China left it’s mark on me in more ways than one. I have been mentally, spiritually, and physically altered by my time in the country. This is the story of how I earned one such mark.
Yin Yang Festival: Party on the Great Wall
One of the seven wonders of the world can be found in China. So, of course, the one time I visited it was when there was a music festival. For six years, The Mansion Project of Shanghai would run the Yin Yang Festival on the Great Wall in Tianjin.
Returning to the New China
In 2022 I decided to go to Burning Man despite the restrictions in place for getting back into China. I didn’t really care all that much, I just needed to get out of the country for a while.
Please Don’t Knock on My Door
A knock on the door can often bring good things. A friend coming to visit, that parcel you’ve been waiting for, a letter from a loved one. But there are situations where a simple knock can bring bad things. Sometimes a knock on the door can be utterly terrifying.
Surviving Covid-19
Despite the USA and UK governments’ advice I ended up staying in Shanghai during the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.