Le Making of

This exhibit of photographs results from an opportunity to visit the National Aquatics Center, also known as the Water Cube, during its construction in July of 2007.

Already eagerly anticipated at the time, the Water Cube is by now one of Beijing’s most recognizable structures.

While the spectacular venues for the 2008 Olympics have been highly publicized, the conditions under which they were built remain obscure, especially to international observers.

In this exhibit, twenty photographs capture the striking architectural and structural features of the Water Cube and the adjacent “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium, in their making. However, the images also refocus our gaze from these aspects to the work of the many labourers who built these monumental structures.

The images of these construction sites are set in the dynamic social and political context of today’s Beijing and against the background of China’s growing international role. Texts with the photos suggest different ways of thinking about the Olympic venues, their construction and their representation in photography.

By providing a unique visual perspective on issues hotly debated in print, including the transformation of Beijing’s urban landscape for the Olympics and the plight of workers in the country’s booming construction sector, these images contribute to our evolving understanding of contemporary Chinese society.