Oak Taylor-Smith

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    In June 2006 the Chinese authorities set up the ‘Illegal Street Advertisement Office’ to deal with the prolific use ‘xiao guang gao’ (small adverts) that are found on walls in every major city in China as a result of the shift in population and economy.

    The most basic of these illegal adverts is mobile telephone numbers painted on walls with paint or spray can and are mainly for the provision of fake documents (marriage certificates, residency permits) to immigrants from provinces outside the city.

    Shortly afterwards, these numbers are then covered over and censored with a random colour paint, cement or plaster, resulting in an ever-changing palimpsest.

    Over the last year British photographer Oak Taylor-Smith has been recording unique abstract images that decorate the urban texture of Beijing, a city in flux. 

Maizidian orange-03, 2006

C-Print Size A:119x94cm Edition:5 

Size B:90x71cm Edition:10

Maizidian orange-01, 2006

C-Print Size A:119x94cm Edition:5 

Size B:90x71cm Edition:10

Maizidian orange-06, 2006

C-Print Size A:119x94cm Edition:5 

Size B:90x71cm Edition:10

Dongsi blue-06, 2006

C-Print Size A:94x119cm Edition:5 

Size B:71x90cm Edition:10

Dongsi blue-07, 2006

C-Print Size A:94x119cm Edition:5 

Size B:71x90cm Edition:10

Dongsi blue-04,  2006

C-Print Size A:94x119cm Edition:5 

Size B:71x90cm Edition:10

Dongsi blue-03,  2006

C-Print Size A:94x119cm Edition:5 

Size B:71x90cm Edition:10

Dongsi blue-01,  2006

C-Print Size A:119x94cm Edition:5 

Size B:90x71cm Edition:10

Dongsi blue-02,  2006

C-Print Size A:94x119cm Edition:5 

Size B:71x90cm Edition:10

Maizidian-02, 2006

C-Print Size A:94x119cm Edition:5 

Size B:71x90cm Edition:10

Maizidian-03, 2006

C-Print Size A:94x119cm Edition:5 

Size B:71x90cm Edition:10

Wang jing-02,  2005

C-Print Size A:94x119cm Edition:5 

Size B:71x90cm Edition:10

Wang jing-03,  2005

C-Print Size A:94x119cm Edition:5 

Size B:71x90cm Edition:10

Landao grey-01,  2006

C-Print Size A:69x100cm Edition:5 

Size B:40x60cm Edition:10

Landao grey-04,  2006

C-Print Size A:69x100cm Edition:5 

Size B:40x60cm Edition:10

Landao grey-41,  2006

C-Print Size A:69x100cm Edition:5 

Size B:40x60cm Edition:10