An ongoing project involving the consumption of over 350 Filet-O-Fish burgers by Chinese-born British artist Junhao Wu. Four years ago, Wu was studying contemporary photography practices and philosophy in Central St. Martins, London, while much of the world was still under pandemic restrictions. During the lockdown, Wu imagine the day he could walk into McDonald’s freely, a sign of returning to normalcy. That day, he ordered a filet at random. Shocked by the smoothness of the bread, he took a photo. Since then, WU has visited over 150 McDonald’s restaurants, mainly in the UK and China. He always orders filets and always takes photos from a fixed top-down angle and uploads it to Chinese social platinum-type stain (Xiaohongshu). As a student, choice is driven only by economics and nostalgia. Born in a small communist revolutionary town in southern China, McDonald’s is part of happy childhood memories. Wu may remember eating McDonald’s is a special event where he can brag about friends at school:
Of course, as a kid, I didn’t know why this was seen as a bragging right. Maybe I got the answer now: We really don’t want the experience of eating McDonald’s or the burger itself, but we crave what others want (things that can be shaped by the public media (things that can be shaped by the public media). When I grew up, I would grow up and I dreamed of leaving my countryside and hoping to one day be able to eat in a city until a New York City life… until I use it to eat until I’m making a Mand, until I’m making a Mand, until I’m able to eat my life on Mount Man. McDonald’s meals in a capital city, and having a bowl of fried noodles in my hometown is actually the same life experience.
When Wu’s social media posts started to get attention, others began to like and share the “smooth” and “perfect” bread trends that included McDonald’s China’s joining – Wu became uncomfortable. He even gained a stance in public relations with McDonald’s headquarters in China, which he refused. Ultimately, Wu sees himself as “just a person who leverages social platforms (device for photography) to borrow McDonald’s’ global reach to show a more personal way of observing and storytelling.”
Junhao Wu participated in our 2025 Boooooom Art & Photo Book Awards and listed our shortlist. Click here to view our current and upcoming calls!
