Paper cuts
(Paper cutting: Beijing, China)
It is a peculiarity of tourists that what would be unthinkably tacky at home becomes not only acceptable on holiday, but also sought out and celebrated. For instance, holiday clothes – many people have a holiday wardrobe that they wouldn’t wear on an average day at home, but they will happily don in a different place with slightly different weather. Here is another example; my mother is posing for a paper cut silhouette.
There was a long exchange before she arrived at this position. We had been perusing the shop (probably for terrible souvenirs) and as we were leaving, this gentleman set upon us with a pair of scissors. Immediately, my mum and Jane considered the possibilities of having a paper cut silhouette. I think for them, the practice is steeped in nostalgia as they each had one done as children when they lived in Australia. For me, it remains a holiday diversion that I’m happy to forgo. We bartered a little in both English and broken Chinese and brought the price down somewhat. As soon as either one of them was seated, a little crowd appeared from nowhere to watch the entire process with great interest. After this photo was taken, Jane and I kept up a dialogue with the express result that my mum was trying not to laugh all the way through. How cruel we are…
– Today Rosie is in the UK, drawing dogs –
