Dictionary of Self-Censorship #

2023-2025, Vinyl Cutting , Notebook, Lightbox.

Dictionary of Self-Censorship draws inspiration from the word我 (wǒ, meaning “I”) as defined in the Xinhua Dictionary, a fundamental reference for Chinese students learning Mandarin. According to this dictionary, the character 我 (“I”) is linked to three phrases: 我国 (“my country”), 自我批判 (“self-criticism”), and 忘我精神 (“spirit of self-sacrifice”). These associations between the self and collective identity inspired Yujie Zhou to initiate a shared writing process for the Dictionary of Self-Censorship. By opening this private notebook to the public, written across a window facing the street, they aim to make visible some anonymous contributions that make up the Dictionary as of today.

Dictionary of Self-Censorship , Installation View at sorry, Galleria Loisti, Helsinki, Finland, 2025.

Dictionary of Self-Censorship , Installation View at QWERTY, Solo Exhibition at Photographic Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki, Finland, 2023