Terracotta mania

Xinhua reports that Xi'an's 2,000 year old terracotta warriors are "finally getting some female company", thanks to Norwegian artist, Marian Heyerdahl, daughter of famed explorer, Thor Heyerdahl.

Heyerdahl created her anti-war message in the form of 70 female terracotta warriors over a period of three months while living next door to the farmer who discovered the clay warriors on the outskirts of Xi'an.

Describing her works of art, Heyerdahl says:

Every one of them has a personality and each is telling a story. I made them to express my love of peace, as women suffer the most in war... Some have their mouths open as if they're screaming, others have their eyes closed in fear, some are smiling and some are pregnant.

Shanghaiist thinks the result looks pretty damn cool. Why didn't we think of it first! Now does anybody want to join us in creating a series of terracotta babies and children? These poor pregnant warriors have to deliver at some point in time, no?

Looks like the terracotta soldiers in Xi'an have been getting into the news helluva lot lately, and not for reasons one might think of.

Last month, we reported on how German art student, Pablo Wendel, fooled security guards in the Xi'an museum by taking up position among the terracotta warriors completely disguised. He had to be literally carried out as if he were a log.

People's Daily reports:

Police considered that as Wendel's actions did not cause any damage to the cultural relics and he was clearly passionate about the warriors, it only warranted "serious criticism and education". His outfit was also confiscated and he was sent back to Hangzhou by local police on Saturday evening.

Now Shanghaiist is crafting a plan to fool those security guards again to lay our hands on the damn costume so we can attend this party in style.

Images from Xinhua and www.huashphoto.com.