Before I delve into the details, I would like to state that I possess a profound understanding of the delicacy and the sensitivity of the subject matter pertaining to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in China. This topic holds immense emotional significance for the Chinese community worldwide, and it is not my intention, in any form, to trivialize or disrespect this sensitivity.
The process of producing this project has not been without its obstacles. I was brought to the realization that anyone lending their hand in the creation of this endeavor might face severe repercussions. This in itself speaks volumes about the intensity and emotional gravity surrounding this issue.
While I have considered not releasing this font family, I have been told it is too important not to release it. With that said, I give you the history and design behind VTC Tank Man.
Thank you.
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In 1989, the protesters in Tiananmen Square in central Beijing peacefully called for political and economic reform, spurred on by the death of a leading politician, Hu Yaobang, who had overseen some of the economic and political changes. Political opponents had pushed him out of a top position in the party two years earlier. [1]
The Chinese authorities responded with overwhelming force to repress the demonstrations.
Military units were brought in, and unarmed protesters and onlookers were killed en masse. The Chinese government has never acknowledged the actual events surrounding the Tiananmen massacre. It remains a contentious topic in China, with authorities banning all mention of the protest even today.[2]
For the younger generation who didn’t live through the protests, there is little awareness about what happened. Many have only become aware of it after going to other countries.
While it’s unclear how many civilians were killed, in 2017, newly released UK documents revealed that a diplomatic cable from then-British Ambassador to China, Sir Alan Donald, had said 10,000 had died. [1]
CAUTION: If you decide to do further research, be prepared. There are images of the dead and wounded in the aftermath of this event. I will not be going into further detail. Please be cautious.
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Dominic Dudouble/Reuters
The design for the first installment of VTC Tank Man comes from these two banners carried during the peaceful protest. It was one of the only banners I was able to find that was photographed from multiple angles and by two different photographers. “Qingdao student single petition group to help Beijing,” is written below the phrase “Give me democracy or give me death.”
Now, I must also mention that what drew me to highlight this protest was the genius and foresight of the students. Aside from the many banners featuring English translations, many of the phrases from these banners came from movements before it. Phrases such as “WE SHALL OVERCOME” from the Civil Rights Movement, “ALL POWER BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE” (loosely) from the Black Panther Party, and even an Abraham Lincoln quote. [3] [4]
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However, beyond the replication of powerful slogans, there was the creation of the "Goddess of Democracy" statue. [5]
On May 27, 1989, after more than a month of demonstrations in the square, protest organizers tasked a group of Beijing art students with creating a statue. According to Tsao Hsingyuan, an associate of the artists who published a detailed account of the statue’s creation in the book “Popular Protest and Political Culture in Modern China,” the group consisted of around 15 students in their 20s. They have remained mostly anonymous, despite the prominence of their work.
Basing themselves at the prestigious Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), the students were given 8,000 yuan (then around $2,000) for materials and expenses – and just three days to complete the 33-foot-tall sculpture, which was created off-site before being transported to the square for assembly.
They needed a design that would resonate with protesters and the outside world alike, according to Tsao, who wrote that students worked in shifts throughout the night. They saved time by basing their design on a smaller model, already in their studio, of a man gripping a pole with both hands. [6]
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While many people have noted its resemblance to the Statue of Liberty, a sculptor present during its construction, Tsao Tsing-yuan, has written that the students decided not to model their statue on the Statue of Liberty because they were concerned that it would be unoriginal and “too openly pro-American.” Tsao further notes the influence on the statue of the work of Russian sculptor Vera Mukhina, who associated with the school of revolutionary realism. Her piece Worker and Kolkhoz Woman was especially influential for their statue's head and facial features. [7]
However, symbolically, it wasn’t the creation of the sculpture that was important, but its destruction. On the morning of June 4, after troops had entered the square to clear protesters by force, a military vehicle toppled the statue. It was later demolished and removed.
“It fell at the center of China’s autocracy, loudly collapsing in the center of Tiananmen Square. The statue died for China’s democracy underneath the tanks of the Chinese military.” [6]
As a part of the trial version of this font family, the torch has been adapted with features from both the banner and the sculpture.
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As for the name Tank Man, that story begins on June 5, 1989, one day after Chinese troops expelled thousands of demonstrators from the Square, a solitary, unarmed protester stood his ground before a column of tanks advancing down the Avenue of Eternal Peace. This extraordinary confrontation became an icon of the fight for freedom worldwide. [8]
According to the photographer, Jeff Widener, this man in a white shirt and dark trousers carrying what appeared to be shopping bags came out of nowhere. From the hotel balcony, Widener watched as the man confronted the lead tank, standing directly in front of it. The tank stopped and tried to go around the man. The man moved with the tank, blocking its path once again.
At one point during the standoff, the man climbed aboard the lead tank and appeared to speak to whoever was inside. [9]
In the three-plus decades since that day, Tank Man has been immortalized in photos, television shows, posters, and T-shirts. He remains an icon and a mystery. [10]