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M+ Sigg Collection, Hong Kong. By donation, © Xing Danwen
Xing Danwen 邢丹文
Urban Fiction No. 13 都市演繹第十三號
2005
Xing Danwen’s Urban Fiction series acts as a psychological exploration of the dense, high-rise cities that have sprouted up across China in recent decades. The artist first takes close-up photographs of elaborate architectural models used by real-estate developers to gain civic approvals and attract client interest. She then digitally inserts small figures engaged in a variety of dramatic scenes, often sexual or violent in nature. In this work, two people embrace passionately against the wall in an empty building unit. Flowers scattered at their feet underline the sense of flagrant desire, a jarring contrast with the pristine white and grey cityscape behind them.
In the Urban Fiction works, Xing hijacks the slick marketing narratives of real estate, offering alternative stories that shine light on the darker sides of the contemporary mega-city. The tiny dramas she composes are placed within much larger environments otherwise empty of human presence. The resulting overtones of isolation, voyeurism, and the pursuit or frustration of desire suggest that visions of luxurious living can easily become scenes of alienation or anxiety.
In the Urban Fiction works, Xing hijacks the slick marketing narratives of real estate, offering alternative stories that shine light on the darker sides of the contemporary mega-city. The tiny dramas she composes are placed within much larger environments otherwise empty of human presence. The resulting overtones of isolation, voyeurism, and the pursuit or frustration of desire suggest that visions of luxurious living can easily become scenes of alienation or anxiety.
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