I captured a moment in the Forbidden City when visitors are climbing up the stairs leading to the emperor’s chamber, a symbol of power and wealth. Ironically, they are unaware that they are locked in a never-ending cycle of desire. The ancient locks layered on the people suggests they’re trapped in the thinking of wanting more for themselves and for the future generation.  The black rectangle on the bottom right is a silhouette of my phone, showing that I am an observer who reflects on this moment.

When I took this picture, my lens was pointing at the ancient locks through a sheet of glass which reflected the scene behind. I want to recreate this picture through oils to emphasis my perspective on the current old-fashioned thinking of a generation and raise awareness to self-reflection.