Jieting Fang

Lucky Scratch-off Posters

During my year in Edinburgh, I often encountered popular statues like the iconic Greyfriars Bobby. These statues were frequently surrounded by tourists who engaged in a curious ritual: rubbing and polishing certain parts, like noses and toes, for luck. This behaviour piqued my interest, leading me to explore the motivations and cultural significance behind it.

To better understand this phenomenon, I conducted interviews with both locals and tourists, uncovering various reasons for these interactions. I explored different visual formats to express the balance between preserving statues and allowing public enjoyment.

The culmination of my project is a series of scratch-off posters, designed as interactive art. At the exhibition, visitors can actively participate by scratching off the surface to reveal the full image of the statues, mimicking the real-life interactions I observed. Through this project, I aim to encourage thoughtful engagement with public art, highlighting the balance between appreciation and preservation.

Lucky Rub - Interview Publication

This verbatim transcript aims to explore the phenomenon of interactions with public statues in Edinburgh. As Edinburgh becomes an increasingly popular tourist destination, more and more tourists and  residents are engaging in activities such as rubbing statues for luck and so on.   These behaviors have sparked diverse opinions; some see it as a form of respect and interaction with history and culture, while others worry about the potential damage to the statues. This interview includes detailed conversations with both long-term residents and short-term tourists. In addition to recording their statements, I have also compiled other cases they mentioned within the text to understand their views and suggestions.

Lucky Map

I created a large map marking famous statues around the world that are commonly rubbed. My aim was to use the trend of 'checking in' at popular spots to encourage people to embark on meaningful journeys, learning about the stories of these statues and turning the process of exploring and understanding the world into something that feels lucky and fulfilling.

To complement this, I made an 'adventure scroll map'vusing textile, which is lightweight and soft, because I believe this journey should be something lighthearted and enjoyable, rather than heavy or burdensome.

Thank you for watching! Welcome to ECA's C.07 exhibition hall to view and interact more with my work! -Jieting