Graduate Exhibition

The Chinese writing system is one of the oldest written languages in the world, and the essence of Chinese culture and its development. Karen Lam's work 'Progress or Step Backwards' is a conceptual art piece that comments on the debate between traditional and simplified Chinese characters. Through this work, Karen ultimately questions: “Is simplifying the writing system a progress or a step backwards?” 'Progress or Step Backwards' also demonstrates the differences between making and breaking. This work is installed in a specific order, from left to right, and as the materials change, Karen reveals a timeline of the transformation of Chinese characters through history, exploring how they have been developed, and simplified.