On Nov 24, a fire and the zero-COVID lockdown in Urumqi killed at least 10 people. After the incident, people around China have gathered on the Urumqi road in multiple cities holding A4 white papers to mourn those lost and protest against zero-COVID, and for some, against authoritarianism. The white paper is everything protesters wish they could say, but cannot. In the middle of the night before more protests, authorities were photographed removing the Urumqi Road sign in Shanghai. A major stationery company suspended sales of A4 paper. In a country where authorities cannot tolerate any public descent, surreal censorship acts becomes a piece of art. The censors and the resistors are the artists co-creating together. Art by Snowball.
-