皇上驾到 The Emperor Arrives, 2014

HD video with sound, 4.37 mins

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The Emperor Arrives explore the Chinese Imperial dynasty’s legacy in the 21st century. The project centers on the theme of the masquerade while commenting on China’s new rich pitched against the backdrop of Beijing’s increasing economic might. Part of an ongoing series, the project is also a provocative and ironic study of shifting stereotypes that emphasizes on the borderline between reality and fantasy.

 

Beyond simply a mocking, playful commentary on cultural perceptions and misperceptions, the performance reassesses collisions between the East and West, high art and kitsch, and the indeterminacy and ambiguity of identity.