Birdhead group is a photographic collective founded in 2004, consisting of JI Weiyu (Chinese, born 1980) and SONG Tao (Chinese, born 1979). Both artists graduated from the Shanghai Arts and Crafts School in 2000; Ji also studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. Ji and Song live and work in Shanghai. They have been working in the medium of analogue photography since it was established in 2004. The name "Birdhead" came from a random keystroke for film naming. The artistic practice of Birdhead is based on photographs but also beyond the philosophy of photography. Capturing all the beings around them, the two members of Birdhead digest and apply the thinking mode of conceptual art into the context of their image interpretation. Birdhead’s works have been internationally collected by: Tate Modern U.K., MoMA New York, Guy & Myriam Ullens Foundation, Wemhoner Collection, The Margulies Collection, Astrup Fearnley Museum.

About the works: 

Birdhead’s practice melds photographic elements with intricate collage techniques and mounting skills.Welcome to Birdhead World Again 2016-01 encompasses landscapes from Thailand and Siberia, encapsulated within the structure of a traditional plaque. This is further enhanced by Chinese calligraphy that narrates, “Welcome Again.” Birdhead's distinctive documentary approach results in an extensive portfolio of photographs that encompass a wide array of subjects, including shots of their quotidian lives, activities, and journeys. These photographs are subsequently processed, curated, and mounted to construct each distinctive “Birdhead World.” 

In the Chinese cultural context, plaques typically carry significant symbolic implications, particularly within prominent folk guilds. These guilds, known as "Jianghu江湖," represent a counterbalance to centralized empire regulations, existing not only as an extralegal space but also as a form of ancillary law.