Feng and Huang are 12-ton birds constructed by artist Xu Bing. The first one measures 90 feet long while the second is nearly 100 feet in length and together they fill up a building the size of a football field. Made out of various construction materials including demolition debris, steel beams, tools, and other various remnants, both birds took two years to build.
The materials used in this project seem to be a commentary on the rapid development in China and how such actions are affecting the physical and cultural landscape.
To finish off the birds, a network of lights were introduced into the form and mounted within the sculptures to give the pieces an imperial quality when viewed at night that is drastically different from the crude and distressed manner the birds are viewed during the day.
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Courtesy of Xu Bing