Picture the World by Burhan Dogancay

This week, I got the chance to visit The University of Arizona Museum of Art, which is located within the Arts Quad on Campus. The museum encompassed many exhibits, but its most prominent was the one of Burhan Dogancay's  "Picture of the World" exhibit. The collection was a series of digital prints from different locations around the world, mostly around southeast Asia. 



One image that stood out to me the most within the exhibit was of a Manchu girl sitting on a throne. Although the image was untitled, it was taken in Beijing, China during 1988. This time was a significant period in China where many events took place including, the one-child policy and the economic reforms. In the image below, Dogancay depicts a specific time and period in China presumably the life of the Manchu people.  



I assume that it is of the Manchu people because the girl is dressed in a Qipao. The Qipao is a traditional long Chinese dress typically derived from the Ming Dynasty. It covers the entire body except for the front of the feet and head, as shown in the picture. Embroidery of flowers and patterns are also common features of this type of dress.  The headdress including the tassels was also common in most female attires in the Chinese culture, but also within the Manchu people. Although it is hard to know the exact tradition shown in this picture, I wish I knew more of the context at which the photographer took this image. It would help me better understand the traditions of the specific people illustrated in this image.  I think if the image was in color it would give the viewer a better image on whether this is a royal tradition or not.