Chunli Glamour 

Stanley Artgerm Lau created this digital painting of Chunli in the 20th or 21st century. Chunli's dress looks like it is made of silk, with patterns of gold that may have been embroidered. This may not be a physical object, but we can think about the cultural significance that silk has had as a product of labor. Originally, the knowledge of silk production was restricted to China, and the painstaking processes of cultivating silkworms, reeling the silk, and then weaving and embellishing textiles was a carefully guarded secret. But eventually this luxury material was traded across the world, leading to the development of the Silk Road. The artist depicts Chunli adorned with a material of global trade, perhaps highlighting how the fictional character’s cultural identity has become enmeshed with global capitalism and popular media. Even in a digital image, the texture, color, and cultural context of materials can add depth and meaning.