The deep connection between the artist and the migrant labourers explains the endurance of this object matter in his art.  Zhang Dali symbolises ethnicity and humanity, the ephemeral and permanent, reality and historical memory. His subjects became the ‘medium’ which is used by the artist to transfer the constantly changing information to the public: an individualized visual vocabulary. On the situation in China during its constant evolution, the migrants provide the physical strength in the cities and were turning into material. Their humanity has been taken away from them for the materialistic evolution of the country.