Tiananmen Tourist

Bert Oostdijk

Part of the 2018 The China Project photo contest.

A platoon of soldiers parades marches past Tiananmen gate. Their stern military uniforms run up against cute pink and blue stools: they’re ready to give a show. Blocking their path is a tourist with a roller suitcase and Nike t-shirt. Absorbed by his phone, he is a world apart from the soldiers. And from Tiananmen Gate, Mao Zedong’s portrait observes this confrontation between the old and the new, and continues smiling as always.

Bert Oostdijk is an urban planner and designer. He has been in China for four years, with experiences ranging from urban village transformations to the development of new towns. He currently works at Perkins + Will Shanghai. As a photography enthusiast, he also has a special interest in cities.

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