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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Two: Travel Incongruities > Emphatic origins, Shuhe, China, 2006
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31-MAR-2006

Emphatic origins, Shuhe, China, 2006

This shop makes no secret of where its goods are manufactured. The rocking chair on the roof is incongruous placement. The slogan on the chair is incongruously scaled. The style of the roof is classical, the chair commercial. The primary colors of the chair are far from the muted colors of the roof. The image, just as the real thing, shocks, amuses, and makes it very clear who makes most of the stuff in our world.

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Phil Douglis25-Aug-2006 17:48
You make a wonderful point here, Rodney. As I've noted, the Chinese now seem to be making most of just about everything required for living -- including all of those buttons you mention. I have come to think of China as a place where the unexpected is now commonplace. This chair on the roof is an iconic image -- it stands for the ingeniously inventive, adaptive and ubiquitous nature of Chinese merchandising.
Guest 25-Aug-2006 16:45
I love this photo. The use of English, as well as the location of the chair, is highly incongruous. The unusual placement of the chair speaks to me beyond being placed in an unusual position. It speaks to me of “expect Chinese products in unexpected places.”

Just a few days ago I heard a news article on the BBC World news about an area in China, and how 80% of the buttons in the world are made in that area! Now that is something people would not have expected. The chair speaks even more to me “expect Chinese products in unexpected places” since hearing that BBC report even more.
Phil Douglis19-Apr-2006 19:46
Alister Benn took me here -- he knew I would love the triple incongruity here. The chair is on the roof, the sign is oversized, and printed in English. I love those other translations you offer -- they would certainly draw my attention!
Jeremy19-Apr-2006 13:39
Most incongruous of all, may be the words "Made in China", in English. There are not many signs in English there in Lijiang, even though it is a tourist destination. Of the few there are, I have seen a number worded or spelt wrongly in quite hilarious ways, eg:- "Living Forbidden Zone (for No Camping?)", "Ceremony of Sacrificing Heaven (Ceremony of Sacrifices to Heaven?)", "Chaos Hostel (meant to say Chao's Hostel?)", etc, etc. This is a gem of a picture in terms of travel incnogruities. I like the image.
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