Daniel Staincliffe

The title, Monday 27th April 2009, refers to a day spent planting grass with workers in a large public park in East Beijing, in preparation for the Chinese national holiday Labour Day.

Fistfuls of grass are torn from larger tangles and planted 6 inches apart, in straight rows. Working with a group of about a dozen men throughout the day we planted large areas of grass under the sun.

A large frame displays the statement 'From 8am until 6pm I planted grass with workers in Chaoyang Park.' This conceptual and performative work is also presented through photographs of my hands taken before and after the day’s work.

After a previous trip to Shanghai was spent in lectures on the economy and work experience in an office, I wanted to use some of my residency to experience what a more average day in the life of a Chinese worker is like.

This work was made a part of a residency project at Red Gate Gallery in Beijing in April 2009, which was supported by The National Lottery through Arts Council England and The Confucius Institute at The University of Manchester.