amycvdh reblogged
Xu Bing
Book from the Sky, 1987-1991 (google translate, edited:) The book was printed using movable type printing with "false words". These false words were made using parts of standard Chinese characters but combined without any real meaning. These books were made using rigorously accurate binding, typesetting and printing practices but they do not transmit actual messages or functional knowledge. Generally books (compared to paper) are respected in China so this combination is unexpected and subversive. The text presents a scholarly atmosphere, but has absolutely no meaning.