Recent decades have seen the emergence of a new middle class as China transitions from a centrally planned economy to a market economy. This mostly young group are more affluent then their parents and can travel more easily. They aspire to own ‘western’ branded clothes and cars. They take their lunch in Starbucks and MacDonalds, but the majority accept one party politics. They accept censorship in the media. They accept restricted access to social media. They continue to accept a level of censorship and dictatorship that would be unacceptable in the west.

In my Hidden Message series (2013 - 2015) I sought to explore the differences between the new public face of China and the government control and restrictions that still thread through every aspect of life. The Hidden Message series used hand dyed and printed textiles. It combined Shanghai skyscrapers with a list of types of censorship. Sometimes in English: sometimes in Mandarin. Sometimes bold and legible: sometimes hidden.

As part of my big house clearance sale I have reduced the price of several pieces in the Hidden Message series. Hidden Message 11, made in 2015, is supplied with top and bottom hanging sleeves.