Small Town Memories

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Paper pop-up books

Children’s Day
Oceanwaves
Postal Service
City Walk
Cassette Player
Clothing Store
Ice Cream Wholesale
Xinhua Bookstore

My early childhood was spent in Qingdao, a coastal city by the yellow sea. Even after many years apart, after the city went through rounds of remodeling and removal of old infrastructures, I can still recall the narrow streets, seaside breeze, the elementary school bell, roasted chestnuts in the winter, and musk-melons in the summer from long ago. This collection is sentimental, and experimental with various forms of interactive Artist Books.

Children’s Day
Tunnel Book

June 1st is Children’s day, but because it usually doesn’t land on a weekend, so preschool to elementary school students celebrate in their decorated classrooms with their peers and head teacher. Activities include various performances by the students, games, snack and gift exchange.

Oceanwaves
Four Section Pop Up Book

Ocean, beach and seafood marks Qingdao’s identity. People often spend much of their free time by the sea, sunbathing, exercising, collecting seashells, build sand castles and swimming. After ebb tide, some beaches are rich with seafood for people to catch, dig out and take home. It also hosted the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Overview

China Postal Service
Infinity Flip Book

Mails and postal stamps have fallen out of popularity in the digital era of Qingdao, but it used to be very popular. There are still historical post offices, now mostly serve as museums for tourist attraction.

City Walk
Accordion Book

Scenes one can see from walking on the city street.

Cassette Player
Section Collection book

Cassette tapes were the audiobooks of my early childhood, and also for many others. The player is usually passed down from the previous generation. Fallen out of popularity, but pretty much every home still has one.

Clothing Store
Pop Up Book

There are many boutiques along the neighborhood selling seasonal clothing, usually takes good bargaining skills to get the best price.

Ice Cream Wholesale
Pop Up Book

Every summer many families go to the ice cream wholesale store to hand pick a large box of popsicles. Looks like it might be enough for the whole summer, but with us kids it only last a month.

Xinhua Bookstore
Pop Up Book

Many Teenagers hang out around Bookstores over the weekend because they have the excuse that they are out studying, but in fact they are reading comics, buying snacks, and wonder around the community parks outside of the bookstores with their close friends.

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Raina Jia